The Third was organized at Grand Rapids and was mustered into service June 10, 1861, with an enrollment of 1,040 officers and men. The field, staff and line officers at organization were as follows:

Colonel, Daniel McConnell, Grand Rapids. Lieutenant Colonel, Am­brose A. Stevens, Saranac. Major, Stephen G. Champlin, Grand Rapids. Surgeon, D. Willard Bliss, Grand Rapids. Assistant Surgeon, Zenas E. Bliss, Grand Rapids. Adjutant, Edward S. Earle, Grand Rapids. Quarter­master, Robert M. Collins, Grand Rapids. Chaplain, Francis M. Cummings, Grand Rapids.

1. Captain, Samuel A. Judd, Grand Rapids. First Lieutenant, Frederick Shriver, Grand Rapids. Second Lieutenant, Charles D. Lyon, Grand Rapids.
2. Captain, Baker Borden, Grand Rapids. First Lieutenant, Elisha O. Stevens, Grand Rapids. Second Lieutenant, Frederick A. Stow, Grand Rapids.
3. Captain, Adolph Birkenstock, Grand Rapids. First Lieutenant, Max Von Krout, Grand Rapids. Second Lieutenant, Felix Zoll, Grand Rapids.
4. Captain, Moses B. Houghton, Saranac. First Lieutenant, Peter Z. Granger, Saranac. Second Lieutenant, George W. Phillips, Saranac.
5. Captain, Edwin S. Pierce, Lyons. First Lieutenant, Solomon P. Tumy, Muir. Second Lieutenant, Israel C. Smith, Grand Rapids.
6. Captain, John J. Dennis, Grand Rapids. First Lieutenant, Freder­ick W. Worden, Grand Rapids. Second Lieutenant, Peter A. Bogardus, Grand Rapids.
7. Captain, John R. Price, Lansing. First Lieutenant, Robert B. Jefferds, Lansing. Second Lieutenant, James B. TenEyck, Lansing.
8. Captain, Emery D. Bryant, Muskegon. First Lieutenant, Charles D. Spang, Muskegon. Second Lieutenant, William L. Ryan, Muskegon.
9. Captain, George Weatherwax, Georgetown. First Lieutenant, Stephen L. Lowing, Georgetown. Second Lieutenant, Abraham J. Whit­ney, Hastings.
11. Captain, Byron R. Pierce, Grand Rapids. First Lieutenant, Al­mond Borden, Grand Rapids. Second Lieutenant, Robert M. Collins, Grand Rapids.

The regiment left Grand Rapids June 13, 1861, for Washington, D. C., to join the army of the Potomac, and one month afterward took part in the action at Blackburn’s Ford, Va.

Col. McConnell resigned Oct. 22, 1861, and Major Champlin was com­missioned Colonel Oct. 28, 1861, and under his command the Third went into winter quarters at Alexandria, Va., until the following March, when it was assigned to General Berry’s Brigade, Third Division, Third Corps, and entered upon the Peninsula campaign conducted by General McClellan in 1862.

The regiment was engaged in the battle of Williamsburg, Va., May 5th, fought gallantly at Fair Oaks and received special commendation from General Berry commanding the brigade, and from General Phil Kearney commanding the division for duty ” nobly performed.” The severe loss of 30 killed, 124 wounded and 15 missing attested the conspicuous part that the Third took in this battle.

It engaged the enemy at Charles City Cross Roads, June 30, and at Malvern Hill, July 1. During the entire campaign, the Third was marching, or constructing fortifications, fighting the enemy and taking part in the historic battles of the war.

The campaign ended with the battle of Malvern Hill, and the Third with its Corps returned to take part in the disastrous campaign conducted by General Pope.

At Groveton, near the battlefield of Bull Run, a severe engagement was fought with the confederate corps of General Jackson, General Longstreet arriving upon the field in time to relieve Jackson’s troops and convert the campaign of General Pope into a retreat of the Union forces behind the defenses of Washington.

During the months following the regiment moved with its brigade to different points in Virginia, and in October with the third corps crossed the Potomac at Chain bridge, and after marching through Maryland crossed the river again and reached Falmouth, Va., the 23d.

At this point it crossed the Rappahannock and participated in the three days’ battle of Fredericksburg, recrossing December 15, and occupying its former camp at Falmouth.

The Third crossed the Rappahannock again at United States Ford May 1, 1863, and marched to Chancellorsville, where it was in danger of capture or annihilation on account of the demoralization of the Eleventh Corps when overwhelmed by Jackson’s Confederate troops.

By stubborn fighting the Third held its position with a loss of 63 killed, wounded and missing, and in good order re-crossed the river with the army when the order was given by General Hooker.

The Third was in General Sickles’ division during this engagement, and the contest was hand to hand, and the slaughter great.

On the nth of June the Third Corps started on a long and tiresome march in search of General Lee’s Army and came in contact with it at Gettysburg, the 2d and 3d day of July. Sickles’ Corps, in which the Third served, had an advanced line the second day of the battle, and was assaulted by the confederates, when a desperate conflict ensued. The Corps fell back to its original position, and was strengthened by the Fifth Corps, when the confederates were repulsed. In this battle the Third lost 40 killed, wounded and missing.

After the battle of Gettysburg, the Third followed the retreating con­federates to Williamsport, crossed the Potomac at Harper’s Ferry and marched to Manassas Gap.

On the 17th of August the Third moved to Alexandria, Va., and was then sent to New York City to quiet the turbulence caused by the draft.

From New York it was sent to Troy, N. Y., and then returned to its brigade at Culpepper, Va., where it arrived September 17th.

In October the regiment was at Auburn Heights, Manassas, Center- ville, Fairfax Station and at Catlett’s Station.

The regiment was in camp at Warrenton Junction November 7, where it commenced a. series of marches, when it met the enemy at Kelly’s Ford at Mine Run, charging the confederates in their works the 30th, and arrived at Brandy Station December 2. During the operations for the month the regiment lost 31 killed, wounded and missing. On the 23d of December 207 members of the regiment re-enlisted and returned to the state on veteran furlough.

After the regiment returned from veteran furlough and joined the Second Brigade, Third Division, Second Corps, it crossed the Rapidan May 4, 1864, and entered upon the Wilderness campaign It was then temporarily consolidated with the Fifth Michigan Infantry.

The Second Corps was commanded by General Hancock, and was always where the heaviest fighting was, and the Third shared in all the movements and battles of the Corps.

It was engaged in the desperate struggle of the Wilderness, and charged the enemy’s works at Spottsylvania, where it captured a large num­ber of prisoners and two regimental colors.

The Third was engaged at North Anna River the 23d and 24th of May, and at Cold Harbor June 7.

On the 9th of June the men who did not re-enlist and some of the re­cruits who joined the regiment after it was in the field, with some of the officers, proceeded to Michigan for muster out.

This action depleted the regiment to such an extent that those who had re-enlisted were formed into a battalion, and were attached to the Fifth Michigan Infantry.

The order consolidating the Third and Fifth Infantry was issued by the Secretary of War June 13, 1864.

On the 20th day of June, 1864, the Third was mustered out of service, paid and disbanded at Detroit.

This regiment participated in engagements at Blackburn’s Ford, Va., July 18, 1861; Bull Run, Va., July 21, 1861; siege of Yorktown, Va., April 4 to May 4, 1862; Williamsburg, Va., May 5, 1862; Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862; Savage Station, Va., June 29, 1862; Peach Orchard, Va., June 29, 1862; Glendale, Va., June 30, 1862; White Oak Swamp, Va., June 30, 1862; Malvern Hill, Va., July 1, 1862; Bull Run, 2d, Va., August 29, 1862; Chantilly, Va., September 1, 1862; Fredericksburg, Va., December, 13,1862; Chancellorsville, Va., May 1, 2, 3 1863; Gettysburg, Pa., July 2 and 3, 1863; Wapping Heights, Va., July 23, 1863; Auburn Heights, Va., October 1, 1863; Kelly’s Ford, Va., November 7, 1863; Locust Grove, Va., November 27, 1863; Mine Run, Va., November 29 and 30, 1863; Wilderness, Va., May 5, 6, 7, 1864; Todd’s Tavern, Va., May 8, 1864; Po River, Va., May 10, 1864; Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, 1864; North Anna, Va., May 23, 24, 1864; Cold Har­bor, Va., June 17, 1864.

The Third was reorganized in October, 1864, at Grand Rapids, under Col. M. B. Houghton, and was mustered into service the 15th of the month with an enrollment of 879 officers and men.

The regiment left Grand Rapids October 20, for Nashville, Tenn. Dur­ing the month of November the Third was stationed at Decatur, Ala. It then moved to Murfreesboro, Tenn., where it was engaged in picket and scouting duty, and remained at Murfreesboro until January 16, 1865, when it moved to Huntsville, Ala.

In February the regiment was at Huntsville, Ala., and on the 16th of March proceeded to New Market, Tenn., and afterward camped at Bull’s Gap and Jonesboro. It was very efficient in driving out the .numerous bands of guerillas that infested that portion of the country, and affording protection to the loyal people of Tennessee.

After the surrender of the confederate armies in the east, the Third proceeded to New Orleans, La., where it embarked and crossed the Gulf of Mexico to San Antonio, Texas, where it arrived after a fourteen days’ march, November 6. It remained here during the winter, doing provost duty, and in May, 1866, it moved to Victoria, where it was mustered out of service.

The regiment returned to Michigan, and .was paid and disbanded at Detroit, June 10, 1866.

The regiment was engaged at Decatur, Ala., October 28, 29, 30, 1864; Murfreesboro, Tenn., November 30 to December 20, 1864.