The Civil War

Michigan answered President Lincoln’s call for volunteers during the American Civil War with 90,747 men. Michigan went beyond the call of duty and supplied more than 30 regiments during the war. Michiganders fought on the ground as infantry and on horseback as cavalry. Michiganders fought as teams to work both light and medium artillery. Michiganders fought from afar as precise sharpshooters. Michiganders served as engineers and mechanics building railroads, bridges and blockhouses. African-American men fighting for equality fought in the First Colored Regiment. Indigenous men fighting to be full citizens served in Company K of the First Michigan Sharpshooters.

Dig into the collections below to discover diaries written from the field, letter from home, image of individuals and regiments and service records for the regiments. Through these first person accounts you will learn about the tedium of soldiers, updates from the home front and the movement of soldiers through the various military units.