1st, 5th, 6th, 7th Michigan Cavalry
Posted to the Project on 17 Jun 07
Located on the East Cavalry Battlefield, this tall monument is to the “Wolverine Brigade.”
A few regiments at Gettysburg don’t have individual regimental monuments, but rather are honored with a single larger monument to the brigade. Such is the case of the 1st, 5th, 6th, and 7th Michigan Cavalry Regiments. Members of Custer’s Brigade, their monument is located near the center of the East Cavalry battlefield, along a grass avenue known as “Custer Avenue.”
The 1st Michigan Cavalry was commanded by Colonel Charles Town (1828-1865) and lost 10 killed, 43 wounded, and 20 missing out of a little over 500 engaged. The 5th Cavalry was commanded by Colonel Russell A. Alger (1836-1907) — who would later serve in the U.S. Senate, Governor of Michigan, and as the Secretary of War. The 5th lost 8 killed, 30 wounded, and 18 missing out of over 750 engaged.
The 6th Cavalry took just over 600 men into action under the command of Colonel George Gray, a Grand Rapids attorney. They lost 1 killed, 26 wounded, and 1 missing.
Detail of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade Monument
Finally, the smallest unit at about 460 men, the 7th Michigan took ten companies into battle at Gettysburg under Colonel William D’Alton Mann of Sandusky Ohio (1839-1920). It lost 13 killed, 48 wounded, and 39 missing.
The monument was erected by the spring of 1889 and stands along a swath of cut grass known by an iron park sign as “Custer Avenue.” Note the detail of the horse heads along the top of the monument.
Members of the Cavalry Corps, 3rd Division, 2nd Brigade
Brigade commanded by General George A. Custer
Engaged: 1,934
Casualties: 32 killed, 147 wounded, 78 missing
Monument: “Custer Avenue,” East Cavalry Battlefield