11th Regiment, Michigan Cavalry

Brief History
The 11th Regiment, Michigan Cavalry was organized at Kalamazoo and Detroit, Michigan, October 7 to December 10, 1863. It was consolidated with 8th Michigan Cavalry July 20, 1865.

For more information on the history of this unit, see:


 * The Civil War Archive section, 11th Regiment Cavalry, (accessed 13 July 2012).
 * The Wikipedia article, 11th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment, (accessed 13 July 2012).

For a history of this regiment see; Michigan Regimental Histories which gives a brief history, places served, battles fought, commanders and company rosters.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,386 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

Company A - Many men from Hillsdale County - see Roster

Company C - Many men from Barry County - see Roster

Company D - Many men from Lenawee County - see Roster

Company E - Many men from Monroe County and Washtenaw County - see Roster

Company F - Many men from Calhoun County - see Roster

Company G - Many men from Lenawee County - see Roster

Company H - Many men from Lenawee County - see Roster

Company I - Many men from Kalamazoo County - see Roster

Company K - Many men from Cass County and Berrien County- see Roster

Company L - Many men from Wayne County and Kalamazoo County;- see Roster

Company M - Many men from Branch County - see Roster

Unassigned Company - Many men from Oakland County - see Roster

See Rosters, as there were men from many different Counties in these Companies.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘Michigan in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is search-able by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Michigan in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Michigan, and how to find them. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Birdsall, Henry A. "Henry A. Birdsall Diary". 1865. Available at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. See: Other Libraries.


 * Johnson, Crisfield. "History of Branch County, Michigan With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers"  (Philadelphia: Everts &amp; Abbott, 1879). Pages 66-70.  Digital copy. .  Other Libraries.


 * Michigan Adjutant General and George H. Turner. "Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War, 1861-1865 [Eleventh Cavalry]"  (Lansing, Michigan: Michigan Adjutant-General's Dept, 1905). Digital Version. . Other Libraries.


 * Thornton, Leland W. When gallantry was commonplace: the history of the Michigan Eleventh Volunteer Infantry, 1861-1864. (New York, New York : Peter Lang, c1991),