The Second Cavalry was organized at Grand Rapids and mustered into the United States service Oct. 2, 1861, with an enrollment of 1,163 officers and men.

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

Lieutenant Colonel, William C. Davis. Detroit. Majors, Robert H. G. Minty, Detroit; Selden H. Gorham, Marshall; Charles P. Babcock, Grand Rapids. Surgeon, Charles S. Henderson, Grand Rapids. Assistant Surgeon, William Brownell, Utica. Adjutant, Peter S. Schuyler, Grand Rapids. Battalion Adjutants, Alphonzo E. Gordon, Grand Rapids; Peter A. Weber, Grand Rapids; George Lee, Grand Rapids. Quartermaster, Frank E. Walbridge, Kalamazoo. Battalion Quartermasters, James P. Scott, Grand Haven; Seymour Brownell, Utica; John A. Brooks, Newaygo. Chaplain, Francis Drew, Grand Rapids.

COMPANIES.

1. Captain, John C. Godley, Flint. First Lieutenant, George Carter, East Saginaw. Second Lieutenant, Merritt Blackmer, Saginaw.
2. Captain, Henry A. Shaw, Eaton Rapids. First Lieutenant, Philo W. Rogers, Eaton Rapids. Second Lieutenant, Marshall J. Dickinson, Vermontville.
3. Captain, Russell A. Alger, Detroit. First Lieutenant, Henry C. Whipple, Grand Rapids. Second Lieutenant, John M. Weatherwax, Georgetown.
4. Captain, Benjamin Smith, Pine Plains. First Lieutenant, Stewart B. McCray, Grand Rapids. Second Lieutenant, Darwin B. Lyon, Grand Rapids.
5. Captain, Benjamin S. Whitman, Berlin. First Lieutenant, Henry W. Sears, Muskegon. Second Lieutenant, Harmon F. Nicholson, Joliet, Ill.
6. Captain, Arvine Peck, Lowell. First Lieutenant, Leonidas S. Scranton, Grand Rapids. Second Lieutenant, Dan T. Fargo, Ionia.
7. Captain, Frederick Fowler, Hillsdale. First Lieutenant, Jasper A. Waterman, Hillsdale. Second Lieutenant, James Hawley, Hillsdale.
8. Captain, Chester E. Newman, Detroit. First Lieutenant, George E. Adair, .Utica. Second Lieutenant, Alexander Grant, Utica.
9. Captain, Charles H. Goodale, Kalamazoo. First Lieutenant, Milo W. Barrows, Kalamazoo. Second Lieutenant. George S. Hodges, Gales- burg.
11. Captain, Archibald P. Campbell, Port Huron. First Lieutenant, Moses R. Smith, Port Huron. Second Lieutenant, Marshall P. Thatcher, Pontiac.
12. Captain, Bezaleel P. Wells, Niles. First Lieutenant, Andrew J. Foster, Niles. Second Lieutenant, John H. Hutton, Niles.
13. Captain, Frank W. Dickey, Marshall. First Lieutenant, Abram D. Van Gordon, Marshall. Second Lieutenant, Thomas W. Johnston, Marshall.

The regiment left Grand Rapids Nov. 14, 1861, for St. Louis, Mo., and its service during the war was in the western department.

The Second went into the field under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Davis and when it arrived at St. Louis Captain Gordon Granger of the U. S. A. was commissioned Colonel of the regiment, Sept. 2, 1861, and received from him thorough instructions for its duties when meeting the enemy, mounted or dismounted, and the Captain being a strict disciplinarian the regiment was soon splendidly organized. Captain Granger rose to be a Major General before the close of the war.

The Second was assigned to the army under General Pope, then operating against Island No. 10, and here saw its first real service. After the capture of Island No. 10 the Second took part in the siege of Corinth and was actively engaged in scouting and skirmishing.

Colonel Granger was promoted to Brigadier General March 26, 1862, which left the regiment without a Colonel while it was at Pittsburg Landing, Tenn. Governor Blair of Michigan was present at that time and selected Captain Phil H. Sheridan, U. S. A., to command the regiment and he was commissioned Colonel May 25, 1862.

Captain Sheridan rose to the rank of Lieutenant General and the Second Cavalry has the distinction of being commanded by the two distinguished officers above named. Under command of Colonel Sheridan the Second participated in the spirited action at Boonville, Miss., one of the most brilliant minor engagements of the war. It was this engagement, so largely brought to a victorious conclusion by the gallantry of the Second, that gave Captain Sheridan his promotion as Brigadier General and placed him on the road to further honors and promotions. Colonel A. P. Campbell was commissioned July 1, 1862, to fill the vacancy caused by the promotion of Colonel Sheridan.

The Second was a part of General Buell’s army when the move was made upon Perryville, Ky., in Oct., 1862, and achieved an enviable reputation in its stubborn fight with the enemy, driving him in confusion from the field.

In December, 1862, and January, 1863, the Second was in East Tennessee, doing an immense amount of damage to the enemy’s railroads and meeting the confederates in the field on numerous occasions. The following month the regiment returned to Nashville and had several severe skirmishes with the confederates under Forest and Vandorn.

May 5th it participated in the severe engagement of Thompson’s Station, Tenn., where, with the balance of the Union troops, it was driven from the field by superior numbers and only escaped capture by the most heroic efforts.

During the next six months the regiment was constantly on the move, marching and skirmishing with the enemy, and frequently had sharp encounters with Forest’s Cavalry.

In September the Second was engaged the 18th, 19th and 20th at Chickamauga and performed most valuable service in holding the enemy’s advance and scouting the country, giving important information to the Union Commanders.

After Chickamauga, the Second pursued General Wheeler, who was making a raid on our communications in the rear of the army, and did most excellent service in thwarting the designs of the confederate General.

Again in November the Second proceeded to East Tennessee and, after a series of hard marches, met the enemy in a severe engagement at Dandridge.

During the winter the regiment was constantly in the saddle, marching long distances with most inadequate supplies of rations and clothing. The hardships and suffering of the troops during the East Tennessee campaign had no parallel in the history of the war.

The weather was cold, the snow often falling so as to cover the blankets of the men, who slept in the open air for want of tents. The only rations or forage issued was secured from the country by the soldiers themselves, the clothing had become worn by long use and did not serve to protect the troops from the chilling rains and cutting winds, the horses were unfed and unshod and the general suffering of men and horses during the winter is one of painful contemplation. Even under these most disheartening and discouraging circumstances on the 29th of March, 1864, three hundred and twenty-six members of the regiment re-enlisted for “three years or during the war” and returned to Michigan on a veteran furlough for 30 days.

On the 3d of May the regiment (except those on veteran furlough) entered upon the Georgia campaign with General Sherman’s army. It saw active duty nearly every day as well as nights during this campaign until it reached Lost Mountain, when, on the 29th of June, it was sent to Franklin, Tenn., and was there joined by the veterans who had returned from Michigan.

It soon started after its old enemy, General Wheeler, and was constantly in the saddle looking after the confederate forces under General Forest and came in contact with them several times, pursuing him until he retired too far south to follow.

When the confederate General Hood marched north, the Second confronted his forces and retarded his march and destroyed many of his wagons and captured his guns and baggage. During the year the Second marched through Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky and Georgia, sustaining losses, but inflicting much greater upon the enemy.

No brief history can do justice to a cavalry regiment that frequently operates by itself in the enemy’s country far from its supports or base of supplies and when the good judgment of its officers must determine whether to attack or retreat and when the responsibilities of the safety or destruction of the organization rests with the immediate officers in command.

To write the history of a cavalry regiment often separated by companies for important duties, needs a daily bulletin far beyond the limits of casual mention and beyond the limits of an abridged article as necessity requires in this case.

After the battle of Nashville the Second again started south, marching through Alabama and then turning east reached Macon, Ga., May 1, 1865. The war having practically ended, the regiment was broken up into companies to guard a number of towns and preserve order, the headquarters of the regiment remaining at Macon until Aug. 17, when it was mustered out of service and returned to Jackson, Mich., where it was paid and disbanded, Aug. 26, 1865.

During its service it had engaged the enemy at Point Pleasant, Mo., March 9, 1862; Tiptonville, Mo., March —, 1862; New Madrid, Mo., March 13, 1862; Island No. 10, Mo., March 14 to April 7, 1862; Pine Hill, Miss., May 2, 1862; Monterey, Miss., May 3, 1862; Farmington, Miss., May 5, 1862; siege of Corinth, Miss., May 10 to 30, 1862; Boonville, Miss., June 1, 1862; Blackland, Miss., June 5, 1862; Baldwin, Miss., June —, 1862; Boonville, Miss., July 1, 1862; Rienzie, Miss., Aug. —, 1862; Perryville, Ky., Oct. 8, 1862; Harodsburg, Ky., Oct. 10, 1862; Lancaster, Ky., Oct. 12, 1862; Rocastle river, Ky., Oct. —, 1862; Estillville, Va., 1862; Blountsville, Tenn., 1862; Zolikoffer, Tenn., 1862; Wautanaga, Tenn., 1862; Jonesville, Va., 1862; Bacon Creek, Ky., Dec. 24, 1862; Glasgow, Ky., Dec. —, 1862; Milton, Tenn., Feb. 18, 1863; Cainesville, Tenn., Feb. 19, 1863; Spring Hill, Tenn., Feb. 29, 1863; Columbia, Tenn., March 4 and 5, 1863; Hillsboro, Tenn., March 12, 1863; Brontwood, Tenn., March 25, 1863; McGarvick’s Ford, Tenn., April, 1863; Triune, Tenn., June 4, 1863; Rover, Tenn., June 23, 1863; Middletown, Tenn., June 24, 1863; Shelbyville, Tenn., June 27, 1863; Elk River Ford, Tenn., July 2, 1863; Dech- ard, Tenn., July 4, 1863; Chickamauga, Ga., Sept. 18, 19 and 20, 1863; Anderson X Roads, Tenn., Oct., 1863; Sparta, Tenn., Dec., 1863; Dandridge, Tenn., Dec. 24, 1863; Mossy Creek, Tenn., Dec. 29, 1863; Dandridge, Tenn., Jan. 17, 1864; Pigeon River, Tenn., Jan. 27, 1864; Dug Gap, Ga., May 13 and 14, 1864; Red Clay, Ga., May, 1864; Etowah River, Ga., May 24, 26, 27 and 28, 1864; Ackworth, Tenn., June 2 and 5, 1864; Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 30, 1864; Campbellsville, Tenn., Sept. 5, 1864; Franklin, Tenn., Sept. 27, 1864; Cypress River, Tenn., Oct. 7, 1864; Raccoon Ford, Tenn., Oct. 30, 1864; Shoal Creek, Tenn., Nov. 5, 1864; Lawrenceburg, Tenn., Nov. 21, 1864; Campbellsville, Tenn., Nov. 24, 1864; Columbia, Tenn., Nov. 25, 26 and 27, 1864; Spring Hill, Tenn., Nov. 29, 1864; Bethesda Church, Tenn., Nov. 29, 1864; Franklin, Tenn., Nov. 30, 1864; Nashville, Tenn., Dec. 15 and 16, 1864; Richland Creek, Tenn., Dec. 24, 1864; Pulaski, Tenn., Dec. 25, 1864; Sugar Creek, Tenn., Dec. 26, 1864; Priceton Yard, Tenn., Jan. 6, 1865; Corinth, Miss., Feb., 1865; Tuscaloosa, Ala., April 1, 1865; Trion, Ala., April 2, 1865; Bridgeville, Ala., April 6, 1865; Talladaga, Ala., April 23, 1865.