History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

344

HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

People were gathered at many of the stations along the line, and
at Pontiac an iminense crowd had assembled, who received the
company with hearty and entlusiastic cheers, which were returned.
with interest, accompanied by an instalment of inspiring music by
the band.
Arriving in Detroit at 6 P. Mr., the company was formed on the
depot grounds of the D. & M. railway, and, preceded by the band
marched to Cantonment Blair, a distance of between two and three
miles, where the soldiers were provided with rather scaly quarters,
The band, leg-weary and pretty much used up generally, returned
to the Michigan Exchange, where they were comfortably housed.
Mayor Mott joined the command at Flint, and proceeded with it
to the rendezvous at Detroit, when, after a farewell word to each
of the volunteers, he returned to his home.
Shortly after the East Saginaw Guards left for the rendezvous,
no less than 37 volunteers returned to their native heath;
some changes were made in the list of officers, and other dispositions made to insure confidence among the troops. Captain W. L.
Whipple, who in 1846 served as a lieutenant in the Mexican campaign, was placed in command, and the company left en route for
Washington'as Co. l[ of the 2d Mich. Inf (3 years), June 5,1861.
This was the first three-years regiment which left the State. Captain Whipple was promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy of 21st
Mich. Inf., Aug. 13, 1862.
Lieutenant A. W. Ransom, who opened a recruiting office at
East Saginaw, in the building formerly occupied as the old postoffice, enlisted 66 men prior to July 20, who reported for service
at Detroit before the 25th of that month.
THE HOYT LIGHT GUARDS
perfected the organization of a full company April 24, under
Capt. H. W. Trowbridge. The officers elected were: Captain, H.
W. Trowbridge; First Lieutenant, Win. O'Donnell; Second Lieutenant, Charles H. Hutchins; First Sergeant, Daniel Jeffers; Second Sergeant, Hiram Jenkins; Third Sergeant, Thomas Abbott;
F:ourth Sergeant, Dexter D. Keeler. The corporals were Peter
Mashioe, Chester E. Roy, Win. Mooney, and Henry Connor. The
musicians were John Rvan and John Stout Park. No doubt whatever can exist regarding the desire of this command to go to the front
in the early days of the war. The orders of the War Department.
and the fact that all Michigan had already done its duty, conspired
to check the zeal of the troops and urge them to keep their powder
dry for the " big fight."
The three-months regiment was under arms April 25, 1S61, and
was constituted as follows: Orlando B. Wilcox, Colonel; L. L.
Comstock, Lieutenant Colonel; A. B. Bidwell, Major. Companies
-Detroit Light Guards, Jackson Light Guards, Coldwater Cadets,
Manchester Union Guards, Steuben Guards, Detroit Hussars, Burr