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6th Michigan Infantry
in the American Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Sixth Michigan Infantry, — Cols., Frederick W.
Curtenius, Thomas S. Clark, Edward Bacon; Lieut. -Cols., Thomas S.
Clark, Edward Bacon, Charles E. Clarke, John Carden; Majs., Edward
Bacon, Charles E. Clarke, John Garden, Sylvester Cogswell, Seymour
Howell, Harrison Soule. This regiment was organized at Kalamazoo and was
mustered in Aug. 20, 1861. It left the state on Aug. 30 and was ordered
into camp at Baltimore, remaining there most of the time until Feb. 22,
1862, except for an expedition into Virginia. It encamped at Newport
News Feb. 23, and embarked March 4, on the steamer "Constitution" for
Ship island, Miss. It remained there from March 13 to April 14 and then
proceeded to New Orleans, being one of the first regiments to occupy
that city after its capture. On May 9 it joined an expedition up the
Mississippi river for the capture of a train, the destruction of
railroad track and bridges, and was in an engagement at Grand Gulf. It
reached Baton Rouge on the 29th, where it went into barracks, but
shortly afterward the general commanding ordered the regiment out into
the woods, without tents or shelter of any kind, to make room for
another regiment which was well provided with tents, and even refused it
the use of the tents. The officers of the regiment protested, then
refused to obey the arbitrary ungracious order and were placed under
arrest. The regiment was forced out and compelled to remain without
protection, suffering much from the exposure, and the officers were sent
to New Orleans for trial, but on learning the facts Gen. Butler promptly
released them. On July 20 six companies made a raid, capturing some
prisoners, a large number of horses and mules and a quantity of camp
stores. The regiment received and repulsed the principal attack of the
enemy at Baton Rouge on Aug. 5, saving the position, fully 6,000 of the
enemy being opposed to 2,000 Union troops. For its gallantry in this
action the regiment received special mention in official reports. It
lost in this engagement 20 killed, 43 wounded and 6 missing. When it
moved to New Orleans in December but 171 out of 755 were fit for duty by
reason of the unhealthy location of the camp it had occupied near the
city. On Jan. 14, 1863, it participated in an expedition to Bayou Teche
as part of the 1st brigade, 3d division, 19th corps, and it also
participated in an expedition to and an engagement at Ponchatoula, in
March. It was engaged at the Amite and Tickfaw rivers in April and also
in a raid up the Jackson railroad, destroying the enemy's camp at
Tangipahoa, capturing 60 prisoners and burning $400,000 worth of
factories used by the enemy. It was engaged in the siege of Port Hudson,
participating in the three assaults, in May and June. On July 10 the
regiment was converted into heavy artillery and was stationed at Port
Hudson until March 11, 1864, when 247 reenlisted as veterans and were
furloughed home. They returned on May 11, with many recruits, and were
ordered to Morganza in June, thence to Vicksburg, and St. Charles, Ark.,
returning in a short time to Morganza. A detachment was in an engagement
at Ashton in July and was present at the surrender of Fort Morgan, Ala.,
Aug. 23. Portions of the regiment were stationed respectively at Forts
Gaines and Morgan until Dec. 23, when Cos. B, C, E, F and H were
detached on an expedition against Mobile, rejoining the regiment the
last of Jan., 1865. Cos. A and K were detached March 31, and took
position before Spanish Fort, doing effective work with their 10-inch
mortars. After the capture of the fort they turned the captured fine
Brooks' rifles and 100-pound Parrotts on Forts Huger and Tracy and
assisted in reducing all the works within range. On April 10, Co. B was
placed on picket duty at Navy cove, Co. E was assigned to garrison Fort
Powell, and Cos., A and K rejoined the regiment on the 20th. On July 9,
the regiment was ordered to New Orleans, encamped near there on the
11th, and was mustered out Aug. 20. The total enrollment was 1,957, and
the loss by death 542. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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