6th Regiment, Michigan Cavalry

Brief History
The 6th Regiment, Michigan Cavalry was organized at Grand Rapids, Michigan, May 28 to October 13, 1862. Men were mustered in October 13, 1862. The regiment was consolidated with 1st Michigan Cavalry November 7, 1865.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 6th Regiment Cavalry, (accessed 12 July 2012).

For a history of this regiment see Michigan in the Civil War Websitewhich gives a brief history, places served, battles fought, commanders and company rosters. 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 3,290 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 Kent County - see Roster

Company B - Many men from Kent County - see Roster

Company C - Many men from Sanilac County and St. Clair County - see Roster

Company D - Many men from Ingham County and Shiawassee County - see Roster

Company E - Many men from Ionia County - see Roster

Company F - Many men from Kent County - see Roster

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

Company H - Many men from Genesee County and Muskegon County - see Roster

Company I - Many men from  and Manistee County - see Roster

Company K - Many men from Barry County - see Roster

Company L - Many men from Kalamazoo County - see Roster

Company M - Many men from Ionia County and Kent County - see Roster

Unassigned Company - Many men from Kent County and Jackson 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.


 * Hamilton, Richard L.; Patten, George Thomas. Oh! Hast thou forgotten : Michigan Cavalry in the Civil War : the Gettysburg Campaign : a Civil War memoir of Sgt. George Thomas Patten 1862-1863. ([S.l.] : R.L. Hamilton, c2008)


 * Harris, Samuel. "The Michigan Brigade of Cavalry at the Battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863, Under Command of Brig.-Gen. Geo. A. Custer" ( Chicago [Ill.]: Samuel Harris &amp; Co, 1894). . Other Libraries


 * Geyer, Patricia W. Sheldon L. Wight : his story from Eaton Twp., Lorain Co., Ohio to Benton Twp., Eaton Co., to Sickels and Elsie, Michigan ; including his diary for the year 1865 as a private, Company F, Sixth Michigan Cavalry ; from Appomattox to the Powder River and Fort Bridger, Wyoming Territory. (Albion, Michigan : P.W. Geyer, c1998),


 * Kidd, James Harvey. "Personal Recollections of a Cavalryman with Custer's Michigan Cavalry Brigade in the Civil War" (Alexandria, Va.: Time-Life Books, 1983).Digital copy. Other Libraries and Address of Gen. James H. Kidd at the dedication of Michigan monuments upon the battlefield of Gettysburg : June 12, 1889. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1993),


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