Rally Round the Flag!
Recruiting
Michigan's initial quota to President Lincoln's call for volunteers was one regiment of infantry. In compliance with the President's request, for military aid to uphold the Constitution and maintain the Union of the States, Governor Austin Blair issued a proclamation, dated April 16, 1861, for one regiment of Infantry to be mustered into the U. S. service.
Captains of the three student
companies in 1861.
Emergencies and Wars, U of M & the
Civil War. no. 358, University of
Michigan photographs vertical file
At this date there were a number of independent military companies in the state possessing military knowledge from long practice and study, and ten of these companies were accepted to form the first regiment. These companies were designated at their home stations as the "Detroit Light Guard," "Jackson Greys," "Coldwater Cadets," "Manchester Union Guard," "Steuben Guard," "Michigan Hussars," "Burr Oak Guard," "Ypsilanti Light Guard," "Marshall Light Guard" and "Hardee Cadets." Orlando B. Wilcox was appointed Colonel of the regiment, and the companies reported to him at Detroit with the least possible, delay. The organization of the regiment was completed April 29, and was mustered into the service on May 1, 1861, with an enrollment of 708.
The President's call upon Michigan for troops was promptly met by the muster in of the First Regiment and its early movement to the seat of war, in Virginia.
In the meantime, authority had been received from the War Department to raise three other regiments, but at the same time stating that it was "important to reduce rather than increase that number." This authority only covered the 2d, 3d, and 4th Infantry, already in process of recruitment, while many companies throughout the State, not included in the organizations referred to, had been recruited without authority in the hope of obtaining place in those or other regiments, but were disappointed, and most of them sought and found service in the troops of other States.
This limited policy of the government was extremely at variance with the views of Governor Blair regarding the necessities of the country at the time, and deeming immediate preparation to meet emergencies necessary, he established the "Camp of Instruction" referred to in the second part of this work.
The great pressure for the acceptance of companies continued unabated, while the applications for appointments as commissioned officers had reached the maximum, and the Governor was continuously importuned by influential citizens of both political parties to a most unbearable degree, while men were being forced by them upon his attention for favorable consideration, regardless of natural or acquired qualifications for the place. In fact, this continued during the entire earlier part of the war, and although much care was uniformly exercised in making selections, both as to original appointment and promotion in the field, it is but reasonable to expect that some mistakes were made.
In his perplexing and responsible position, Governor Blair always recognized qualifications for the office, and loyalty to the cause, as the tests, more than personal friendship or political status.
Rally Round The Flag!
This recruiting poster of the 23rd MI Infantry
was typical of the kind once the draft was
implemented. In addition to avoiding the
stigma of being drafted, the US Government,
and often local communities, offered cash
bounties to encourage men to enlist.
EA.5b, Out box, Civil War Recruiting Posters,
Vertical File Collection
Under a law of Congress of August 3d, the President was authorized to receive into service 500,000 volunteers, and while the proportion of Michigan was understood to be 19,500, the State was charged with 21,337 on an adjustment of credits.
Michigan, in response to this requisition, continued a vigorous recruitment, sending regiment after regiment to the field, and up to December, 1861, had sent to the front 13 regiments of infantry, 3 of cavalry, and 5 batteries of light artillery, with a total strength of 16,475 officers and men. Ten of these regiments, one battery, and one company had been subsisted, clothed, and partly armed by the State. In addition to this, 13 companies had gone into service in regiments of other States, failing, as before stated, to find service in those of their own.
By the conclusion of the war, Michigan had raised 31 regiments of infantry, 11 Regiments of Cavalry, 14 Batteries of Artillery, 1 Regiment of Sharpshooters and 1 Regiment of Engineers & Mechanics. Nearly 90,000 men from Michigan went to war, at least 14,434 would never return.
Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War, 1861-1865, Vol. 1, (Kalamazoo, Mich: Ihling bros. & Everard, printers, 1905).
Michigan in the War, Rev. ed. (Lansing: W. S. George & co., state printers, 1882).