1st Regiment, Michigan Cavalry

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Brief History
The 1st Regiment, Michigan Cavalry was organized at Detroit, Michigan, August 21 to September 6, 1861. It was mustered in September 13, 1861. This regiment became part of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade along with the 5th, 6th, and 7th Michigan Cavalry Regiments. The Regiment was mustered out: March 10, 1866. The 1st Regiment, Michigan Cavalry mustered out in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 1st Regiment Cavalry, (accessed 12 July 2012).

The Wikipedia article 1st Regiment Michigan Cavalrygives a brief history of the unit including places served, battles fought and commanders.

Also see 1st Regiment Michigan Volunteer Cavalry/1861-1866 website for history, battles, and casualties. This regiment became part of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 5,947 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 Wayne County - see Roster

Company B - Many men from Marquette County - see Roster

Company C - Many men from Wayne County - see Roster

Company D - Many men from Clinton County - see Roster

Company E - Many men from Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, Michigan and Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio - see Roster

Company F - Many men from Lapeer County - see Roster

Company G - Many men from Wayne County and Oakland County - see Roster

Company H - Many men from Wayne County - see Roster

Company I - Many men from Kalamazoo County - see Roster

Company K - Many men from Wayne County - see Roster

Company L - Many men from Macomb County - see Roster

Company M - Many men from Cass County and Kalamazoo County - see Roster

Unassigned Company - Many men from Wayne 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 searchable 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.


 * Hawks, Steve. Gettysburg Stone Sentinals(accessed March 22, 2011). Brief history of each regiment in the Michigan Cavalry Brigade with a link to Battles for each regiment. Monuments in Gettysburg.


 * Longacre, Edward G. "Custer and his Wolverines: the Michigan Cavalry Brigade, 1861-1865" (Cambridge, Massachusetts. Da Capo, 2004). Digital copy at Google Books . Other libraries


 * Michigan. Adjutant General's Office and George H. Turner "Record of service of Michigan volunteers in the Civil War, 1861-1865; First Cavalry " (Lansing, Michigan. Adjutant General's-Department, 1905) 206 pages.