place, on the 23d. On the 10th of June it started for Louisville, via the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, to Parkersburg, and thence by steamer, down the Ohio river; arriving at Louisville on the 14th, it crossed the river to Jeffersonville, Ind., and remained there until July 5th, when it was mustered out of service, and proceeded to Michigan, arriving on the 8th at Detroit, where, on the 17th, it was paid off and disbanded. The regiment, while in service, participated in battles and skirmishes at Pohick Church, Va., January 9, 1862. Siege of Yorktown, Va., April 4 to May 4, 1862. Williamsburg, Va., May 5, 1862. Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862. Peach Orchard, Va., June 29, 1862. Glendale, Va., June 30, 1862. Malvern Hill, Va., July 1, 1862. Bull Run, 2d, Va., August 28, 1862. Grovetown, Va., August 29, 1862. Chantilly, Va., September 1, 1862. burg, Va., December 13, 1862. The Cedars, Va., May 2, 1863. Chancellorsville, Va., May 3, 1863. Gettysburg, Penn., July 2 and 3, 1863. Wapping Heights, Va., July 23, 1863. Auburn Heights, Va., October 1, 1863. Kelly's Ford, Va., November 26, 1863. Locust Grove, Va., November 27, 1863. Mine Run, Va., November 29, 1863.. Wilderness, Va., May 5, 6, and 7, 1864. Todd's Tavern, Va., May 8, 1864. Po River, Va., May 10, 1864. Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, 1864. North Anna, Va., May 23, 1864. Tolopotomy, Va., May 30, 1864. Coal Harbor, Va., June 2, 1864. Petersburg, Va., June 16 and 22, 1864. Deep Bottom, Va., July 27 and 28, 1864. Strawberry Plains, August 14 and 17, 1864. Poplar Spring Church, September 30, 1864. Boydton Road, Va., October 27, 1864. Hatcher's Run, Va., March 25, 1865. Boydton Road, Va., April 2, 1865. Capture of Petersburg, Va., April 3, 1865. Sailor's Creek, Va., April 6, 1865. New Store, Va., April 8, 1865. Appomattox Court House, Va., April 9, 1865. Seige of Petersburg, Va., from June 17, 1864, to April 3, 1865. During its service the regiment had borne on the rolls 1,950 officers and men. Its losses were 10 officers, 141 men killed in action; 6 officers, 75 men died of wounds; 3 officers and 163 men of disease. "The mighty have fallen, yet death cannot chill NOTES. From the Richmond Enquirer: "Among the thousand prisoners now in Richmond, one is a real prize. His name is Fairbanks, and he is the Adjutant of the Michigan regiment. He hails from Detroit; by trade he is a shoemaker, and by nature is one of the blackest-hearted abolitionists and haters of the South that is anywhere suffered to carry God's breath around in a wicked carcass. He is the same individual who was so urgent to have the clergyman arrested in Alexandria for praying for the Confederate States, thrown into the negro pen, and there confined until he repented. He was equally anxious to have several of the ladies of Alexandria hung as an example of the manner in which the abolitionists intended to treat secessionists. As you now have an excellent opportunity of allowing him to test the beauties of his theory, I would suggest that the fellow be kindly treated as long as he lives on bread and water, and that twice a day a committee of ladies call upon him, and, with a rope, stretch his neck until he is perfectly satisfied with the honor conferred upon him. Afterwards, I would exchange him for some miserable cur, and shoot the dog." The numerous friends of the gallant and noble-hearted gentleman referred to will be much amused at this description of Major Fairbanks, who, under the most provoking circumstances, could be nothing else than a gentleman, and a brave and honorable man. While this regiment was quartered in rebel huts, at Brandy Station, in the early part of 1864, two Irish soldiers were busy one morning cooking coffee for the officers, in front of the headquarters' hut, having each a coffee-pot, and the fire being small, a quarrel was soon in order, each jamming his pot against the other's, until one was capsized and the coffee spilled; this brought the owner to his feet with an oath, and with clinched fist, in close proximity to his comrade's nose, burst out in his pure mother tongue: "Paddy, if ye's don't stop I'll shout to Colonel Mathews, an' if he doesn't stop ye's, be Saint Patrick, I'll make ye's a prisent of a wooden overcoat" [a coffin]. During the terrible days of fighting and hardship in the Wilderness, and frequently afterwards on Grant's flank movement to the James, the ambulance corps being unable to take care of all the wounded, mule teams with common army wagons were often ordered to the front to assist in conveying the disabled to the rear. Capt. Blackman, Quartermaster of the Fifth Michigan, had an Irishman, a teamster, in his train who was somewhat inclined to avoid this kind of duty. One morning, in anticipation of a hard fight, Blackman had an order to send two wagons to the front, and detailed this man with another for that purpose. The fighting having become brisk, the Irishman tried to avoid the detail, stating that his mules were all lame, and did not feel very well, himself, but finally had to go. He was absent the entire day, returning to the rear about 10 o'clock at night. Blackman said to him on his return, “Well, Mike; how did you get along?" Purty well, sir; only they kept me foolin' about, dodgin' balls all day, wid out doin' a ha'p'erth, until I almost dispaired of gettin' anything to put in my wagon, but as luck would have it, be the hoky, about sundown the rebels went to work in dead earnest, and shot me down a load in about fifteen minutes," seeming perfectly elated, and feeling big over his success. Two men of the Fifth went out several miles on a foraging expedition, and in their hunt found some flour in sacks, and each appropriated one. On their way home they noticed what seemed to be a store-house adjoining a plantation; this they proposed to examine. On entering it they found a barrel partly full of what they thought was buckwheat flour, and preferring it to the wheat flour, emptied their sacks and re-filled them from the barrel, and continued their journey to camp, a considerable distance. In the morning, bright and early, they went to work on the pancakes, expecting to have an unusually fine breakfast. The flour was placed in the dish and the water and other ingredients supplied, when the stirring commenced but lo and behold, the flour became suddenly unusually thick, and was hardening. This alarmed the compounder, and looking at it in amazement, called to his comrade, "the curs't stuff is sat." His mate instantly rushed to the spot, but before he reached there the material was almost perfectly hard; he was unable to take it from the dish with his hands, but turning it upside down, dumped it out, hard as a brick. Que whispered to the other, "Plaster Paris;" not another word was said, and both skipped to their tent in silence. During one of the winters of the war there was a standing order in a regiment serving in the army of the Potomac for religious services once on every Sunday. Some Sundays it was extremely cold, too cold really for any Chaplain to preach out of doors, or for the soldiers to listen. The Major, a gallant officer, who was in command of the regiment at the time about to be referred to, not being much in favor of such service, and being somewhat opposed to Chaplains generally, and at the same time inclined to the idea that they earned their pay rather easily, took special pains on such cold days to make a special effort to have the Chaplain, a man of much ability preach, not altogether for any benefit he believed the soldiers would derive therefrom, but for the purpose of annoying the Chaplain. On one very cold Sunday there seemed to be some delay in getting the meeting up, and the Major sent an Orderly for the Chaplain, directing him to hold service. It was so cold that no one cold stand to listen to any discourse; still it had to be undertaken. The church call was sounded, the Chaplain took his post, the command was marched to the place; the Major, of course, must be there to at least give countenance to his own order; every one was shivering, he with the others. The Chaplain commenced, then both officers and men began to seek the shelter of their tents; the congregation soon became unusually thin, but the discourse was continued. In a short time very few were left except some of the officers, the Major included, and a small number of the men, but the Chaplain held forth, the Major suffering with the others, but he dare not leave; finally scarcely any but he remained; the Chaplain still went on, continuing his discourse, which, when closed, had lasted one hour and a half. When the end had come the Major made for his tent, almost frozen, and on entering which he said to his brother officers in a way which he desired to be understood as jocular, "Well, boys, the old Chaplain has euchred me after all! Give me some whisky, quick!" There were no more church services on such cold Sundays. SIXTH REGIMENT INFANTRY. 46 Onward, then, our stainless banner, They forever wedded are. We will plant them by the river, The Sixth, another of the camp of instruction regiments, was rendezvoused at Kalamazoo, and was composed of the companies originally assigned to it when ordered to the camp, and which were recruited in the vicinity of the places mentioned in their respective names. On the organization of the regiment, they received the alphabetical designation given below: RG "A," Berrien Co. Rifles, Niles. "B," St. Joseph Volunteers, St. Joseph. "C" Schoolcraft Light Guard, Schoolcraft. "D" Dowagiac Light Infantry, Dowagiac. "E" Wolverine Rifle Rangers, Marshall. "F," Saline Sharp Shooters, Saline. Littlejohn Light Guard, Allegan, "H," Eaton Rifles, Charlotte. "1," Albion Rifle Rangers, Albion. "K," Beardsley Guard, Niles. FIELD AND STAFF. Frederick W. Curtenius, Kalamazoo, Colonel. Thomas S. Clark, Monroe, Lieutenant Colonel. Edward Bacon, Niles, Major. Charles V. Mottram, Surgeon, Kalamazoo. Simeon S. French, Assistant Surgeon, Battle Creek. Curtis W. Kilborn, Adjutant, Kalamazoo. Le Grand W. Perce, Quartermaster, St. Joseph. Elizur Andrews, Chaplain, Niles. "A." Captain, Eli A. Griffin, Niles. First Lieutenant, William W. Thayer, Battle Creek. Second Lieutenant, Selden F. Craig, Niles. B." Captain, William W. Wheeler, St. Joseph. First Lieutenant, Augustus W. Chapman, St. Joseph. Second Lieutenant, Le Grand W. Perce, St. Joseph. C. Captain, Garrett J. Spitzer, Schoolcraft. First Lieutenant, Joseph Roberts, Schoolcraft. Second Lieutenant, Curtis W. Kilborn, Kalamazoo. "D." Captain, Charles E. Clark, Dowagiac. First Lieutenant, Frederick J. Clark, Dowagiac. Second Lieutenant, James A. Ellis, Dowagiac. "E" Captain, James Winters, Marshall. First Lieutenant, Sylvester Cogswell, Marshall. Second Lieutenant, Charles Heine, Marshall. "F" Captain, John Corden, Saline. First Lieutenant, Henry A. Harris, Saline. Second Lieutenant, Seymour Howell, Saline. "G." Captain, Chauncey J. Bassett, Allegan. First Lieutenant, Henry Stark, Otsego. Second Lieutenant, Alfred C. Wallin, Chicago, Ill. "H" Captain, Smith W. Fowler, Jackson. First Lieutenant, Peter D. Montgomery, Eaton Rapids. Second Lieutenant, William S. Trask, Charlotte. “I." Captain, Harrison Soule, Albion. First Lieutenant, Alfred J. Ralph, Jonesville. Second Lieutenant, Charles S. Fassett, Springport. "K" Captain, David Bacon, Niles. First Lieutenant, Horace Cummings, Niles. Second Lieutenant, John Jacks, Edwardsburg. The regiment, in command of Colonel F. W. Curtenius, left Kalamazoo for the Potomac August 30, 1861, its muster rolls showing a force of 944 officers and men. On its arrival at Baltimore it was ordered into camp, where it lay during most of the winter following. On the passage of the Seventh Michigan through Cleveland a few days later, the "Herald" of that city remarked: "In speaking of the passage through Cleveland a few days since of the Sixth Michigan, we remarked that it was the finest regiment that the Wolverines had sent to the war. We are induced to think, from present appearances, that the same observation will be equally applicable to each successive Michigan regiment, as it takes up its line of March for Washington, for the personnel of the Seventh Michigan cannot be beat." The citizens of Kalamazoo procured for the Sixth Infantry an elegant banner of the regulation standard. On a blue field were fine decorations in gold letters, and among the stars the single inscription "Do your duty." The flag was sent by the Hon. H. G. Wells to the regiment while in camp at Baltimore, where it was formally presented by Col. F. W. Curtenius, commanding. It was carried through the several battles of the regiment, and finally was sent to Kalamazoo, as the gift of the regiment to Col. Curtenius. On November 14th it composed a part of an expedition in command of General Lockwood to the eastern shore of Virginia, for the purpose of driving out a rebel force under Gen. Henry A. Wise, who were fortifying a point on the Potomac. Upon the approach of the union force, they hurriedly dispersed, leaving considerable ammunition and small arms. The union force after destroying the works returned to Baltimore, arriving there on the 8th December. While the regiment lay in Baltimore it was presented by the union ladies of that city with a handsome silk U. S. flag. It was presented on behalf of the ladies by a prominent lawyer of Baltimore, and a proper response was made by Col. Curtenius. The Sixth left Baltimore February 22, 1862, by steamers for Fortress Monroe, arriving there next day, and encamped at Newport News. On March 4th with 4th Wisconsin and 21st Indiana the regiment embarked on transport steamer "Constitution," and proceeding to sea, passing under fire of rebel batteries on Sewell's Point, disembarked at Ship Island, Miss. on the 13th of March where it remained until April 14th, when, with the 4th Wis. and 21st Indiana, it embarked on the transport ship "Great Republic," and in tow of a steamer started for the mouth of the Mississippi to constitute a part of the attacking force on the expedition against New Orleans. The force commenced landing in Black Bay in rear of fort St. Phillip with the intention of attacking that point, but while in the act intelligence was received that both forts Jackson and St. Phillips had surrendered and consequently the expedition ended, and after the destruction of a bridge in that vicinity it proceeded to the mouth of the Mississippi, thence up that river by boats to New Orleans, arriving there on the 2d of May, taking possession of the U. S. mint and being one of the first regiments to occupy that city after its capture by the Union troops. On the 9th of May the regiment with its brigade took boats and proceeded about 37 miles up the Mississippi, and disembarking started inland, marching all night through a cypress swamp in water so deep as to require great effort to save the ammunition from ruin, while the rations were all destroyed. The object of the expedition was the capture of a train of cars on the New Orleans and Jackson R. R., cut the road and destroy bridges, which being successfully accomplished the force returned arriving at Kenner on the 10th where it embarked on steamers and proceeded to Baton Rouge, arriving there on the 13th, thence up the river on a reconnoissance as far as Warrenton, five miles below Vicksburg. Arriving there on the 18th, the object of the reconnoissance being accomplished the return trip commenced, and arriving at Grand Gulf was fired into by a light battery, when the force landed and drove the enemy inland about two miles, then returned, and on re-embarking continued the trip down the river, arriving at Baton Rouge on the 29th, went into quarters at the barracks. Soon after the arrival of the regiment at Baton Rouge, and while it was comfortably situated in barracks, an order was given by the General commanding to Col. T. S. Clark, then in command of the regiment, to move and bivouack his regiment in the adjoining woods, without tents or any other shelter, to make room for the Ninth Connecticut, a regiment having tents, while the use of these tents, which belonged to the U. S., was refused the Michigan regiment. This was a proceeding which the officers protested against, and on refusing to obey the order, the field officers and several of the line officers were placed in arrest, but finally the order was reluctantly complied with, and the regiment marched out under the order of a Captain, into the woods, where it remained, without shelter, until after the battle, which soon occurred, suffering much from exposure. This was a most unaccountable proceeding on the part of the commander, as the regiment had not deserved in any manner, so unreasonable a test of its discipline, nor such a contemptible discrimination against it in favor of another regiment, and it is presumed that had he lived but a short time longer the gallantry of the regiment in battle would have secured a more favorable consideration at his hands. The officers arrested were sent to New Orleans for trial, but were released on the order of General Butler. About the 20th of July, six companies of the regiment, in command of Col. Clark, made a raid in the direction of Camp Moore, sixty miles eastward of Baton Rouge, for the purpose of capturing Charles M. Conrad, who had been Secretary of War under President Fillmore, and then a prominent rebel, and a Mr. Benton. At Benton's Ferry, about forty miles out, encountered a rebel force, and had a running fight with them for about two miles, taking some prisoners, including Benton, and a large number of horses, mule teams, and a supply of camp stores, destroying their camp at White Church. Among the stores taken were found barrels of mess pork marked U. S. A. This accomplished, the command returned to Baton Rouge. On August 5th, while that place was being heavily attacked by the rebel forces under Breckenridge, the regiment then in command of Captain Charles E. Clark, the ranking officers being in arrest, received and repulsed with spirit the principal attack by the rebel troops in command of General Clark of Mississippi against the right wing of the Union forces, which, if it had succeeded would have given the enemy a commanding position and most likely would have led to the loss of a large portion of the artillery. General Thomas Williams, U. S. Army, a native of Detroit, commanded the Union troops. They consisted of Nimms' 2d Massachusetts Battery, Mannings' 4th Massachusetts Battery, and a section of a battery taken by the 21st Indiana and attached to that regiment under command of Lieutenant Brown, and the following infantry regiments: Sixth Michigan, 30th Massachusetts, 7th Vermont, 14th Maine, 21st Indiana, 4th Wisconsin, and 9th Connecticut, the |