|
|
Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society - Research ArticleWest Bloomfield Township Soldiers: The 22nd Michigan Infantry by Neil HepburnWest Bloomfield
residents have a long history of serving their country and some of the bravest
include those who fought in the American Civil War. On July 15, 1862,
Michigan Governor Austin Blair issued General Order No. 154, directing the
raising of six Regiments of Infantry. He further designated the Fifth Congressional District,
composed of the counties of Livingston, Lapeer, Macomb, Oakland, Macomb, St.
Clair and Sanilac, as the territory in which the 22nd Michigan Infantry
Volunteers should be recruited, naming Pontiac as the place of rendezvous.
Ex-Governor Moses Wisner, a Pontiac resident, was appointed Commandant of
Camp. Of the 157
enlisted men in Company "A" of the 22nd Michigan Infantry, 12 of them
were from West Bloomfield Township. These
were not the only West Bloomfield men to serve in the Union army, but this was
by far the biggest concentration of them in one Company.
The rest of Company "A" was comprised primarily of men from the
City of Pontiac and Farmington, Bloomfield and Commerce townships. During the war,
the 22nd distinguished themselves in many ways, but is probably best remembered
for a gallant twilight bayonet charge on the evening of September 20, 1863, at
the Battle of Chickamauga, when their ammunition had been exhausted.
In this charge the regiment was almost annihilated. William O.
Birdsall enlisted July 26, 1862, at West Bloomfield, for 3 years.
He was 26 at the time. He
was killed in action at Chickamauga, GA on September 20, 1863. A native New
Yorker, 19-year-old George Blauvelt had only been in Michigan a couple of years
when he enlisted on July 26, 1862, in Farmington, for 3 years.
George died at Chattanooga, TN on November 18, 1863 of wounds received in
action at Chickamauga. He is buried
in the National Cemetery at Chattanooga. Tragically,
two of his sisters died in September of the same year on his parents', Cornelius
& Mary's, West Bloomfield farm. Silas B. Coates
was a 33-year-old carpenter living with West Bloomfield's J. A. Covert family
when he enlisted August 13, 1862, at Pontiac, for 3 years.
Silas survived Chickamauga, but was admitted to Harper Hospital on
February 18, 1865. He was
discharged at Detroit on June 2, 1865. Perhaps never fully recovering, Coates died in 1867 and is
buried in North Farmington Cemetery between two Covert family members. One of the most
celebrated members of the entire 22nd Michigan Infantry was Philo Durkee, son of
West Bloomfield residents Jedediah & Rheuana Durkee.
Philo enlisted as a Corporal on August 9, 1862, at Farmington, when he
was 24. Then serving as the flag
bearer, he was killed in action at Chickamauga on September 20, 1863.
According to the History of the Twenty-Second Infantry, "...Color
Sergeant Philo Durkee of Company A was struck in the breast by a grape shot - he
fell mortally wounded - clasping the flag in his arms, he sealed his devotion to
it with his blood upon its folds." In
quick succession, two other men lost their lives that day defending the flag.
Enlisting on July
31, 1862, at Pontiac, 19-year-old Frederick C. Gay was yet another West
Bloomfield son who gave his life at Chickamauga. As her eldest
son, Thomas Sibley Sage left his widowed mother Sarah with a lot to manage when
he left their West Bloomfield farm to go off to war.
Then just 18 years old, he enlisted August 11, 1862, at Farmington.
Like many men of the 22nd, Thomas died of disease, on November 8, 1862,
while wintering under terrible conditions at Lexington, KY and was buried in the
National Cemetery there. John P. Simpson
enlisted August 2, 1862, at West Bloomfield, when he was 23.
At Chickamauga he was taken prisoner by rebel forces.
Conditions at Confederate prisoner-of-war camps were notorious and like
many others, John died of disease while incarcerated in Andersonville, GA.
He is buried at the National Cemetery there. Edwin R. Smith
enlisted on August 8, 1862, at Farmington, when he was 33.
He was wounded in action at Chickamauga, on September 20, 1863, and died
of disease at Detroit on February 20, 1864. Erastus F. Sperry
enlisted as a Corporal on August 6, 1862, at Farmington, when he was 20.
Sperry was taken prisoner at Chickamauga, but was later
exchanged on March 20, 1865. He
mustered out of the regiment at Nashville, TN on June 26, 1865.
Outliving many of his comrades, Erastus died December 25, 1901 and is
buried in Attica, Lapeer County. Nineteen-year-old
Lucius E. Stickney enlisted August 2, 1862, at West Bloomfield.
He was discharged for disability at Lexington, KY on December 2, 1863. Many families
sent more than just one son off to fight for the Union, and West Bloomfield's
Tremper family was among them. Peter
L. Tremper enlisted as a Corporal on July 26, 1862, at Farmington, when he was
20. Peter survived his entire
3-year enlistment and was mustered out in Nashville, TN on June 26, 1865.
His older brother Thomas N. Tremper left a young wife, Eliza, at home
when he enlisted as one of two Company "A" musicians on August 2,
1862, at the age of 26. Thomas was
discharged for disability at Lexington, KY on January 7, 1863.
He returned home to his wife to start a family.
Thomas, a mason, died in 1892 and was buried in Farmington's Oakwood
Cemetery. A third Tremper brother,
John W., served with Company D of the 1st Michigan Cavalry.
He also returned to West Bloomfield after the war.
John is buried in Walled Lake Cemetery. The battles and
skimishes of the 22nd Michigan Infantry were as follows: Danville, KY, March 24,
1863; Hickman's Bridge, KY, March 27, 1863; Pea Vine Creek, TN, September 17,
1863; McAffee's Church, TN, September 19, 1863; Chickamauga, TN, September 20,
1863; Wautahatchie, TN, September 28 to October 28, 1863; Mission Ridge, TN,
November 26, 1863; Atlanta, GA, July 22 and 23, 1864. |