In compliance with President Lincoln’s requisition upon the State of Michigan for military aid to uphold the Constitution and maintain the Union of the States, Governor Austin Blair issued a proclamation, dated April 16, 1861, for one regiment of Infantry to be mustered into the U. S. service.

At this date there were a number of independent military companies in the state possessing military knowledge from long practice and study, and ten of these companies were accepted to form the first regiment. These companies were designated at their home stations as the “Detroit Light Guard,” “Jackson Greys,” “Coldwater Cadets,” “Manchester Union Guard,” “Steuben Guard,” “Michigan Hussars,” “Burr Oak Guard,” “Ypsilanti Light Guard,” “Marshall Light Guard” and “Hardee Cadets.” Orlando B. Wilcox was appointed Colonel of the regiment, and the companies reported to him at Detroit with the least possible delay.

The organization of the regiment was completed April 29, and was mustered’ into the service of the U. S. May 1, 1861, with an enrollment of 798. The president had called for these troops to serve three months, and the following field and staff and line officers were elected:

Colonel, Orlando B. Wilcox, Detroit. Lieutenant Colonel, Loren L. Comstock, Adrian. Major, Alonzo F. Bidwell, Coldwater. Surgeon, William Brodie. Detroit. Assistant Surgeon, Cyrus Smith, Jackson. Adjutant, John D. Fairbanks, Detroit. Quartermaster, Edward Grey, Detroit.

Following are the companies with their officers as mustered into service:

A.     Captain, Charles M. Lum, Detroit. First Lieutenant, John D. Fairbanks, Detroit. Second Lieutenant. William A, Throop, Detroit.

B.     Captain. William H. Withington, Jackson. First Lieutenant, Eben B. Griffith, Jackson. Second Lieutenant, G. Collins Lyon, Jackson.

C.     Captain, Ebenezer Butterworth, Coldwater. First Lieutenant, Charles E. Eggleston, Coldwater. Second Lieutenant, George H. Eggleston, Coldwater.

D.    Captain, Isaac L. Clarkson, Manchester. First Lieutenant, John D. Merethew, Manchester. Second Lieutenant, Thomas Rix, Manchester.

E.     Captain, William F. Roth, Ann Arbor. First Lieutenant, George C. Mogk, Ann Arbor. Second Lieutenant, John T. Sinclair, Ann Arbor.

F.     Captain, Horace S. Roberts, Detroit. First Lieutenant, Bernhard Mauch, Detroit. Second Lieutenant, Joseph P. Sanger, Detroit.

G.    Captain, Ira C. Abbott, Burr Oak. First Lieutenant. John M. Casey, Burr Oak. Second Lieutenant, Charles Moase, Burr Oak.

H.    Captain, Franklin W. Whittlesey, Ypsilanti. First Lieutenant, David A. Wise, Ypsilanti. Second Lieutenant, Marvin A. Parkes. Ypsilanti.

I.      Captain, Deville Hubbard, Marshall. First Lieutenant, Selden H. Gorham, Marshall. Second Lieutenant, Hiram S. Warner, Marshall.

K.     Captain, William H. Graves, Adrian. First Lieutenant. John W. Horner, Adrian. Second Lieutenant, William House, Adrian.

The equipment was thorough and complete, and had been pushed with such vigor that the regiment was supplied with uniforms and armed and ready for instant service when it left the state, May 13, and was the first regiment from a western state to reach Washington, where it arrived May 16. The regiment crossed Long Bridge and took possession of Alexandria, Va., May 24. The first serious battle of the war was at Bull Run, Va., where the First proved its metal as a fighting regiment and was hotly engaged in that desperate contest, losing heavily in killed, wounded and captured. The regiment returned to the state at the expiration of its three months’ term of service and was mustered out Aug. 7, 1861.

The regiment was immediately reorganized for three years’ service, at Ann Arbor, with 960 officers and men, and started for Virginia Sept. 16. The field and staff and line officers were as follows:

John C. Robinson, Colonel, Captain U. S. Army. Horace S. Roberts, Lieutenant Colonel, Detroit. Franklin W. Whittlesey, Major, Ypsilanti. Joseph Tunnicliff, Jr., Surgeon, Jackson. Andrew J. Hobart, Assistant Surgeon, Niles. Edward H. Ring, Adjutant, Jackson. David A. Wise, Quartermaster, Ypsilanti. Arthur Edwards, Jr., Chaplain, Trenton.

A.     Captain, Russell H. Alcott, Manchester. First Lieutenant, Henry C. Christiancy, Monroe. Second Lieutenant. Irving F. Wilcox, Twinsburg, Ohio.

B      Captain, Ira C. Abbott, Burr Oak. First Lieutenant, Samuel E. Pittman, Detroit. Second Lieutenant, William Byrns, Burr Oak.

C      Captain, George P. Sanford, Ann Arbor. First Lieutenant, Lyford Peavey, Marshall. Second Lieutenant, Perry L. Hubbard, Pontiac.

D     Captain, Eben B. Griffith. Jackson. First Lieutenant, Eben T. Whittlesey, Ypsilanti. Second Lieutenant, J. Benton Kennedy, Jackson.

E      Captain,  ——, ——, ——. First Lieutenant, George H. Eggleston, Coldwater. Second Lieutenant, Oliver C. Comstock, Marshall.

F      Captain, William A. Throop, Detroit. First Lieutenant, Emory W. Belton, Chelsea. Second Lieutenant, Wilkins Bloodgood, Detroit.

G     Captain, G. Collins Lyon, Jackson. First Lieutenant, Edward Pomeroy, Jackson. Second Lieutenant, Philander C. Perry, Ann Arbor.

H     Captain, Charles E. Wendell, Detroit. First Lieutenant, George C. Hopper, Detroit. Second Lieutenant, Alfred W. Beardslee, Detroit.

I       Captain, George W. Grummond, Detroit. First Lieutenant, Hiram S. Warner, Marshall. Second Lieutenant, Edward D. Judd, Saline.

K.     Captain, Byron B. Adsit, Sault Ste Marie. First Lieutenant, George C. Mogk, Ann Arbor. Second Lieutenant, Henry C. Arnold, Ann Arbor.

The regiment took part in the Peninsular Campaign of 1862, under General McClellan, serving in the First Brigade, First Division, Fifth Army Corps. It fought gallantly at Mechanicsville, Gaines’s Mills, Peach Orchard, Savage Station, Turkey Bend. White Oak Swamp and Malvern Hill.

After the Peninsular Campaign it was assigned to Fitz John Porter’s Corps, where it was desperately engaged at Second Bull Run, Aug. 30, 1862, with the other regiments of the brigade and sustained a fearful loss under the murderous fire of the enemy’s masked batteries.

The regiment took part in the bloody battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, and reached Gettysburg, Pa., July 2, 1863, in time to bear an active part in one of the hardest and most historic battles of the war.. It was engaged in active duty, with frequent contacts with the enemy, until Feb., 1864, when 212 of its members re-enlisted and were fur- loughed for thirty days to visit their homes in Michigan.

The 10th of April, 1864, the regiment reassembled at Beverly Ford, Va. It took an active part in the campaign of 1864 and was engaged at Allsop’s Farm, Spottsylvania, Nye River, North Anna, Jerico Mills and Tolopotomy. It crossed the James River June 16 and arrived in front of Petersburg the 18th, and was engaged in a desperate encounter with the enemy at Poplar Grove Church. The regiment was continuously employed, either throwing up fortifications or fighting the enemy, until Feb. 5, 1865, when it started on the campaign around Richmond, marching and fighting until the surrender of Lee’s army at Appomattox Court House.

After the surrender the regiment proceeded by rail to Louisville, Ky., where it was mustered out July 9th and returned to Jackson, Mich., on the 12th, where it was paid off and disbanded.

The First was engaged with the enemy while in service at Mechanicsville, Va., June 26, 1862; Gaines’s Mill, Va., June 27, 1862; Peach Orchard, Va., June 29, 1862; Savage Station, Va., June 29, 1862; Turkey Bend, Va., June 30, 1862; White Oak Swamp, Va., June 30, 1862; Malvern Hill, Va., July 1, 1862; Harrison’s Landing, Va., July 2, 1862; Gainesville, Va., Aug. 1862; Bull Run, 2d, Va., Aug. 30, 1862; Antietam, Md., Sept. 17, 1862; Shepardstown Ford, Va., Sept. 20, 1862; Snicker’s Gap, Va., Nov. 14, 1862; Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 14, 1862; U. S. Ford, Va., Jan. 1, 1863; Chancellorsville, Va., May 1, 2. 3, 4, 5 1863; Kelly’s Ford, Va., June 9. 1863; Ashby’s Gap, Va., June 21, 1863; Gettysburg, Pa., July 2, 3, 4, 1863; Williamsport, Md., July 12, 1863; Wapping Heights, Va., July 21, 1863; Culpepper, Va., Oct. 13, 1863; Brandy Station, Va., Oct. 13. 1863; Bristo Station, Va., Oct. 14, 1863; Rappahannock Station, Va., Nov. 7, 1863; Cross Roads, Va., Nov. 26, 1863; Mine Run, Va., Nov. 29, 1863; Wilderness. Va., May 5, 7, 1864; Laurel Hill, Va., May 8, 1864; Po River, Va., May 10, 1864; Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, 1864; Ny River, Va., May 21, 1864; North Anna, Va., May 23, 1864; Jericho Mills. Va., May 24, 1864; Noel’s Turn, Va., May 26, 1864; Tolopotomy, Va., May 30, 1864; Magnolia Swamp. Va., June 1, 1864; Bethesda Church, Va., June 2, 1864; Petersburg, Va., June 18, 1864; Weldon R. R„ Va., Aug. 19, 20, 21, 1864; Peeble’s Farm, Va., Sept. 1864; Hatcher’s Run, Va., Oct. 27, 1864; Nottaway Court House, Va., Dec. 8, 1864; Dabney’s Mills, or Hatcher’s Run, Feb. 6, 7, 1865; Hatcher’s Run, Va., March 25, 1865; White Oak Road, Va., March 29, 1865; Five Forks, Va., April 1, 1865; Amelia Court House, Va., April 5, 1865; High Bridge, Va., April 6, 1865; Appomattox Court House, Va., April 9, 1865.