United States Regiments & Batteries * Michigan
The 3rd Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment had a total enrollment of 1,432 men. It lost 4 officers and 154 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 89 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
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1861
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| May 21 | Organized at Cantonment Anderson at the Kent County agricultural fairgrounds in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and mustered into State service |
| June 10 |
Mustered 1.040 men into United States service under Colonel Daniel McConnel, Lieutenant Colonel Ambrose A. Stevens, Major Stephen Champlin and Adjutant Edward S. Earle. Company A – “Valley City Guards” – Kent County – Captain Samuel A. Judd |
| June 13 | Left State for Washington, D.C., travelling on two trains on the Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad to Detroit. Here they transferred to two boats for an overnight trip to Cleveland. |
| June 14 | Left Cleveland by rail for Washington via Pittsburg, Harisburg and Baltimore. |
| June 16 | Arrived in Washington and marched to Chain Bridge, where camp was set up on the bluffs overlooking the Potomac. Attached to Richardson’s Brigade, Tyler’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeastern Virginia for Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. |
| July 1 | William Choates of company C died of disease and was buried at Camp Blair, the first member of the regiment to die. |
| July 16 | Advance on Manassas, Virginia. |
| July 16-21 | Occupation of Fairfax Court House, Va. |
| July 17 | Action at Blackburn’s Ford |
| July 18 |
Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) |
| July 21 | Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. |
| August | Attached to Richardson’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac |
| October 21-24 | Reconnaissance to Occoquan |
| October 22 | Colonel McConnel resigned for medical reasons. |
| October 28 | Major Champlin was promoted to colonel over Lieutenant Colonel Stevens. |
| October | Assigned to Richardson’s Brigade, Heintzelman’s Division, Army of the Potomac |
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1862
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| February 3 | Reconnaissance to Occoquan Village (Companies H & I) |
| March | Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac |
| March 17 | Moved to the Virginia Peninsula |
| April 5-May 4 |
Siege of YorktownCommanded by Lieutenant Colonel Stevens |
| May 31-June l |
Battle of Fair Oaks or Seven PinesThe regiment lost 30 killed, 124 wounded and 15 missing, including Colonel Champlin, who was wounded in the hip. |
| June 1-2 | Reconnaissance beyond Seven Pines |
| June 25-July 1 |
Seven days before Richmond |
| June 25 |
Oak Grove |
| June 29 |
Savage Station and Peach Orchard |
| June 30 |
Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale |
| July 1 |
Malvern Hill |
| July – August 15 | Duty at Harrison’s Landing |
| August | Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps |
| August 16-27 | Moved to Fortress Monroe, then to Centreville |
| August 29 |
Battle of Groveton (Brawner’s Farm) |
| August 30 |
Second Battle of Bull RunColonel Champlin was wounded for a second time, leaving command of the regiment to Major Pierce. |
| September 1 |
Battle of Chantilly |
| September | Lieutenant Colonel Stevens was appointed colonel of the 21st Michigan Infantry. Major Pierce was promoted to replace him. |
| September – October 11 |
Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. |
| October 11- November 23 |
March up the Potomac to Leesburg, thence to Falmouth, Va. |
| November 29 | Colonel Champlin was promoted to brigadier general. Lieutenant Colonel Pierce was promoted to colonel and command of the regiment. |
| December 12-15 |
Battle of Fredericksburg |
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1863
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| January 20-24 | “Mud March” |
| April 27 | At Falmouth |
| April 27-May 6 |
Chancellorsville Campaign |
| May 1-5 |
Battle of ChancellorsvilleThe regiment lost 63 casualties. |
| June 11-July 24 | Gettysburg Campaign |
| July 1-3 |
Battle of GettysburgThe regiment was commanded by Colonel Byron Root Pierce until he was wounded on July 2nd. His brother, Lieutenant Colonel Edwin S. Pierce then took command. From the monument in the Peach Orchard at Gettysburg: July 2nd 1863. This regiment deployed as skirmishers 150 yards in advance of this position. Held the line extending from the Peach Orchard east to the woods. Was the right of De Trobriand’s Brigade, and connected with the left of Graham’s. Went into action with 19 officers, 267 men, total 286. Casualties: 7 men killed, 3 officers and 28 men wounded, 7 men missing – total 45. |
| July 5-24 | Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap |
| July 23 |
Action at Wapping Heights |
| August 17- September 17 |
Moved to Alexandria and then by ship to New York. Duty at New York City and at Troy during the draft riots. |
| October 9-22 |
Bristoe Campaign |
| October 3 |
Auburn |
| November 7-8 | Advance to line of the Rappahannock |
| November 8 |
Kelly’s Ford |
| November 26- December 2 |
Mine Run CampaignThe regiment lost 31 casualties during the campaign |
| November 27 |
Payne’s Farm |
| December 23 | 207 men reenlisted and were granted Veteran furlough. |
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1864 |
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| February 6-7 | Demonstration on the Rapidan |
| March | Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps |
| May 4-June 9 | Campaign from the Rapidan to the James |
| May 5-7 |
Battle of the Wilderness |
| May 8-21 |
Battle of Spottsylvania Court House |
| May 8 |
Laurel Hill |
| May 10 |
Po River |
| May 12 |
Assault on the Salient (“Bloody Angle”) |
| May 19 |
Harris Farm, Fredericksburg Road |
| May 21-23 |
North Anna River |
| May 26-28 | On line of the Pamunkey |
| May 28-31 |
Totopotomoy |
| June 1-9 |
Battle of Cold Harbor |
| June 9 | Left the front |
| June 10 | Non-veterans mustered out |
| June 13 | Veterans and Recruits transferred to 5th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment as Companies A, E, F and I |
The regiment was reorganized in October and served in the Western Theater.