67. FIFTH INFANTRY

Organization of the Fifth at Fort Wayne

The Livingston Volunteers

Flag Presentation and Departure of the Regiment

Arrival at Washington and Advance into Virginia

Winter Quarters at Camp Michigan

Peninsular Campaign

Battles of Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, and Charles City Cross-Roads

Second Bull Run-Fredericksburg

Death of Lieutenant-Colonel Gilluly

Chancellorsville

Gettysburg

Transfer of the Fifth to New York

Return to the Army of the Potomac

Mine Run

Veteran Re-enlistment and Furlough

Recruits from Livingston County

Return to the Front

The Wilderness Campaign

Consolidation of the Third with the Fifth

Spring Campaign of 1865

Close of the War

Muster Out and Return Home

     THE rendezvous of the Fifth Regiment of Michigan Infantry during its organization was at Fort Wayne, Detroit, where it lay during the summer of 1861, engaged in drill and the perfection of its discipline, its departure for the theatre of war being delayed on account of the belief which existed until after the disaster at Bull Run that its services would not be required in the field. It then became apparent that more forces would be needed, and the organization of the Fifth was hurried to completion. It was mustered into the United States service for three, years, by Lieutenant-Colonel E. Backus, United States Army, on the twenty-seventh of August, its strength at that time being about nine hundred officers and enlisted men. The field officers of the regiment were, Colonel, Henry D. Terry; Lieutenant-Colonel, Samuel E. Beach; Major, John D. Fairbanks.

     Livingston County was represented in the Fifth Regiment by one company, distinctively known and mentioned as the "Livingston Company," and by a number of men in several of the other companies. Two years and a half later, at the time of its "veteranization,'' it received large accessions of recruits from this county.

     The Livingston company, designated in the organization as  "I" company, was mustered under the following-named commissioned officers, viz.: Captain, John Gilluly; First Lieutenant, Hudson B. Blackman; Second Lieutenant, Charles H. Dennison. This was the company which has already been mentioned as having been recruited by Captain Gilluly in the last part of April and first part of May. It had, however, experienced some changes in the mean time, some of its early members withdrawing to join other organizations, and their places being supplied by other recruits.

     The following is, the list of non-commissioned officers and privates of this company as appearing on the twentieth of August:

     This, however, was before the muster of the regiment, and it is probable that a few of these were omitted in the muster. The list, however, shows who were the volunteers composing the company at that time.

     At an early hour in the morning of Wednesday, September 11, 1861, the men of the Fifth Regiment broke camp at the Fort Wayne rendezvous, packed their knapsacks, and prepared for departure, which was fixed for the evening of that day. At a little before four o'clock in the afternoon the several companies were marched to the parade-ground of the fort, and there formed in line for the reception of a flag,--the gift of Messrs. F. Buhl, Newland & Co., of Detroit,--which was about to be presented to the regiment. Hundreds of spectators were there, consisting of citizens of Detroit and friends and relatives of the departing soldiers, who had come to say good-by and God-speed. The crowd was kept back by the unceasing labor of guards stationed along the line. As soon as the swaying to and fro of the people in the vain effort of each one to stand in front of the others had ceased, Marshal Whiting, with Mr. Frederick Buhl on one side and Alderman Backus on the other, stepped forward, bearing the flag. Approaching to within a few paces of Colonel Terry, Mr. Backus made a few well-timed remarks on behalf of Mr. Buhl which were responded to by Colonel Terry in an appropriate manner. The flag, which was of heavy silk, fringed with gold, and surmounted by a gilded eagle, was handed to Sergeant Asa A. Rouse, of Company E, who had been designated as the color-bearer of the regiment. At the conclusion of the ceremony the companies were marched back to their camping ground for supper, a few final preparations were made, and between seven and eight o'clock the command was marched to the river and embarked for Cleveland, en route, for the national capital. A member of Captain Gilluly's company wrote back a descriptive account of the journey of the regiment from Detroit to Washington; from which account the following extracts are given:

     "We embarked Wednesday evening, September 11th, on the steamer 'Ocean' for Cleveland. Our journey was pleasant, but rapid. As the shrill whistle of the steamer gave the signal for our departure the most intense excitement prevailed, and when she swung around from her moorings cheer after cheer arose from every deck. To the credit or demerit of Company 1, that portion where they were situated came down heavy on the chorus for our country and her flag, our homes and the dear ones left behind us, and was returned with the same spirit and enthusiasm by the numerous crowd that thronged the wharves to witness our departure. We arrived at Cleveland about three o'clock in the morning where we were detained till nine o'clock, when we took the cars for Pittsburgh. It would naturally be supposed that from the numerous bodies of troops that have passed over this road they would have stilled the ardor of the people along the line, but such is not the case. Their feelings are too deeply enlisted in the present cause to admit of any reaction. As the bell rang to warn us of our departure crowds of people gathered around the cars to bid the Wolverine boys good-by. Nor was Cleveland behind in giving us a warm reception. The whole line, as far as Pittsburgh, was lined with people of all grades, from the aged grandparent to the lisping child, to see us pass. At Atwater we stopped to eat a few hard crackers and some tough beef of course, we had whetted our teeth for the task, but imagine our surprise, when the train stopped, to behold the sidewalks lined with barrels, boxes, bags, and baskets filled to overflowing with fruits, pies, cakes, meats, eggs, and, in fact, all that the most delicate palate could crave, waiting for us. Yet the beauty of the whole affair was the manner in which those luxuries were distributed among us. It was not by the brawny hands of a slouching cook, whose presence we had already learned to loathe but by the soft, white hands of the fair 69. maidens or the village, whose generosity we shall ever remember till tough beef and hard crackers are no more. Our repast was soon over, however, and with three hearty cheers for the ladies of Atwater, we arrived in Pittsburgh at nine o'clock that evening, where we took, supper, changed cars, and resumed our journey for Washington by the way of Harrisburg. We arrived in the latter place between two and three o'clock the next morning. There We were numbered off and stowed away in cattle-cars of the most old and dilapidated kind; in this wretched way we proceeded to Baltimore, where we were again furnished with good coaches. We arrived in Washington on Sunday morning, somewhat fatigued from our long journey. We remained there till night, when we received orders to march,--to what place we did not know. We were soon prepared for the journey, and after a march of some three or four miles we arrived at Meridian Hill, where we learned we were to take up our quarters."

     Meridian Hill is in the northwest part of the city of Washington, and at this place the Fifth remained until the morning of Wednesday, September 18th, just one week from the day, of departure from Detroit, when it broke camp and marched down through the city to the arsenal, where the men were furnished with indifferent Springfield muskets. Then the regiment moved across the Long Bridge into Virginia, and out to Arlington, where it bivouacked for the night, and on the following day marched about two miles from the river to Hunter's Chapel, where it halted and pitched a camp, which was named Camp Richardson, in honor of Colonel Richardson, to whose brigade (of Heintzelman's division) it had been assigned for duty. On the twenty-second, a part of the regiment, including Company I, was placed on picket, some two miles farther to the front. This was their first duty in front of the enemy, and here for the first time the men of the Fifth heard the crack of hostile rifles, and the dread whisperings of passing bullets.

     On Saturday, September 28th, six companies of the regiment moved to Munson's Hill, Virginia. The remainder of the regiment immediately afterwards came up and occupied the same, position, and to Colonel Terry's command is, due the credit of first occupying this position in the front, where an attack was hourly looked for, though none was made. At this place the regiment was without tents, and was engaged constantly on fatigue duty, felling timber, and, with the Thirty-seventh New York, constructing substantial earthworks on the Hill. On the twelfth of October the Fifth moved to Hunter's Creek, two miles south of Alexandria, and the men were put on similar duty in the construction of Fort Lyon.

     The regiment remained at Fort Lyon for about two months, and in the early part of December moved about three miles farther down the Potomac, to "Camp Michigan," where the men were supplied with Sibley tents, and set about preparing themselves for comparative comfort in winter quarters. The enemy was immediately, in front, though not in much force. On the first of January, 1862, First Lieutenant Dennison, of Company I, while out in command of a few men on a scouting expedition towards Pohick Church, fell into an ambush, from which a volley was fired, wounding the lieutenant in the face, the ball coming out just below and in front of the ear, missing the main artery by only the fraction of an inch. This was one of the first casualties of the kind in the experience of the regiment, but it saw bloodletting enough afterwards. No other member of the party was wounded on this occasion by the enemy's fire.

     The regiment was very comfortably quartered during the winter of 1861-62, until the general movement, of the Army of the Potomac in March. First came the feint of the army in the direction of Manassas, which was followed immediately by the transportation of the immense host down the Potomac to Fortress Monroe. The Fifth embarked at Alexandria, and moved with the army to the Peninsula, where, on the fourth of April, 1862, it marched with its division towards Yorktown, arriving in front of that stronghold on the following day. There it remained through the four weeks' siege of the place, and until Sunday, the fourth of May, when the Union army was electrified by the announcement that the hostile works had been evacuated during the previous night, and that the enemy was retiring towards Richmond. The forces of General McClellan were at once put in motion to pursue, and the Fifth Michigan with its brigade moved from camp, on through the evacuated entrenchments at about three o'clock P.M., taking the road towards Williamsburg, but bivouacking for the night a short distance beyond Yorktown. At two o'clock in the morning of Monday, the fifth, the men were turned out in the pouring rain to prepare for marching, but the regiment did not move until about ten A.M. Then forward over the almost bottomless roads, which were clogged and blockaded by artillery, cavalry, and army wagons, the men of the Fifth pressed on towards the field where the battle had been in progress since the early morning. For hours they struggled on through the mud and rain, and as they approached Williamsburg the thunder of artillery 70. and the continuous roar of volleys told too plainly, of the work on which they were about to enter. Order after order came from the front to hurry up the brigade, and about the middle of the afternoon the Fifth stood in line of battle, about five hundred strong, in front of the enemy's position; the Thirty-seventh New York joining its line, the Third Michigan being in support of a battery, and the Second Michigan being held in reserve.

     It was not until between three and four o'clock that the Fifth delivered its first fire, but from that time it was kept up without intermission till nearly dark. The ammunition was then nearly exhausted, and the order was given to charge. It was obeyed with alacrity. The Fifth charged and carried the rifle-pits in its front; and occupied them through the night. The rain ceased and the sky cleared during the night, and the morning of the sixth of May opened bright and beautiful, but the enemy had retreated, and was then some miles away on the road to Richmond.

     The Fifth Michigan at Williamsburg was in General Berry's Third Brigade, of Kearney's Division. This was the regiment's first battle, and a wild initiation it was. It went in with about five hundred men, and out of this force its loss was one hundred and fifty-three in killed and wounded. The regimental list of killed, wounded, and missing, forwarded immediately after the battle, by Colonel Terry, to the Detroit Tribune, embraced the following names of members of the Livingston Company, commanded by Captain Gilluly, viz.: (re-alphabetized)

     The list, being an official one, is doubtless correct, though it is possible that it may not be entirely so, as it was made amid the excitement and turmoil of the battle-field.

     The heroism of the Fifth, and its companion regiments of the brigade, at Williamsburg, is attested by the following order of the brigade commander, General Berry, as follows:

"SPECIAL ORDER"

HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE, KEARNEY DIVISION

"WILLIAMSBURG BATTLE-FIELD,
May 8, 1862

     "The commander of the brigade takes great pleasure in making this official communication to his command: That they, by heroic fortitude, on Monday last, by making a forced march through mud and rain, each vying with the other to see who could most cheerfully stand the hardships the time called for, making thereby a march that others shrank from, coming into a fight at double-quick, made doubtful to our side by the overwhelming mass of the enemy poured upon our centre, by a rapid deploy and quick formation, and by coolness, precision, and energy, beat back the enemy, recapturing our lost position and artillery, and also by a heroic charge took a stronghold of the enemy, and thereby dislodged him, and drove him on the plain beyond his well-chosen position, have done themselves great honor, have honored the States of Michigan and New York, and have won a name in history that the most ambitious might be proud of.

                                             "R. G. BERRY,

                                                                                "Brigadier-General Com. Third Brigade."

     In the advance from Williamsburg, the Fifth moved with its brigade up to and across the Chickahominy, and took its place in the lines confronting Richmond. Again, on the thirty-first of May, it fought in the battle of Fair Oak and again it suffered terribly; its loss in killed and wounded being one hundred and forty-nine, out of about three hundred men who entered the fight, this being proportionately much greater than its loss at Williamsburg.

     During the Seven Days' battles which accompanied the "change of base," or, more properly, the retreat of the army from the Chickahominy to the James, the Fifth Michigan fought bravely 71. at Charles City Cross-Roads, losing thirty-three killed and wounded, and eighteen missing. It was also engaged at Malvern Hill, July 1st, with slight loss. After the evacuation of Harrison's Landing, the regiment was moved with its command and other troops up the Potomac, and thence to the succor of the sorely-pressed Army of Virginia, under General Pope. In this duty it was engaged, but without severe loss, at Manassas, August 30th, and at Chantilly (where the gallant Kearney lost his life), on the second of September.

     Later in the fall, when the Army of the Potomac, under its new commander (General Burnside), marched towards Fredericksburg, the Fifth Michigan, as a part of the force, marched from Leesburg, Virginia, on the first of November, moved down the Rappahannock, and encamped on the left bank of that stream, near Falmouth, on the twenty-fifth. When the operations were commenced against the strong position of the enemy on the heights of Fredericksburg, and the attacking column crossed the river on the twelfth of December, the regiment went over with its brigade and the other commands of the army, and took gallant part in the disastrous battle of the thirteenth, in which it lost its brave commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel John Gilluly, of Livingston County, the original captain of Company I. The story of how the regiment fought on that bloody day is briefly told in the following report, made by Major Sherlock, who assumed command when Colonel Gilluly fell:

"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MICHIGAN VOLUNTEERS.

"BIVOUAC ON THE BATTLE-FIELD, December 15th.

"CAPTAIN WILSON, A. A. .A. General:

      "SIR,--In accordance with a circular from headquarters, I have the honor to submit the following report of the part which this regiment sustained in the action of the thirteenth instant. The regiment, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel John Gilluly, came upon the field at half-past one o'clock, and, after shifting from place to place, occupying different positions, constantly exposed to a furious fire of shot and shell, was at length detailed to support Randolph's battery, which was in rather a precarious situation, on account of the falling back of some regiments thrown out in front of it. At this juncture the regiment was ordered forward, and opened an effective fire upon the enemy, who were sheltered by a brush fence, and after a brisk conflict drove them back into the woods.

     "Lieutenant-Colonel Gilluly fell mortally wounded while cheering on the men, and I assumed command. The regiment remained upon the scene of action till evening, when the First New York relieved us, and we retired in perfect order, carrying with us our dead and wounded.

    The regiment numbered two hundred and seventy-two rank and file, and our loss is nine killed and seventy-four wounded.

     The officers and men behaved nobly throughout the short but sharp conflict, and it would be an act of injustice to particularize where all demeaned themselves so well; yet I cannot forbear mentioning Color-Sergeant Bergher, who stood up bravely, waving the colors defiantly in the face of the foe.

I am, very respectfully,

"Your obedient servant,

                    R. T. SHERLOCK,

                                                                  "Major Commanding Fifth Michigan Infantry."

     The regiment recrossed the river from the battlefield, and returned to its old camp, on the fifteenth of December. In January it took part in the historical "mud march" up the Rappahannock to Banks' Ford, and, on the abandonment of that expedition, returned again to its camp at Falmouth, where it remained through the remainder of the winter.

     When the spring campaign opened under the new commander of the army, General Hooker, the Fifth moved up the Rappahannock, crossed the river on the first of May, was engaged at the Cedars on the second, and took part in the great battle of Chancellorsville on the third, where it again lost its commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Sherlock, killed in action. The loss of the regiment in the engagements of the second and third was seven killed, forty-three wounded, and thirty-one missing. On the sixth of May it recrossed the river to the north bank, and, marching twenty-eight miles in twelve hours, reoccupied its winter quarters at Falmouth.

     Early in June it became known that the enemy under General Lee was marching to the invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and the Army of the Potomac was put in motion to intercept him. On the eleventh of that month the Fifth Michigan moved northward with the column, and in that day marched eighteen miles in seven hours. On the following day the same distance was made through intolerable heat and dust in six hours. The march was exceedingly rapid and laborious through all the distance. On the twenty-fifth of June the regiment marched twenty-eight miles in eleven hours, though the day was excessively sultry; and on the second of July, when approaching Gettysburg, being pressed to its utmost, it moved ten miles in three hours, and arrived on the battle-field at four o'clock P.M. It immediately became engaged, and in one hour's fight lost one hundred and five men. During the succeeding two days it was on picket and other duty, and only slightly engaged. Its total loss at Gettysburg was nineteen killed, ninety wounded, and five 72. missing. It moved from Gettysburg with other troops, in pursuit of the retiring enemy, to Williamsport, on the upper Potomac, and afterwards-- the pursuit having been abandoned-- marched down the river to Berlin, crossed from that point to Virginia, and moved by way of Manassas Gap to a beautiful camp at Fauquier White Sulphur Springs, where, and in that vicinity, it remained until the sixteenth of August, when orders were received for the Fifth and Third Michigan Regiments to report at Alexandria, Virginia. The movement ordered was a mysterious one, and all kinds of surmises were indulged in by officers and men as to their probable ultimate destination.

     Moving, in accordance with this order, to Alexandria, the Fifth embarked at that place, on the twenty-second of August, on board the ocean steamer "Baltic," which had also on board four other regiments of the Ohio Brigade, to which the Fifth Michigan was at that time temporarily attached. The ship moved down the Potomac early in the morning of the twenty-third, but had only proceeded as far as Matthias' Point when she grounded on a sand-bar, and remained fast in that position for four days. By removing the anchor, three hundred tons of coal, and two regiments, and with the assistance of five tug-boats, she at last got afloat, and moved down the river through Chesapeake Bay to the ocean, and turned northward towards her destination (which was the city of New York) and arrived there on the thirtieth. The troops, which had been sent here to assist in quelling the draft riots, if necessary, were disembarked on Governor's Island. The Third Michigan Regiment had preceded the Fifth by another vessel, and these two regiments were immediately ordered to proceed up the Hudson River to Troy. They embarked at once on a river steamer, reaching Troy the next morning. They were first quartered at the armory, a day or two later at the court-house, and finally, on the fifth of September, were removed to the Fair-Grounds. The Trojans were very much surprised at seeing two Michigan regiments on their streets, but they received them most hospitably, so that the men of the Fifth counted their stay at Troy among the most pleasant of all their war experiences. No duty beyond that of the camp and drill-ground was required of the regiment during its sojourn at Troy, and, the necessity for its presence there having passed, it left on Sunday evening, September 13th, for New York by steamer, and, arriving there in the following morning, left immediately by railroad for Washington, under orders to rejoin the Army of the Potomac. It arrived in Washington in the night of September 15th, and three days later proceeded to Alexandria, whence, after a stop of one day, it was moved to Culpeper Station, and from there marched to the camp of its old brigade, which was located near by. The brigade was the Third, of the First Division, Third Corps, Army of the Potomac.

     The Fifth moved on the seventh of November to the Rappahannock River, crossed at Kelly's Ford, and soon after moved to near Brandy Station, occupying a deserted camp of the enemy. On the twenty-sixth it crossed the Rapidan with the forces which were moving to Mine Run. Taking part in that expedition, it was engaged at Locust Grove on the twenty-seventh, and there lost several killed and wounded. It reached the front of the enemy's works at Mine Run, where for thirty-six hours it remained in support of a battery. From Mine Run the Fifth fell back with the army, and again occupied its camp at Brandy Station, which became its winter quarters until the twenty-eighth, when (the requisite number of re-enlistments having been obtained) it left for Michigan, on veteran furlough. It arrived on the fourth of January at Detroit, which was designated as the rendezvous, and then the members entered upon a brief period of freedom and enjoyment with their families. and friends.

     During its stay in Michigan, the regiment was considerably augmented by accessions of recruits, among whom were a large number from Livingston County. In December, 1863, in anticipation of its return on veteran furlough, Mr. Andrew D. Waddell and Fred. E. Angel, of Howell, and S. T. Lyon, of Marion, commenced the raising of men in Howell and vicinity, for the purpose of joining the famous Fifth on its return to the field. Enlistments at that time were hard to obtain, and Mr. Waddell was assured by several that his efforts would be vain, but they persevered, and long before the regiment was ready to return, these gentlemen had obtained more than enough men for a full company. On account of the decimated condition of the regiment, however, it was considered most expedient to distribute these new men among the several companies, rather than to keep them together, and this course was accordingly pursued, although it had been the expectation of most of the men to be placed in the Livingston company ( I ), formerly commanded by Captain Gilluly. The recruits raised by Mr. Waddell were taken to Pontiac, where they were examined and accepted, and they joined the regiment about the first of February, 1864. The names of the men raised by Messrs. Waddell and Angel, and mustered into the service for the Fifth Regiment, were the following: