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

275

died at Nashville; Lieutenant Samuel Pearce, Fifth Michigan Infantry,
killed at the crossing of the North Anna, Virginia; Lieutenant Percy S.
Leggett, Fifth Michigan Cavalry, killed near the Rappahannock; Lieutenant Richard Whitehead, Fifth Michigan Cavalry, killed near Hanover
Courthouse; Lieutenant Joseph McConnell, Eighteenth United States
Infantry, killed at Stone river; Sergeant Major William Churchill, Seventh
Michigan Infantry, killed at Antietam; Captain William North, Fifth
Michigan Cavalry, killed at Cedar creek. Memorial day has generally
been observed in Pontiac, especially interesting and impressive ceremonies
being observed on June 4, 1869. Upon that occasion Rev. W. H. Shier
delivered the principal address of the day. Among other statements
which he made were that twenty-seven soldiers ranking from a major
general down to a private lay in the Oak Hill cemetery, and out of that
number he knew of but one who had nothing to mark his resting place,
and that was Major General I. B. Richardson (or, as he was more familiarly known in the army, "Fighting Dick"). He proceeded to state that
the General was a graduate of West Point, fought under General Scott
in all the important battles in the Mexican war, and as soon as the rebellion broke out was one of the first to offer his services to his country.
He fought bravely in the Army of the Potomac up to the time he was
killed, but after he had gained such a national reputation as a patriot and
a fighting general, being the first to be created a major general, a stranger
desirous of visiting his grave could not find it in Oak Hill cemetery, as it
remained up to that time (1869), wholly unmarked.*
THE FIRST MICHIGAN INFANTRY
The First Michigan Infantry was naturally a three months' organization. Under Colonel Wilcox, it lead the advance of state troops to the
front, and at the battle of Bull Run fixed the standard of Michigan troops
for the entire period of the Civil war. The boys from the Wolverine'
state were both stubborn and dashing, and at Bull Run, as in many a
hard fought battle afterward, the dead of the First Regiment were found
nearest the enemy's works.
Among the loss to the regiment were Captain Butterworth, Lieutenants
Mauch and Casey wounded and taken prisoners (who afterward died of
their wounds in the hands of the enemy), and Colonel Wilcox, who was
wounded, taken prisoner and held at Richmond for fifteen months.
The regiment was mustered out at the expiration of the three months'
term of service, August 7, I86I, but was soon afterward reorganized as
a three-year's regiment. It returned to the Army of the Potomac, August
i6th, under command of Colonel John C. Robinson, who was succeeded
on his promotion to a brigadiership, by Colonel H. S. Roberts.
THE SECOND INFANTRY
The Second Infantry was commanded by Oakland county's most distinguished and popular soldier, Israel B. Richardson, who was wounded
*A tasteful and impressive monument was erected to the memory of General
Richardson.
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