Essay On Michigan In The Civil War

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Michigan in the Civil War- The Civil War started when the confederate army attacked Fort Sumter in April 1861 causing the fort to surrender to the confederates. Michigan began to rally the troops a week after the fall of fort Sumter, one meeting spot was Ann Arbor. The first Michigan was created and it generated more excitement than any other regiment. The regiment was trained in Fort Wayne and they went to war on May 11, 1861. As the Michigan regiments marched toward the battlefront they were showered with praise and gifts, but little did they know that they were about to face horrors that were unimaginable. The Michigan regiments fought in all of the major battles of the Civil War, including Gettysburg and Antietam. In the battle of First …show more content…
One of the colonels of the Fourth Michigan, Colonel Jeffords, dies during the battle of Gettysburg, it is said that he was stabbed by a confederate soldier who was carrying a bayonet. He was just one of the twenty-two commanders that fell during the fighting in this Pennsylvanian town. The Twenty-Fourth Michigan was one regiment that had lost more men than many other Union regiments. The regiment lost a total of 397 men cutting its numbers by around 99 men. The battle of Gettysburg was not a total loss for the Michigan soldiers, General George Custer commanded the Michigan Cavalry Brigade and lead a victorious defense against General Lee’s forces. Custer is known for riding in front of his regiments when they were going to battle, this was a great way to bolster the soldiers morale. Another great victory occurred when the Seventh Michigan cut down a force of confederate troops by hiding and waiting for them to pass. Gettysburg was one of the largest and bloodiest battles and it did not end well for either side as the fields were covered in fallen soldiers. One of the somewhat unknown battles of the Civil War was called the Battle of Tebb’s

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