the 1st Michigan sharp-shooters was raised on the Court-house of Petersburg, that being the 1st regiment which entered the city, and the 20th was immediately detailed on provost duty.

While the historic page of this reliable and gallant regiment is bright and dazzling-exhibiting a long list of brilliant and important battlesthere are none of them which set forth in stronger light its daring achievements and faithful service than these important engagements, in which its fighting qualities were so severely tested and so nobly maintained.

THE TWENTY-FIRST INFANTRY.

The 21st had its rendezvous at Ionia, and was recruited from the Fourth District, comprising the counties of Barry, Ionia, Montcalm, Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Oceana, Newaygo, Mecosta, Mason, Manistee, Grand Traverse, Leelenaw, Manitou, Oceola, Emmet, Mackinac, Delta, and Cheboygan. J. B. Welch, Esq., was appointed commandant of camp. The regiment left its quarters on the 12th of September, 1862, with orders to report at Cincinnati. It was immediately pushed into Kentucky.

At Perryville, October 8th, a little less than a month after it left the State, the 21st regiment, commanded by Colonel Ambrose A. Stevens, received its first baptism in the blood of the rebellion. It belonged to Colonel Nick Greusel's brigade, and was led to its position in the fight by General Phil. Sheridan in person, and although losing heavily, it, at the same time, established a glorious reputation as a fighting regiment, which was eminently maintained at Stone River, Chicamauga, and Bentonville.

At Stone River the 21st, then commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel William B. McCreery, was in Sill's brigade, of Sheridan's division, and became hotly engaged, fighting desperately and continuously against immense odds, losing 17 killed, 85 wounded, and 37 missing, including among the mortally wounded Captain Leonard O. Fitzgerald, a gallant officer, who died of his wounds a few days after the battle.

General Sheridan, in a portion of his report covering the operations of his division in that important engagement, says:

"The enemy appeared to be in strong force in a heavy cedar woods across an open valley in my front, and parallel to it-the cedar extending the whole length of the valley-varying from two hundred to four hundred yards.

"At two o'clock on the morning of the 31st General Sill, who commanded my right brigade, reported great activity on the part of the enemy immediately in his front. This being the narrowest point in the valley, I was fearful that an attack might be made, and therefore directed two regiments from the reserve to report to General Sill, who placed them in position in very short supporting distance of his lines. At four o'clock the division. was assembled under arms, and the cannoneers at their pieces. About fifteen minutes after seven o'clock the enemy advanced to the attack across the cotton field on Sill's front. This column was opened upon by Bush's battery, of Sill's brigade, which had a direct fire on its front, and by Hescock's and Houghtaling's batteries, which had an oblique fire on its front from a commanding position, near the centre of my line; the effect of this fire upon the advancing column was terrible. The enemy, however, continued to move forward until he had reached nearly the edge of the timber, when he was opened upon by Sill's infantry, at a range of not over fifty yards. As this attacking force was massed several regiments deep, the de

struction to it was great. For a short time it withstood the fire, then wavered, broke, and ran. Sill directed his troops to charge, which was gallantly responded to, and the enemy was driven back across the valley and behind his entrenchments. The brigade then fell back in good order and resumed its original lines. In this charge I had the misfortune to lose General Sill, who was killed."

The enemy soon rallied and advanced to the attack. General Sheridan, after making several movements with brigades of his division and with his artillery, intending to meet successfully the advancing enemy, and gallantly attacking at several points against immense odds without success, finally took a position on Negley's right, and placed his batteries in position. "In this position," says Sheridan, "I was immediately attacked, when one of the bitterest and most sanguinary contests of the whole day occurred. General Cheatham's division advanced on Roberts' brigade, while heavy masses of the enemy, with three batteries of artillery over the open ground which I had occupied in the previous part of the engagement, and at the same time opened fire from the intrenchments in the direction of Murfreesboro. The contest then became terrible. The enemy made three attacks, and was three times repulsed, the artillery range of the respective batteries being not over two hundred yards. In these attacks Roberts' brigade lost their gallant commander, who was killed. There was no sign of faltering with my men, the only cry being for more ammunition, which, unfortunately, could not be supplied, on account of the discomfiture of the troops on the right of our wing, which allowed the enemy to come in and capture the ammunition train."

General Sheridan, in specially mentioning by name various brigade, regimental, and battery commanders of his division-one of whom was Lieut.-Colonel W. B. McCreery, 21st Michigan-says:

"I refer with pride to the splendid conduct, bravery, and efficiency of the following regimental commanders and the officers and men of their respective commands."

At Chicamauga the regiment, in command of Col. McCreery, belonged to the same brigade as at Stone River, and then commanded by Gen. Lytle, was serving in Sheridan's division of the 4th corps. On September 20th, while the division was advancing to the support of General Thomas, it be came heavily engaged, and captured prisoners from four different rebel divisions. The 21st was in the hottest of the fight, behaved with great courage, never yielding except when overcome by immense odds, but after a brave but fruitless effort against a perfect torrent of the enemy was compelled to give way.

In General Sheridan's report is found the following extracts:

"On the morning of the 20th September I rearranged my lines, and formed myself in a strong position on the extreme right, to which I had been assigned, but which was disconnected from the troops on my left.

"At about 9 o'clock the engagement again opened by a heavy assault upon the left of the army, while everything was quiet in my front. To resist the assault that was being made on the left the interior divisions were again moved.

*

*

*

"Immediately afterwards I received orders to support General Thomas with two brigades, and had just abandoned my position and was moving at double-quick to carry out the order when the enemy made a furious assault, with overwhelming numbers, on Davis' front, and coming up through the unoccupied space between Davis and myself, even covering the front of the position I had just abandoned, Davis was driven from his lines, and Lai

boldt, whose brigade was in column of regiments, was ordered by MajorGeneral McCook to charge, deploying in front. The impetuosity of the enemy's charge, together with the inability of Laiboldt's command to fire in consequence of the ground in his front being covered with the men of Davis's division, who were rushing through his ranks, caused this brigade also to break and fall to the rear. In the meantime I had received the most urgent orders to throw in my other two brigades. This I did at a double-quick, forming the brigade of General Lytle-composed of the 36th and 88th Illinois, 24th Wisconsin, and 21st Michigan-and Col. Bradley's brigade, now commanded by Col. W. H. Walworth, to the front, under a terrible fire of musketry from the enemy. Many of the men were shot down before facing to the front. After a stubborn resistance the enemy drove me back nearly to the Lafayette road, a distance of about three hundred yards. At this point the men again rallied, drove the enemy back with terrible slaughter, and regained the line of the ridge on which Col. Laiboldt had originally been posted. In this charge we took a number of prisoners, and the 51st Illinois captured the colors of the 24th Alabama.

"Here, unfortunately, the enemy had strong supports, while I had none to relieve my exhausted men, and my troops were again driven back to the Lafayette road after a gallant resistance. In this engagement I had the misfortune to lose Gen. Lytle, commanding my first brigade, and many of the best and bravest officers of my command.'

Among the names of the officers mentioned by Gen. Sheridan as specially distinguished are Col. W. B. McCreery (wounded and taken prisoner) and Lieut. Col. Morris B. Wells, (killed,) 21st Michigan.

In this sanguinary engagement the 21st lost most heavily, having 11 killed, 48 wounded, and 35 taken prisoners. Among the wounded was Captain Edgar Smith mortally, who died near Chattanooga on the 11th of October following.

On November 1st, 1864, the 21st, then in command of Lieut. Col. L. K. Bishop, was at Dalton, Georgia, where it received orders to march to Kingston and join the 14th army corps; and on arriving there was assigned to the 2d brigade, 1st division, when it started for Atlanta, and on the march assisted in tearing up the railroad track and destroying everything in its rear, reaching that point on the 15th, and on the following day after the destruction of that place moved with Gen. Sherman's army towards Milledgeville, arriving there on the 22d, and then took up a line of march in the direction of Augusta; and on reaching within about forty miles of that point turned directly south towards Savannah, and arrived at the works in front of that place on the 10th of December, and there relieved a part of the 20th army corps, which held a portion of the works on the south side of the canal, being the most exposed position on the whole line. There the men, being obliged to lay in the trenches, without tents and lightly clad, few of them having blankets, suffered extremely from cold and also from hunger, as their rations were short.

On the 20th of January following the regiment commenced the campaign through the Carolinas. Crossing Cape Fear river on the 13th of March and moving forward met the enemy at Averysboro' on the 16th, and, after a severe engagement, he was compelled to retreat during the night. Continuing the march, again encountering the enemy at Bentonville on the 19th, when the 21st, in command of Capt. Arthur C. Prince, again gained much celebrity for gallant and daring service, encountering the enemy and becoming heavily engaged; it lost in killed and wounded six officers and eighty-six enlisted men out of two hundred and thirty.

While the 21st has on every occasion been much distinguished and always recognized as a fighting regiment, Stone River, Chicamauga, and Bentonville will stand out as among its principal engagements.

THE TWENTY-SECOND INFANTRY.

The 22d regiment, so distinguished at Chicamauga for one of the most dashing and desperate bayonet charges of the war, was raised in the counties of Oakland, Livingston, Macomb, St. Clair, and Sanilac by the talented and much lamented Governor Wisner, who went to the field in command of the regiment. Leaving the State for Kentucky on September 4th, 1862, he served faithfully and with much distinction until attacked with typhoid fever, of which he died at Lexington, Ky., January 4, 1863. Col. Wisner was much devoted to his regiment and the cause of his country, which he most warmly espoused; his honorable adherence to both, and his high sense of duty, induced him to remain in the field until disease had fastened upon his system, prostrating him beyond a chance of recovery. Had health not failed him and life been spared his great ability, nobleness of character, firmness, and courage, would have rapidly advanced him to a high rank, and placed him prominently in the history of his country which he loved so well.

The regiment, in command of Col. Heber Le Favour, first met the enemy, under Gen. Pegram, at Danville, Ky., March 24th, 1863, and was subsequently engaged at Hickman's Bridge, Ky., Pea-vine Creek, and McAffee's Church, Tenn.; then followed Chicamauga, the great and disastrous conflict of the "River of Death." In that battle, on Saturday morning, September 19th, Gen. Whitaker was reinforced by Mitchell's and McCook's brigades and by the 22d Michigan and 89th Ohio, under Colonel Le Favour. The command of Col. Le Favour was attached to Col. Whitaker's own brigade, and that day and night were placed in line of battle.

Sunday, at 9 A. M., the deadly strife commenced on General Thomas' line, which was shattered and compelled to fall back. General Whitaker was ordered to move to the right and reinforce Thomas at a point some four miles distant. Moving rapidly, he soon found the rebel cavalry in position to check him, but quickly drove them off, and succeeded in estabfishing himself near the right of Thomas' line. General Steadman, commanding 1st division, reserve corps, received instructions from Thomas that the enemy must be driven from the hill on his right. General Whitaker was ordered to the work, and advanced in two lines-the first, composed of the 96th Illinois, on the right, 115th Illinois in the centre, and the 22d Michigan, in command of Lieutenant-Colonel Sanborn, of that regiment, on the left; the second line--40th Ohio on the right, 84th Indiana in the centre, and 89th Ohio on the left, and in rear of the 22d Michigan, both lines under command of Colonel Le Favour. Charging in gallant style on the enemy's lines, they drove them from the hill full half a mile. Here the rebels rallied, and Longstreet's forces came rushing down in masses eight lines deep. The gallant brigade received and repulsed them with terrible loss. Colonel Sanborn was severely wounded while in front of his regiment. The color-sergeant, Philo J. Durkee, and Corporal Stansell were killed in turn, and Corporal Vincent severely wounded, while bravely bearing the colors of the 22d to the front. The rebels drove the brigade to the foot of the hill at the second onslaught, where it again formed, and again gallantly retook the crest. Colonel Le Favour informed General

Whitaker that ammunition was exhausted. "You must use your steel," was the reply. The enemy again furiously advanced. The sun had gone down; in the twilight it was difficult to distinguish friend from foe. The 22d rushed forward, led by Colonel Le Favour in person, with fixed bayonets and empty muskets, under a most terrific fire of grape and musketry, met the charge of the enemy, and repulsed and drove him at every point. General Steadman sent an order to fall back, but it was too late; before it arrived the regiment was closed in upon at both flanks and cut off. This brave and most desperate charge, General Steadman declared, saved that immediate portion of the army.

A correspondent says: "Whitaker said he would take the ridge, and he did it. This is the way it was done: The six regiments of the 1st brigade were formed in two lines; the first, comprising the 96th Illinois, Colonel Thomas E. Champion, on the right; 115th Illinois, Colonel J. H. Moore, in the centre; and the 22d Michigan, Colonel Le Favour, on the left. Then came the order to advance. With a yell, the first line bounded forward on the double-quick. Up and down the little hills and through the narrow valleys which intervened they pressed hastily forward, until they came. within short range of the rebel musketry, which opened upon them furiously, while the grape and canister from the battery on the ridge swept cruelly through the ranks. Almost exhausted with their hurried march and their long-continued double-quick, the troops recoiled for a moment under that withering fire; but ere the most timid could think of retreating, Colonel Champion promptly gave the command to halt, lie down, and fire, which was obeyed on the instant. There the line lay for five minutes, responding resolutely to the fire of the enemy. That five minutes was a terrible ordeal for our soldiers, for during that short period their ranks were more than decimated. Then came the order to fix bayonets and charge upon the enemy. The ardor of the men overcame their fatigue, and, tired as they were, they resumed the double-quick march as they advanced up the ridge, right in the face of a galling fire. If a man fell-and many did-he was left to enrich the soil of Georgia with his life's blood; or, if able, to creep, alone and unassisted, to the rear, for none who were able to march left the ranks, which were kept well closed up, and the line was firmly maintained."

The same correspondent, in giving the names of many who distinguished themselves, says of Colonel Le Favour:

"And Colonel Le Favour, who led his 22d Michigan on a bayonet charge, after they had expended all their ammunition, should not be forgotten. when the roll of honor is made out."

On this day the 22d lost in killed, wounded, and missing 372 out of 584, including among the mortally wounded Captains W. A. Smith and Elijah Snell, brave and meritorious officers. Most of the missing were taken prisoners in the charge, among whom was the commanding officer-Colonel Le Favour.

In this charge the regiment was almost annihilated, but gained an imperishable page in history.

NOTE. The following extract from the report of General Whitaker, shows the nature of the conflict in which the 22d was engaged at Chicamauga: "My command was then moved by the flank in two lines, at double-quick time up the valley for nearly a mile under a heavy fire of shell from a rebel battery. Several were killed and wounded in this charge. Arriving at the point occupied by Gen. Thomas, we found him sorely pressed and yielding stubbornly to superior numbers. I was directed to drive the ene my from a ridge on which he had concentrated his forces in great numbers, supported