USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 14
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 14
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THE series of Indian hostilities usually known as the " Black Hawk war" was the first public emergency re- quiring the muster of troops after the beginning of settle- ments in Berrien and Van Buren Counties. The news of this savage outbreak, which came in the spring of the year 1832, startled and alarmed the few inhabitants of these counties, and for a short time seemed likely to put an entire stop to their settlement. This was the outbreak of the celebrated " Black Hawk war." The scene of actual strife was in Western Illinois and Wisconsin, but the white pop- ulation was very sparse between these counties and the theatre of actual war, and Indians bent on vengeance have long arms. Besides, no one could tell whether the Potta- wattamies scattered through Southern Michigan might not make common cause with the warriors of Black Hawk, and turn their tomahawks on their white neighbors. No hostile disposition, however, was manifested by these ancient enemies, and the whites seem to have generally trusted their friendship.
Scarcely had the first news of the trouble arrived when a dis- patch went through from the government agent at Chicago, asking for the aid of the Michigan militia to defend that
place, then an insignificant hamlet. The brigade of militia in the southern part of the territory was commanded by Brig .- Gen. Joseph W. Brown, a near relative (we believe a brother) of Maj .- Gen. Jacob Brown, the hero of the war of 1812, and at one time commander-in-chief of the United States army. Gen. J. W. Brown possessed much of the martial fire of his kinsman, and promptly responded to the call. He ordered his brigade to take the field, the rendez- vous being appointed at Niles, in Berrien County. The militiamen of the southern counties readily obeyed, and in a few days company after company came trooping into Niles from the east, each man clad, not in bright-blue clothes with brass buttons, but in the rude garb of the back woodsman, with rifle, musket, or shot-gun on his shoulder, as chance might determine, and with accoutrements equally varied at his side. Berrien County turned out what few men it could, but its quota was a very small one.
In strong contrast to these patriotic but rough-looking soldiers were three companies of regulars, which marched through Niles on their way to the seat of war. They reached that place about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and as the commander desired to make his way as speedily as possible to St. Joseph, there to take boat for Chicago, Thomas Huston ( who was then carrying the mail from St. Joseph to Niles) was sent forward in hot haste to detain any vessels which might be at St. Joseph. He galloped over the rough forest road in a few hours, and found two vessels on the point of leaving the harbor ; one, in fact, was already over the bar into the lake, and the other was just weighing anchor. He notified the captain of the latter, who made signals to the other, and both awaited the arrival of the troops. These marched to Berrien Springs that afternoon, where they camped. The next morning they went down to St. Joseph on the steamer " Matilda Barney," embarked on the vessels detained by Mr. Huston, and set out for the seat of war.
The militia assembled at Niles were mustered into ser- vice-at least all who had then arrived-on the 24th of May. Soon after the assembled companies were formed, as well as might be, into a brigade, and took up the line of march for the West. As their ranks included nearly every inan capable of bearing arms in Southern Michigan, and as no one knew what the enemy was doing, the women, chil- dren, and old men were left for a few days in a state of great dismay, lest their friends and they themselves should be destroyed by the bloody Indians, and terrifying rumors flew through the scattered settlements by the score.
The militia, however, had only marched as far as La- porte, Ind., when they received the welcome news that Black Hawk had been completely routed, and his warriors killed, captured, or driven across the Mississippi. The troops returned to Niles, where they were dismissed to their homes about the 3d of June.
The campaign under consideration was not very long, nor very bloody, but it was a very exciting one, and from 1832 until 1861, the great military era of Southwestern Mich- igan, from which the people dated their martial recollections, was that of the Black Hawk war.
In the war against Mexico, 1846-48, there was no regi- ment or command raised here, though a considerable num-
* There are only about seven miles of the road in Berrien County, one and a half miles between the east line of that county and the depot at Niles, and the remainder between the depot and the Indiana State line.
8
58
HISTORY OF BERRIEN AND VAN BUREN COUNTIES, MICHIGAN.
ber of enlistments of men from Berrien and Van Buren helped to fill companies raised in other parts of the State.
The real military history of these counties commences at that memorable time, in the spring of 1861, when the start- ling news was flashed over the telegraphs that an organized band of malcontents at Charleston, S. C., had turned their guns on Fort Sumter, and fired on the starry flag that floated above its brown ramparts. Then the patriotic fire blazed out, and from the time when the President's first call for men was made, until the time when the death of the great rebellion made further calls unnecessary, the young men, the middle-aged, and not a few of the old men of Berrien and Van Buren, responded to each appeal with an alacrity and patriotism not excelled in any part of the State or Union. The names of these soldiers are found on the rolls of about seventy regiments and batteries of Michi- gan and other States ; and such of those regiments as were most noticeable for the number of Berrien and Van Buren County men serving in their ranks are especially mentioned here, in historical sketches of their organization and ser- vices in the great war for the Union.
SECOND INFANTRY.
At the first call for troops, in April, 1861, a company of infantry was raised at Niles, from that city and vicinity, for the three months' service. Within three days after the roll was open for signatures the company was full to overflow- ing. The first officers were Robert Brethschneider, cap- tain; Benjamin Brownell, first lieutenant; and Jerome Beales, second lieutenant. A beautiful flag was presented to the company by the ladies of Niles, and it then proceeded to Cantonment Blair, on the fair-grounds at Detroit, where it was assigned to the 2d Michigan Infantry as Company E. There were also a few men from Berrien and Van Buren Counties in other companies of that regiment. The flag of Company E, being in accordance with the regulations of the army, was adopted as the flag of the regiment, and after being borne on many a bloody field and mutilated by scores of bullets, is now to be seen, among other relics of the war, in the adjutant-general's office at Lansing.
Before the regiment could be mustered into the United States service, the government declined to receive any more three months' soldiers. Nearly the whole regiment then volunteered for three years, and the places of those who declined to go were instantly filled by those who were anx- ious for a chance to do so.
The 2d left for Washington on the 5th of June, 1861, being the first three years' regiment in the field from this State. Its first battle was at Bull Run, on the 18th of July. On approaching that field, Capt. Brethschneider was chosen to lead a detachment of two hundred men, selected from all the companies of the brigade, with whom he skill- fully unmasked Gen. Beauregard's batteries at Blackburn's Ford, being heartily praised for his courage and good man- agement by Gen. Tyler. The 2d was principally engaged in skirmishing during the battle, and was not affected in the least by the rout which demoralized a portion of the Union army. After the battle, the regiment encamped on the heights of Centreville. At one o'clock of the following night it was aroused and ordered to retreat to Washington,
which it did in perfect order, without hearing anything of the enemy .*
During the winter of 1861-62 the 2d lay near Alex- andria, Va., and in April, 1862, it moved with the Army of the Potomac to the Virginia peninsula. After taking part in the siege of Yorktown it marched up the peninsula, and at Williamsburg was very sharply engaged. It moved with its brigade three miles on the double-quick, and re- lieved Gen. Sickles' Excelsior Brigade, which was very hardly pressed. The 2d Michigan had fifty-five men killed and wounded.
It was again engaged at Fair Oaks, where it had fifty- seven killed and wounded.
In the great " seven days' fight" before Richmond, the 2d was more or less engaged in all of the conflicts, holding, with the rest of the army, the successive positions taken up, keeping the enemy at bay every day until nightfall, and then retreating under cover of the darkness to a new posi- tion. At Malvern Hill it supported the Union batteries in the southwest portion of the field, and aided in repulsing with heavy loss several desperate charges made by the enemy. It had fifty-seven officers and men killed and wounded in that conflict.
The regiment then returned with the Army of the Po- tomac to Northern Virginia, and was engaged at the second battle of Bull Run and at Chantilly. It was in the divi- sion commanded by Gen. Phil. Kearney, and was holding a piece of woodland at Chantilly when that gallant officer rode out in front of it to reconnoitre and was killed. The first commander of the 2d Infantry, Gen. Israel B. Rich- ardson, was killed at Antietam while in command of a division, but the regiment was not actively engaged.
When Gen. Burnside attacked Fredericksburg, on the 12th of December, 1862, this regiment crossed the Rappa- hannock, but was held in reserve, and though under fire from shells did not suffer serious loss. In February, 1863, it moved to Newport News, but in March returned to Bal- timore, moved thence to Kentucky, and in June, with the 9th Corps, reinforced Gen. Grant's army in Mississippi. On the day of the surrender of Vicksburg it moved east- ward, and on the 11th of July attacked the enemy's works at Jackson, but was obliged to retire, after forty-eight of its officers and men had been killed and wounded. Jackson, however, was soon after occupied by the Union troops.
On the 4th of August, 1863, the regiment set out on another long journey, making its way up the Mississippi and Ohio to Cincinnati, and thence by way of Cumberland Gap to Knoxville, Tenn., where it arrived on the 26th. After various movements in the valley of the Tennessee until the 17th of November, 1863, it fell back with the army to Knoxville, and during the succeeding three weeks was engaged in the defense of that place against the legions of Longstreet
The regiment, if so the oft-decimated little band of vet- erans could be called, suffered severely, as did the rest of the army, from lack of food and clothing, but gallantly re- pelled the assaults of the foe, and finally, on the 4th of December, had the pleasure of seeing the baffled enemy
* Statement of Maj. Evans, of Niles, then a private in the 2d In- fantry.
59.
MILITARY HISTORY.
retire in complete defeat. During the siege, on the 24th of November, a detachment of the 2d charged the enemy's works, but was repulsed ; the casualties numbering eighty- six,-more than half the number engaged.
On the 16th of December the regiment was at Blain's Cross-Roads, northeast of Knoxville, where, notwithstand- ing all its hardships and losses, a sufficient number of the men re-enlisted to make it a regiment of veteran volunteers. It did not set out for home, however, until the 4th of February, 1864. After enjoying a thirty-days' furlough and receiving over five hundred recruits, the command ren- dezvoused at Mount Clemens, and proceeded to join its corps at Annapolis, Md., that corps being on its way back to the Army of the Potomac.
When the great Virginia campaign of 1864 opened, the 2d took its usual active part. In the battle of the Wilder- ness, on the 6th of May, it had thirty-eight officers and men killed and wounded ; at Spottsylvania Court-House, on the 12th of May, it had eleven killed and wounded ; and at Bethesda Church, on the 3d of June, it had thirty-eight killed and wounded Having crossed the James River, on the 12th of June, it took part in the severe battle before Petersburg, on the 17th and 18th of that month, having, in the two days, one hundred and sixty-five officers and men killed and wounded. During the attack which followed the springing of the mine, on the 30th of July, the regiment had twenty killed and wounded.
It took part with its corps in the raid on the Weldon Railroad in August, and also in the movement on the right flank of the Confederate army in September, having seven wounded in the engagement near Poplar Spring Church, on the 30th of the latter month. After being stationed near the left of the Union line before Petersburg until the 29th of November, 1864, it moved with its corps ten miles to the right, where it remained on trench and picket duty until the 25th of March, 1865. On that day it aided in repelling the attack on Fort Steadman, suffering heavy loss. On the 3d of April it took part in the capture of Peters- burg. After some unimportant service near Petersburg and at Washington, the regiment set out for Detroit, where it was paid off and disbanded on the 1st day of August, 1865.
Not a regiment in the service made a better record than the 2d Michigan Infantry. Very few, indeed, of the orig- inal Company E, which left Niles in the spring of 1861, returned home at the close of the war; and of those who did come there was hardly one who had not been wounded in the service.
MEMBERS OF THE SECOND INFANTRY FROM BERRIEN AND VAN BUREN COUNTIES .* Field and Staff.
Surg. Evan J. Bonine, Niles ; com. Sept. 23, 1861 ; res. Aug. 31, 1864.
Non-Commissioned Staff.
Q.M .- Sergt. Wm. H. Seward, Niles ; enl. April 19, 1861 ; pro. to 2d lieut. Co. I, Dec. 4, 1861.
* Great care has been taken in transcribing these military lists for this, and other regiments, from the rolls in the Adjutant-General's office, and in verifying them, when practicable, by surviving mem- bers of the regiments to which they have reference. If, notwith- standing this, they are found (as they doubtless will be, to some extent) incomplete, it should be remembered that it is on account of the neglect of officers whose duty it was to return full and complete lists to the Adjutant-General's office.
Company E.
Capt. Robt. Brethschneider, Niles; com. May 25, 1861; res. Dec. 14, 1861 ; capt. 12th Inf.
Capt. Benj. Brownell, Niles ; com. Dec. 14, 1861; 1st lieut. April 25, 1861; res. Aug. 30, 1862.
Capt. John S. Moore, Niles ; com. July 30, 1863; 1st lieut. Feb. 24, 1863; 2d lieut. Aug. 9, 1862 ; must. out at end of service, Sept. 30, 1864.
Capt. Sylvester Keyser, Niles; com. Sept. 30, 1864; brev. maj. U. S. Vols. for gallant and meritorious services before Petersburg ; must. out July 29, 1865.
2d Lieut. Jerome Beals, Niles ; com. April 25, 1861 ; res. Aug. 7, 1861.
Sergt. Henry Kellogg, enl. May 25, 1861 ; disch. Dec. 1, 1861, for disability.
Sergt. Plowden Huggins, enl. May 25, 1861 ; must. out at end of service, July 21, 1864.
Sergt. John N. Shanahan, enl. May 25, 1861; killed in action at Williamsburg, Va., May 5, 1862.
Corp. Wm. H. Delano, enl. May 25, 1861 ; must. out at end of service, July 21, 1864.
Corp. Chas. H. Houghland, enl. May 25, 1861; disch. for disability, Dec. 6, 1861. Corp. Wm. Thayer, enl. May 25, 1861 ; disch. at end of service, July 21, 1864.
Corp. John Moore, enl. May 25, 1861; color sergt. ; pro. to 2d lieut.
Corp. Sylvester Keyser, enl. May 25, 1861; re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 31, 1863; pro. to 1st lieut., Co. F, July 7, 1864.
Wagoner John B. Richardson, enl. May 25, 1861; absent, sick ; not must. out with company.
Privates.
Uriah Arnold, disch. at end of service, July 21, 1864.
Theodore F. Brown, disch. at end of service, Sept. 10, 1864.
Hartley Boswell, disch. for disability, May 21, 1862.
James W. Brown, veteran; enl. Dec. 31, 1863 ; inust. out May 25, 1865. Geo. Covert, disch. to enlist in regular army, June 11, 1863.
Wm. Covert, disch. to enlist in regular army, June 11, 1863.
James H. Delano, disch. for disability, Oct. 7, 1862.
Franklin Farnsworth, veteran ; enl. Dec. 31, 1863 ; disch. for disability, July 20, 1865.
Geo. H. Genung, disch. for wounds, Sept. 12, 1862.
Philo H. Gallup, killed in action at Williamsburg, Va., May 5, 1862.
Edward Hartman, died of disease at Georgetown, D. C.
Alfred A. Houghland, disch. for disability.
Marvin Hillicker, disch. for disability.
Benjamin Hess, disch. to enlist in regular army, Dec. 4, 1862.
Charles Hulin, disch. to enlist in regular army, Dec. 4, 1862.
Samuel P. Hulin, veteran ; enl. Dec. 31, 1863; sergt .; pro. to 2d lieut .; must. out as sergt., July 25, 1865.
Wm. H. F. Holston, veteran ; enl. Dec. 31, 1863; sergt. ; pro: to Ist lieut., Co. G ; capt. Co. K.
Wm. H. Harrison, veteran ; enl. Dec. 31, 1863; sergt .; pro. to 2d lieut .; must. out as sergt., July 25, 1865.
Wm. Jay, disch. for disability, July 4, 1862.
Wm. Jones, disch. for disability.
Wm. Jackson, veteran ; enl. Dec. 31, 1863; must. out July 28, 1865.
John McKown, killed in battle at Williamsburg, Va., May 5, 1862.
Benj. F. Loop, died Aug. 4, 1862, of wounds received at Fair Oaks, May 31, 1862.
James Leech, disch. for disability.
John T. Lamon, disch. at end of service, Sept. 3, 1863.
Wm. Lambert, disch. at end of service, July 21, 1864.
Jolin Noel, disch. for disability, Sept. 29, 1862.
James H. Philips, disch. for disability, May 21, 1862.
G. Prossard, disch. to enlist in regular army.
Wm. Park, disch. at end of service, May 25, 1865.
Gilbert Parish, veteran; enf. Dec. 31, 1863 ; disch. for disability, Dec. 25, 1865. Wm. Redick, disch. for disability.
Chas. Richardson, disch. for disability, July 4, 1862.
Wm. Roach, disch. for disability, Aug. 13, 1862.
Joshua B. Richardson, died of disease at Washington, Feb. 17, 1863.
Watson Ready, disch. at end of service, May 25, 1864.
Jolin Rutledge, veteran ; enl. Dec. 31, 1863 ; must. out July 28, 1865.
Win. B. Randall, veteran ; enl. Dec. 31, 1863 ; must. out July 28, 1865.
Anthony Rolle, must. out July 28, 1865. Wm. Rucker, disch. for wounds, October, 1862.
Elias Shockley, died of wounds, Nov. 27, 1863. Martin Stafford, veteran ; enl. Dec. 3, 1863; died of wounds, June 19, 1864.
B. Steinbach, disch. at end of service, May 25, 1864.
Wm. W. Smith, veteran; enl. Dec. 31, 1863 ; must. out July 11, 1865.
Wm. Thayer, disch. at end of service, July 21, 1864. Edwin Trumburn, disch. at end of service, July 21, 1864.
Geo. W. Vandervent, disch. at end of service, July 21, 1864. Alfred A. Van Vliet, disch. at end of service, June 6, 1864.
Jolın M. Wilson, disch. at end of service, Sept. 8, 1863.
John Ward, disch. at end of service, July 21, 1864.
Company F.
1st Lieut. Sylvester Keyser, Niles ; com. July 7, 1863; pro. to capt., Co. E, Sept. 30, 1864.
60
HISTORY OF BERRIEN AND VAN BUREN COUNTIES, MICHIGAN.
Company G.
Ist Lieut. Wm. H. F. Holston, Niles; com. Nov. 24, 1864; pro. capt., Co. K, April 25, 1865.
Company H.
Capt. Chas. H. Rogers, must. out July 28, 1865.
Ist Lieut. John S. Moore, pro. capt., Co. E, July 30, 1863.
Company I.
2d Lieut. William H. Seward, res. Aug. 30, 1862. Stephen G. Colvin, veteran ; enl. Dec. 31, 1863 ; died of wounds in Wilderness, Va., May 6, 1864.
Ossian L. Moody, disch. at end of service, July 21, 1864.
Wm. Hadlock, veteran ; enl. Dec. 31, 1863; must. out July 28, 1865.
Company K.
Capt. Wm. H. F. Holston, com. April 25, 1865; must. out July 25, 1865. Corp. Roscoe D. Dix, enl. May 25, 1861 ; disch. at end of service, July 2, 1864. Stevens Dickinson, disch. at end of service, May 26, 1864.
Theodore W. Snell, died of disease at Fortress Monroe, Va., Dec. 20, 1864.
LAFAYETTE LIGHT GUARD (Co. C, 70TH N. Y. INF.).
In the year 1859 a number of the young men of Paw Paw (Van Buren County) and vicinity organized themselves into a militia company (infantry), under the name of the Lafayette Light Guard. On the outbreak of the Rebel- lion, in April, 1861, the members of the Guard were almost unanimous in their desire to enter the field against the ene- mies of their country, and the ranks were speedily filled to the maximum strength of an infantry company by eager volunteers. The regiments called for from Michigan were completed so soon, however, that it was found impossible to find any place in either of them for the Lafayette Light Guard. In the hope that a place would ere long be found for them in a Michigan regiment, they were supported for nearly two months by the voluntary subscriptions of the citizens of Van Buren County, but still no more troops were called for from the Peninsular State.
At length the company tendered its services to Gen. Daniel E. Sickles, who was engaged in raising his " Excel- sior Brigade," in New York City. They were gladly ac- cepted, and on the 13th of June the first company from Van Buren County set out for New York.
Below is given a list of the officers and soldiers who went to the front with the company, transcribed from the Paw Paw True Northerner of June 21, 1861, by the per- mission of Mr. Adelbert Cummings, who preserved a copy.
Captain, Wm. H. Hugo, of Paw Paw ; First Lieutenant, J. M. Longwell, of Paw Paw ; Second Lieutenant, Wm. H. Carroll, Decatur; Sergeants, Wm. H. Drake (Decatur), Don C. Rodgers (Paw Paw), Wm. W. Kilbourn (Paw Paw), Harry R. Brown (Decatur) ; Fifer, Adelbert Cummings, Paw Paw ; Drummer, Wm. H. Bullard, Paw Paw.
Privates .- From Paw Paw : Alfred G. Wright, Carlton Coon, W. H. H. Price, John Williams, James E. Abrams, Barney Parkman, Andrew Loveland, Lyman Robinson, Charles W. Miner, Edward J. Crofoot, David Dolliver, Frank Constable, William Lewis, Charles W. Morse, John Serrine, Art. Serrine, Florence McGill, Edward E. House, Alexander Harrison, Hiram G. Saxton, A. H. Lamphear, Richard Hayes.
From Decatur: Henry B. Myers, Elva F. Moon, John Chavalle, Charles S. Cochett, Albert Priest, H. Chamber- lin, Francis M. Swift, Leonard Dutton, Cyrus H. Butler, W. L. Sherman, Stephen W. Berry, Hiram S. Case, Wm. McDonald, Edward Carney, George W. Hathaway, Porter A. McGhan, James Fitch, George W. Davidson.
From Schoolcraft : J. M. Burson, George W. Orem, Aaron Burson, Henry Beals, Emory Chapman, John Sprague, R. Mckinstry, George W. Beals, M. J. Foot.
From Lawrence : D. W. Rowe, A. J. Roundy, Wm. Van Fleet, P. F. Simmons, Herrick Hodge, Elam Branch, Elias Robb.
From Lawton : Samuel Garver, Horatio Burnham, He- man S. Parrish, Albert H. Ransom.
From Hartford : John Loder, W. H. Lewis, C. E. Van Ostran, Draper Decker.
From Waverly: H. F. Covey, T. J. Chafey, Aaron J. Covey, W. A. Hathaway.
From Hamilton : Ira W. Putnam, Willard Glace, Davis Briggs, J. Hartman.
From Kalamazoo: O. C. Knapp, M. Ryan, N. L. Deremor. From Almena : A. H. Barnum, Parker C. Story.
From Prairie Ronde : H. H. Maybe, A. Edmunds.
From Keeler : Lewis G. Timons, Henry Crandel.
From other localities: A. J. Richmond, of Lafayette ; Percival Warner, Big Prairie; J. W. Bangor, F. Melvin, Bloomingdale; George B. Goodell, Cheshire ; J. McMann, Grand Rapids; Dexter Patrick, Antwerp; A. P. Tucker, Arlington ; W. H. Nitingale, Prairie Grove; Henry Reese, Porter; Mark Worthington, Brady ; A. Ferdic, Milwaukee; O. F. Windsor, Dearborn ; P. C. Diedrick, Rochester, N. Y .; Justus V. Alden, Breedsville.
The Board of Supervisors of Van Buren County appro- priated twelve hundred dollars to pay for the transportation of the company to New York. In their official proceedings they speak of it as the Van Buren County Light Guard, but it was generally called, and is still commonly known as the Lafayette Light Guard. The board also adopted a memorial commending the Guard to the care of Gen. Sickles, of which the following is a copy :
" The Board of Supervisors of the County of Van Buren, and State of Michigan, to the Hon. Daniel E. Sickles, commanding Excelsior Brigade, New York City.
" At a session of said board, held June 12, 1861, at the court-house in the village of Paw Paw, in said county, the following memorial was adopted, to wit : We, the Board of Supervisors, in behalf of said county and the citizens thereof, tender to you for the service of our country the Van Buren County Light Guard, a company of infantry organized and sustained during the past two months at the expense of the county, but who have been unable to procure a position in any of the regiments called from this State, and, being desirous that our county should be represented and take a part in the conflict so un- justly waged against our beloved Union, we have at our own expense forwarded this company to you, in accordance with your acceptance, as communicated to Adjutant-General Robertson on the 27th ult.
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