"Fear Not Death--Fear Dishonor"

That motto appears on one of the flags carried by the 6^th Michigan Cavalry during the war. Alert readers will wonder why I am even mentioning the 6^th Michigan Cavalry because they served in the Eastern Theater. But is that the only theater that they served in? Interestingly, these Gettysburg veterans served in the Dakota Territory for part of the summer of 1865. My previous posting mentioned the 11^th Kansas Cavalry; in August 1865, the 6^th Michigan Cavalry relieved the 11^th Kansas Cavalry at Platte Bridge Station in the Dakota Territory (the location of Platt Bridge Station is in present day Wyoming).

Now for confession time…it was not until I read Steven C. Haack’s article featured in the last posting that I realized that the 6^th Michigan Cavalry had served in the trans-Mississippi. For several months, I have been conducting a series about the twenty-three regiments from William F. Fox’s list of “300 Fighting Regiments” that served at some point in the trans-Mississippi. The 6^th Michigan Cavalry was not in my list of 23…so, it was back for another look at each of the profiles written by William F. Fox. A review led to the discovery of more regiments that had served in the trans-Mississippi; tucked in to some of the profiles were rather casual mentions of service in the trans-Mississippi. And, so, the list of twenty-three regiments has now expanded to thirty-seven regiments (or 12.3%) of the “300 Fighting Regiments.” Many of these additional regiments served for only a brief time in the trans-Mississippi, but they will all be highlighted in future blog postings.

For further information about the 6^th Michigan Cavalry:

Michigan in the Civil War: roster, brief history, other materials

Rally Around the Flags (Michigan Historical Museum): photographs of two flags carried by the 6^th Michigan Cavalry

Kidd, James Harvey. Personal Recollections of a Cavalryman with Custer’s Michigan Cavalry Brigade in the Civil War. Ionia, MI: Sentinel Printing Co., 1908. (NOTE: This book has been reprinted.)

Wittenberg, Eric J., ed. At Custer’s Side: The Civil War Writings of. James Harvey Kidd. Kent State University Press, 2000.

Wittenberg, Eric J., ed. One of Custer’s Wolverines: The Civil War Letters of Bvt. Brig. Gen. James H. Kidd of the Sixth Michigan Cavalry. Kent State University Press, 2000.

“Custer's Brigade — Kilpatrick's Division--Cavalry Corps.

（1) Col. George Gray.

（2) Col. James H. Kidd; Bvt. Brig.-Gen.

companies.		killed and died of wounds.			died of disease, accidents, in Prison, &c.			Total Enrollment.
		Officers.	Men.	Total.	Officers.	Men.	Total.
Field and Staff		1		1				20
Company	A		8	8		21	21	140
	B	1	13	14		15	15	121
	C		18	18		19	19	140
	D	1	17	18		20	20	147
	E	1	11	12		26	26	134
	F		11	11		21	21	133
	G	1	9	10		31	31	148
	H		8	8		16	16	121
	I		14	14		27	27	128
	K		8	8		17	17	137
	L	2	5	7		17	17	132
	M		6	6		21	21	123
Totals		7	128	135		251	251	1,624

Total of killed and wounded, 496; died in Confederate prisons (previously included), 98.

battles.	K. & M. W.	battles.	K. & M. W.	battles.	K. & M. W.
Senaca, Md., June 11, 1863	5	Smithfield, Va., Feb. 5, 1864	2	Fisher’s Hill, Va., Sept. 22, 1864	1
Hanover, Pa., June 30, 1863	2	Todd’s Tavern, Va., May 6, 1864	5	Woodstock, Va., Oct. 9, 1864	1
Hunterstown, Pa., July 2, 1863	2	Yellow Tavern, Va., May 11, 1864	3	Cedar Creek, Va., Oct. 19, 1864	5
Gettysburg, Pa., July 3, 1863	1	Meadow Bridge, Va., May 12, 1864	2	Winchester, Va., Nov. 18, 1864	2
Williamsport, Md., July 6, 1863	1	Hawes's Shop, Va., May 28, 1864	18	Five Forks, Va., April 1, 1865	1
Boonsboro, Md., July 8, 1863	3	Cold Harbor, Va., June 1, 1864	2	Beaver Mills, Va., April 4, 1865	2
Falling Waters, Md., July 14, 1863	28	Trevilian Sta'n, Va., June 11, 1864	18	High Bridge, Va., April 6, 1865	2
Newby's Cross Roads, July 24, 1863	3	Winchester, Va., Aug. 11, 1864	1	Guerrillas, Va.	3
Summerville Ford, Va., Sept. 16,‘63	6	Front Royal, Va., Aug. 16, 1864	2	Indian Territory. Aug. 31, 1865	2
Brandy Station, Oct. 12, 1863	3	Shepherdstown, Va., Aug. 25, 1864	1	Place unknown	2
Charlestown, W. Va., Oct. 18, 1863	1	Opequon, Va., Sept. 19, 1864	5

Notes.--One of the most remarkable and gallant cavalry charges of the war was made by a squadron of the Sixth Michigan Cavalry at Falling Waters, Md., on July 14, 1863. In the retreat from Gettysburg, a Confederate division made a stand at Falling Waters on the Potomac, to cover the crossing of troops, and intrenched their position. This position was attacked by four companies of the Sixth--Companies D, C, B, and F--led by Major Peter A. Weber, who with two other officers was killed in the affair. The outer line of works was carried, and the men leaped their horses over the inner line, but were obliged to retreat with a heavy loss. At Hawes's Shop, Custer's Brigade fought dismounted, the Sixth Regiment losing 16 killed and 19 wounded out of 140 engaged. In Sheridan's cavalry campaign in 1864--from May 4th to June 30th--the Sixth lost 29 killed, 60 wounded, and 64 missing; many of the latter were killed or wounded. After the close of the war the brigade was ordered to the far West where it was engaged in fighting Indians.

The Sixth was organized at Grand Rapids under the second call for volunteers, and was mustered into the service of the United State, October 13, 1862. It left Grand Rapids, 1,229 strong, on the 10th of December, 1862, and proceeded to Washington where it was assigned to the Michigan Cavalry Brigade. This brigade was commanded by General Copeland, who was succeeded in June, 1863, by General Custer. The brigade was mustered out on November 24, 1865, the recruits having been previously transferred to the First Michigan Veteran Cavalry, which was not mustered out until March 10, 1866” (Fox, p. 378).