The Eleventh was recruited at White Pigeon, the several companies being mustered into service at different dates, but the organization was com­pleted Sept. 24, 1861, with an enrollment of 1,000 officers and men.

The field, staff and line officers at organization were as follows:

Colonel, William J. May, White Pigeon. Lieutenant Colonel, William L. Stoughton, Sturgis. Major, Benjamin F. Doughty, Sturgis. Surgeon, William N. Elliott, White Pigeon. Assistant Surgeon, Justin C. El­liott, White Pigeon, Adjutant, Samuel Chadwick, Three Rivers, Quarter­master, Addison I. Drake, Sturgis. Chaplain, Holmes A. Pattison, Colon.

1. Captain, David Oaks, Jr., Centerville. First Lieutenant, Chris­topher Haight, Leonidas. Second Lieutenant, Henry S. Fisher, Mendon.
2. Captain, Melvin Mudge, Quincy. First Lieutenant, Jerome Bowen, Quincy. Second Lieutenant, Miles Warren, Quincy.
3. Captain, Calvin Hood, Sturgis. First Lieutenant, Matthias M. Faulkner, Sturgis. Second Lieutenant, Loren H. Howard, LaGrange, Ind.
4. Captain, Benjamin G. Bennett, Burr Oak. First Lieutenant, John R. Keeler, Burr Oak. Second Lieutenant, Theodore P. Kesler, Bronson.
5. Captain, Henry N. Spencer, Three Rivers. First Lieutenant, Thomas Flynn, Three Rivers. Second Lieutenant, Charles W. Newberry, Three Rivers.
6. Captain, Sylvester B. Smith, Morenci. First Lieutenant, Joseph Wilson, Hudson. Second Lieutenant, Abraham Harper, Hudson.
7. Captain, Charles Moase, Bronson. First Lieutenant, Thomas H. Briggs, Schoolcraft. Second Lieutenant, Silas G. Comstock, Three Rivers.
8. Captain, John L. Hackstaff, Coldwater. First Lieutenant, Samuel C. Mills, Coldwater. Second Lieutenant, Leonidas E. Mills, Coldwater.
9. Captain, Nelson Chamberlain, London. First Lieutenant, Lewis E. Childs, Ypsilanti. Second Lieutenant, Benjamin Riesdorf, Monroe.
11. Captain, William W. Phillips, Adrian. First Lieutenant. Patrick H. Keegan, Deerfield. Second Lieutenant, Ephriam L. French, Adrian.

The regiment left its rendezvous Dec. 9 for Kentucky and remained during the winter at Bardstown.

During the spring of 1862 the Eleventh was occupied in guarding the Louisville and Nashville railroad, and in July made a series of long marches in pursuit of the Confederate raider John Morgan, and was a part of the force that defeated Morgan at Gallatin, Tenn., the 13th of August. Upon its return to Nashville it was assigned to Negley’s Division and rendered valuable assistance in fortifying that city so it was impregnable to the attack of the enemy. Colonel May resigned April 1, 1862, and Lieutenant Colonel Stoughton was commissioned Colonel at the same date. The regi­ment under his command was assigned to the Second Brigade, Second Divi­sion, Fourteenth Corps.

The Eleventh participated in the advance upon Murfreesboro and was in the fiercest fighting at Stone River. Negley’s Division, the Second,

was in the center of the Union line and was stoutly assailed by the enemy in such overwhelming numbers as to force it back toward the Murfreesboro pike. The Eleventh fought gallantly and the many casualties of the regi­ment attested the severity of the contest. The Eleventh was one of the first regiments to cross Stone river, and was among the troops that captured a Confederate battery which had been abandoned when the Confederates were driven from the field. During January, 1863, the Eleventh was de­tached from its Division and placed upon provost duty at Murfreesboro, and remained there until the following June, when the advance was made upon Tullahoma.

In September the Eleventh left its camp at Dechard, Tenn., and made a toilsome march over the mountains and reached the battlefield of Chickamauga in time to participate in two days of the fiercest fighting of the war. The regiment was under command of Lieutenant Colonel Mudge during the battle as Colonel Stoughton was then in command of the Second Bri­gade.

Colonel Stoughton, after the battle of Chickamauga, withdrew his Bri­gade to Rossville by command of General Thomas and held that position until the Union army had passed to Chattanooga, and on the morning of the 22d returned to Chattanooga, being the last of the Union troops to leave the field. The Eleventh was in the Second Brigade, com­manded by General Stoughton November 25, 1863, when the famous charge was made by General Grant’s troops up the steep and difficult side of Mis­sion Ridge. The Eleventh sprang up the almost impassable barrier with the enemy on the crest of the Ridge pouring a murderous fire of musketry and artillery into the faces of the Union troops, but step by step, clinging to the trees and shrubs, to help them in their advance, finally reached the summit and drove the Confederates in confusion down the other side of the mountain. The Eleventh was one of the first regiments to gain the crest of the Ridge. Major Benjamin G. Bennett led the regiment, but was killed before reaching the crest and Captain P. H. Keegan assumed com­mand. The regiment suffered severely in this charge.

The Eleventh, with the Second Brigade, followed the retreating Con­federates and captured a Confederate battery which was sent back to Chat­tanooga in charge of the regiment.

The following May the regiment entered upon the Georgia Campaign with the army under General Sherman and fought its way steadily to the Chattahoochee river, which it crossed July 17, and then took part in the siege of Atlanta. A few miles from Marietta, Ga., the Confederates had entrenched and the Eleventh charged the enemy’s works, but met with considerable loss and Colonel Stoughton was so severely wounded in the leg as to cause amputation.

While in front of Atlanta, the Eleventh was in a number of charges, los­ing many in killed and wounded.

The term of service for which the regiment enlisted, expired while in the trenches before Atlanta and the regiment was sent back to Chattanooga, and from there to Sturgis, Mich., where it was mustered out of service Sept. 30, 1864.

The regiment took part in engagements at Gallatin, Tenn., August 13, 1862; Fort Riley, Tenn., Sept. 1, 1862; Stone River, Tenn., December 29-31, 1862, and January 2, 3, 1863; Elk River, Tenn., July 1, 1863; Davis Cross Roads, Tenn., September 11, 1863; Chickamauga, Ga., September 19, 20, 1863; Mission Ridge, Tenn., November 25, 1863; Graysville, Ga., November 26, 1863; Buzzard’s Roost, Ga., May 10, 1864; Resaca, Ga., May 14, 1864; New Hope Church, Ga., May 27, 1864; Kenesaw, Ga., June 22-27, 1864; Rough’s Station, Ga., July 3, 4, 1864; Peach Tree Creek, Ga., July 20, 1864; Atlanta, Ga., August 7, 1864; siege of Atlanta, Ga., July 22 to August 27, 1864.