19th Michigan Infantry
Past:
The 19th Michigan Volunteer Infantry was recruited from several southwestern Michigan communities, and was mustered into Federal service on September 25, 1862 at Dowagiac. The regiment left the state September 25th with strength of 995 men and officers. Its destination was Cincinnati Ohio. In January of 1863 the regiment was transferred to the Army of the Cumberland as a reserve corps.
The regiment's first engagement was at Thompson's Station, near Franklin Tennessee, on March 5th 1863. The regiment was severely tested in this battle and after exhausting their ammunition, the 19th was forced to surrender. The men were eventually paroled and sent north.
Following this surrender and parole, the regiment was reorganized June 8th 1863 and was sent south. The next major action was on May 15th 1864 at Resaca, Georgia. It was here that the 19th charged a Confederate battery, capturing all four guns. This was accomplished while the regiment was under fire from the enemy's infantry.
In November of 1864, the 19th became part of the 20th Corps and joined General Sherman's March to the Sea. Many skirmishes followed, with the regiment taking an active part. These included the siege of Atlanta, and the capture of Savannah in 1864, as Sherman marched to the sea.
The brigade then moved into North Carolina, in the direction of Raleigh, and so on the 16th of March 1865 met a heavy enemy force near Averysboro, where a fierce battle ensued. The regiment was ordered to assault the enemy's works. They gallantly and promptly obeyed. This resulted in the capture of the works and two pieces of artillery and many prisoners. The regiment proceeded to Raleigh where it remained until the surrender of General Johnston's army. It then proceeded to Alexandria Virginia, and then to Washington D.C. where it participated in the Grand Review of General Sherman's Army. The 19th Michigan returned to Jackson, Michigan on June 13, 1865 and was disbanded.
Present:
The reactivated 19th Michigan Volunteer Infantry was organized in 1963 by Louis E. Capek of Bangor, Michigan, who served as Commander of the unit. When Robert B. Schultz, Adjutant, submitted an Application for Membership in the North-South Skirmish Association (N-SSA) on 3 December 1964, ten names were included on the original roster. Approval of that application launched a reactivated 19th Michigan unit whose history spans six decades and continues today.
Presently there are 15 active members on the roster, many of whom are seasoned N-SSA veterans, having been with the association for much of its history. Generations of 19th Michigan families have been and still are part of the present-day unit, including relatives of James S. Platt, who was a charter member of the original 1964 regiment. And while most members are scattered across the state of Michigan, over time the unit roster has included members from West Virginia, South Carolina, Hawai’i and even Belgium!
The 19th Michigan Infantry’s involvement in both national and regional Northwest Territory (NWT) skirmishes has increased dramatically over the years. Since 1990, when the unit was only fielding one musket team on the line, the 19th has expanded its participation in the N-SSA by forming a carbine team, a revolver team, a mortar team and, most recently, a smoothbore team. With the exception of mortar, the 19th Michigan continues to compete in all events, often putting more than one team on the line at regional skirmishes.
Although the 19th Michigan’s first love is skirmishing, many members of the unit are also actively involved in related Civil War activities: costume competition at the national level, parades, muzzleloading demonstrations, gun building, history fairs and local Civil War Round Tables.
When the skirmishing season begins, you’ll find members of the 19th enjoying the camaraderie of their teammates and fellow skirmishers at regional and national skirmishes throughout the year. And members of the 19th Michigan Volunteer Infantry firmly believe there is always room around the campfire for more friends.