History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

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as he was a colonel of a Green Mountain regiment before the War of
I812.
In 1835 the military of Oakland county formed the Third brigade of
the Second division, Brigadier General John Stockton, commanding, Colonel Wells Waring commanding the brigade. In 1837 the brigade was.
commanded by Colonel Calvin Hotchkiss. In 1838 Oakland county contained two regiments-the Ninth and Tenth, of the Fifth brigade, Third
division. William Crooks was colonel of the Ninth, and Orange Foote
of the Tenth.
Avon, as one of the townships first settled, was quite prominent in
military matters. The Avon Riflemen were considered a star organization. Calvin Chapel was captain of the company; Calvin A. Green, first
lieutenant; Almeron Brotherton, second lieutenant; Thomas Stewart,
third lieutenant, and Christian Z. Horton, Ormul Stewart, Francis
Brotherton, and Calvin H. Potter, the four sergeants. There were four
corporals, two bass drummers, two snare drummers, three fifers and
forty-four privates. The first officers were commissioned July 9, 1838,
Almeron Brotherton being elected captain in May, I840.
THE MEXICAN WAR
Oakland county was represented in the Mexican war by Company A,
Fifteenth Regiment United States Infantry, which served from the commencement of hostilities in I847 until it was mustered out of the service
July 30, 1848. The privates numbered a full hundred and most of the
men enlisted in March and April, I847, nearly a half being enlisted by
Lieutenant Samuel E. Beach in Pontiac. Captain Eugene Van de Venter
was the first commander, being afterward promoted to major, his commission for the latter rank dating from December 22, I847. He was transferred to the Thirteenth Infantry.
Company A saw active service at Chapultepec, Churubusco, Vera
Cruz and the city of Mexico, and her dead and wounded were practical
tributes to the bravery of the boys who went from Oakland county. The
officers of the command who led the soldiers into the field were as follows: Thornton F. Brodhead, captain; W illiam R. Srafford, first lieutenant; Samuel E. Beach, second lieutenant, breveted for meritorious conduct at Contreras and Churubusco and promoted first lieutenant, February 28, 1848; Edwin R. Merryfield, second lieutenant; Lewyllen Boyle,
second lieutenant; Charles Peternell, second lieutenant, promoted first
lieutenant January 26, 1848; Thomas W. Freelove, first lieutenant.
That the soldiers who went from Oakland county were honorable
men is proven by the records which note but two cases of desertion. On
the other hand the list of killed in battle and died of wounds and sickness is large, in proportion to the number enlisted and recruited.
Killed in battle:-Samuel Carney, at Churubusco, August 20, 1847,
and John Haviland, at Chapultepec, September I3, 1847; both privates.
Died of wounds:-Hiram Brown, battle of Churubusco, October 26,
1847; William R. Koch, battle of Chapultepec, September 17, 1847;
Henry Wydner, battle of Churubusco, August 28, 1847.
Died of sickness:-Thomas Ainsley, Vera Cruz, July 2, I847; John