The First Michigan Infantry is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? June 12, 1889.
What is it made out of? Monument: granite with bronze state shield; Base: granite.
What size is it? Overall: 10 ft. 4 in. x 49 in. x 49 in.
Who made it? Unknown, sculptor.
What does it depict? Granite shaft decorated with Maltese cross on two sides, and military accouterments on front, including two rifles, with bayonets, belt, canteen, cartridge box, cap box, and belt eagle insignia. The shaft is set atop a rough-hewn base on a boulder. The monument was constructed sometime prior to Nov. 27, 1888 and was dedicated on June 12, 1889. Monument is a 2.4 foot square granite shaft with an apex top set on a four foot square rough hewn base that rests on a boulder. Overall height is nine foot. Shaft has sculptured reliefs of infantry accoutrements and a bronze state seal on the north face. Inscriptions are on the east and west sides and a Maltese cross is located on the south face. Flanking markers are one foot square.
What does it honor? Monument marks the position held by the 1st Michigan infantry on July 2, 1863.
How is it inscribed? MUSTERED IN AT DETROIT, MICH./MAY 1, 1861, FOR 3 MONTHS./MUSTERED IN AT ANN ARBOR, MICH./AUG. 17, 1861, FOR 3 YEARS./RE-ENLISTED AS VETERANS, FEB. 20, 1864./MUSTERED OUT AT JEFFERSONVILLE, IND./JULY 8, 1865./TOTAL ENROLLMENT:/2144 OFFICERS AND MEN./KILLED IN ACTION;/OFFICERS 12, MEN 106./DIED OF WOUNDS OFFICERS 6, MEN 32./DIED OF DISEASE;/OFFICERS 1, MEN 95./TOTAL 252/”FROM THE FIRST TO THE LAST”/ENTRY INTO VIRGINIA AND CAPTURE/OF ALEXANDRIA, MAY 24, 1861,/TO APPOMATTOX, APR. 9, 1865./PARTICIPATED IN 54 SKIRMISHES/AND GENERAL ENGAGEMENTS/THIS MONUMENT MARKS THE POSITION/WHERE THE REGIMENT FOUGHT JULY 2, 1863./PRESENT FOR DUTY 21 OFFICERS, 240 MEN. TOTAL 261./KILLED; 1 OFFICER, 4 MEN. WOUNDED, 6 OFFICERS, 27 MEN./MISSING; 4 MEN. TOTAL; 42.
When was this photograph taken? April 15, 2011.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, Sickles Avenue, west side, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Located on the southwest side of Sickles Avenue at the Loop.
Is this monument located along the NPS Auto Tour route? Yes.
Has this monument been moved or changed? This monument has not been moved or materially altered.
Monument Details, Alternative Views, and Contextual Views
At Gettysburg
The 1st Michigan Infantry served as a member of Tilton’s Brigade in Barnes’ Division of the Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac. A Fighting 300 Regiment.
Commander: Col. Ira C. Abbott (1824-1908). Abbott was a grain dealer from Burr Oak. He was wounded at Fredericksburg and on July 2.
Number Engaged: 261
Casualties: 5 killed, 33 wounded, 4 missing
Officers Killed at Gettysburg:
- 1st Lieutenant Amos M. Ladd, Company K, killed July 2, of Sault Saint Marie.
Soldiers Buried in the Michigan Plot of the Gettysburg National Cemetery:
- Sgt. Hiram Hopkins, Company I, E-12
- Pvt. Austin A. Whitmond, Company F, C-12
General Information
Raised: Ann Arbor from the counties of Jackson, Washtenaw, and Wayne
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized at Detroit, Mich., and mustered in September 16, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., September 16. Attached to 1st Brigade, Hooker’s Division, Army of the Potomac, to February, 1862. Railroad Brigade, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. Camp Hamilton, Va., Dept. of Virginia, to May, 1862. Robinson’s Brigade, Dept. of Virginia, to June, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, to July, 1865.
SERVICE.–Duty at Bladensburg, Md., October, 1861, and at Annapolis Junction guarding Washington & Baltimore Railroad until March, 1862. Duty at Camp Hamilton, Fortress Monroe, Va., to June. Ordered to join Army of the Potomac in the field. Seven days before Richmond, Va., June 25-July 1. Battles of Mechanicsville June 26; Gaines Mill June 27; Peach Orchard and Savage Station June 29; Glendale and Turkey Bridge June 30; Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing until August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville, Va., August 16-27. Gainesville August 28. Battle of Bull Run August 30. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Battle of Antietam, Md., September 16-17. Shepherdstown Ford September 19. Shepherdstown September 20. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 29-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Expedition from Potomac Creek to Richards and Ellis Fords, Rappahannock River, December 29-30. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth until April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap July 5-24. At Warrenton and Beverly Ford July 27 to September 17. Provost duty at Culpeper until October 11. Bristoe Campaign October 11-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Duty near Culpeper until May, 1864. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River May 4-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spotsylvania May 8-12; Spotsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Jericho Mills May 23. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864 (Reserve). Six-Mile House, Weldon Railroad, August 18-21. Poplar Springs Church September 29-October 2. Boydton Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28, Warren’s Expedition to Weldon Railroad December 7-12. Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Junction, Quaker and Boydton Roads March 29. Lewis’ Farm, near Gravelly Run, March 29. White Oak Road March 30-31. Five Forks April 1. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Duty at City Point, Va., until May 16. Moved to Alexandria May 16-18. Grand Review May 23. Ordered to Louisville, Ky., June 16, and mustered out July 9, 1865. Regiment lost during service 15 Officers and 172 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 149 Enlisted men by disease. Total 337.
Michigan at Gettysburg
1st Infantry :: 3rd Infantry :: 4th Infantry :: 5th Infantry :: 7th Infantry :: 16th Infantry :: 24th Infantry :: 1st Cavalry :: 5th Cavalry :: 6th Cavalry :: 7th Cavalry :: 9th Artillery
