History of Shiawassee and Clinton counties, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of their prominent men and pioneers.

FIFTH CAVALRY.

103

seen three years of Indian service in Texas and New
Mexico, having been twice wounded, and discharged from
the service on that account.
The officers and men of " Copeland's Mounted Rifles"
were mustered into the United States service on the 30th
of August, 1862, as the Fifth Cavalry Regiment of Michigan, under command of Col. Copeland.
For about three months after muster, the Fifth remained
at the headquarters waiting for arms, and at the time of
its departure-December 4th-the men had been but partially armed, though fully equipped. From Detroit the
command moved to Washington, D. C., and remained at
"Camp Copeland," on East Capitol Hill in that city, through
the winter. In the spring of 1863, after being fully armed,
it was attached to the Second Brigade of the Third Division of the Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac. This
brigade became known and widely famed as the Michigan
Cavalry Brigade. It was commanded successively by Gens.
Kilpatrick and Custer, and gained the highest reputation of
any cavalry brigade in the service.
Moving from Washington in February, 1863, the regiment crossed the Potomac, and was encamped for more
than two months at Fairfax Court-House, where it was
visited by the Governor of Michigan. Its duty while encamped here was arduous, and it was several times engaged in skirmishing, but without much loss, until the
opening of the campaign of Gettysburg. It moved northward on that campaign on the 27th of June, and on the
2d of July was sharply engaged with the enemy at Hunterstown, Pa. On the 3d it was moved, with the brigade,
to the York turnpike road (leading to Gettysburg), where
it was dismounted and placed in position in front of the
centre and left of the brigade line. The enemy advanced
soon after noon, and how he was met by the men of the
Fifth Michigan Cavalry is told in Gen. Custer's official
report of the engagement, as follows: "The enemy was
soon after reported to be advancing on my front. The detachment sent to the Oxford road was driven in, and at the
same time the enemy's line of skirmishers, consisting of
dismounted cavalry, appeared on the crest of the ridge of
hills on my front. The line extended beyond my left. To
repel their advance I ordered the Fifth Michigan Cavalry
to a more advanced position, with instructions to maintain
their ground at all hazards. Col. Alger, commanding the
Fifth, assisted by Majs. Trowbridge and Terry, of the same
regiment, made such admirable disposition of their men behind fences and other defenses as enabled them to successfully repel the repeated advance of a greatly superior force.
I attributed their success in a great measure to the fact
that this regiment is armed with the Spencer repeating
rifle, which in the hands of brave, determined men, like
those composing the Fifth Michigan Cavalry, is, in my
estimation, the most effective firearm that our cavalry can
adopt. Col. Alger held his ground until his men had exhausted their ammunition, when he was compelled to fall
back on the main body. The beginning of this movement
was the signal for the enemy to charge, which they did

with two regiments, mounted and dismounted." Then
follows the account of a counter-charge made by the Seventh
Michigan Cavalry, in which the latter was compelled to re

tire, pursued by twice their number of the enemy; but
"by this time Col. Alger, of the Fifth, having succeeded in
remounting a considerable portion of his regiment, gallantly
advanced to the assistance of the Seventh, whose further
pursuit by the enemy he checked." This was the last
fighting done by the Fifth during that day. The brigade
held possession of the field until dark, and then returned to
its camping-place of the previous night. On the following
day it was engaged at Monterey, Md., and in the pursuit
of the enemy to the Potomac it fought at Cavetown, Md.,
July 5th; Smithtown, Md., July 6th; Boonsboro', Md.,
July 6th; Hagerstown, Md., July 7th; Williamsport,
Md., July 7th; Boonsboro' (2d), July 8th; Hagerstown
(2d), July 10th; Williamsport, July 10th; and Falling
Waters, July 14th. It is impracticable to give a detailed
account of the almost innumerable marches and constantly
changing movements and counter-movements which succeeded during that eventful year. It is sufficient to mention that having crossed the Potomac soon after the fight
at Falling Waters, the regiment took part in the followingnamed engagements, viz.: Snicker's Gap, Va., July 19th;
Kelly's Ford,Va., September 13th; Culpeper Court-House,
Va., September 14th; Raccoon Ford, Va., September 16th;
White's Ford, September 21st; Jack's Shop, Va., Septem —
her 26th; James City, Va., October 12th; Brandy Station,
Va., October 13th; Buckland's Mills, Va., October 19th;
Stevensburg, Va., November 19th; and Morton's Ford,
Va., Nov. 26, 1863. Sixty-four men were killed and
wounded during the year 1863, besides one hundred and
twenty-one reported missing in action, many of whom were
killed. Other reports of alterations and casualties show
that from the time the regiment was organized until the
close of 1863 forty men died of disease, sixty-eight were
discharged for disability, twenty-one by sentence of general
court-martial, fifteen by order, two for promotion, twenty
officers resigned; one officer was dismissed, and the total
number of recruits received was thirteen. During the
winter of 1863-64 the Fifth had its quarters at Stevensburg, Va., and was employed mostly on picket duty along
the Rapidan.
In the latter part of February, 1864, it took part in the
raid made by the cavalry under Kilpatrick to the outer defenses of Richmond. The main body of the regiment
crossed the Rapidan, marched thence by way of Spottsylvania and Beaver Dam Station to Hungary Station, and
moved down the Brook turnpike to within five miles of the
city of Richmond. Being attacked on the 2d of March by
a superior force of the enemy, the Union cavalry was compelled to fall back on Gen. Butler's fbrees, stationed at New
Kent Court-House. A detachment of the regiment had
also accompanied the forces commanded by the gallant Col.
Ulric Dahlgren. They moved down the James River to
within five miles of the rebel capital. The detachment of
the Fifth being in front, charged the enemy's works, and
captured his first line of fortifications. Following up its
advantage, Dahlgren's command pushed back the enemy
from one line to another, until a point was reached within

two miles of the city, when it was found impossible to advance farther with so small a force. Meanwhile the rebels
were gathering from all points, and in the endeavor to