Sharpshooter

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Lore & Background

The 1st Michigan Sharpshooters was organized at Kalamazoo and Dearborn, Michigan, between April 14 and October 7, 1863, with six companies mustered into Federal service on July 7, 1863, to serve three years. The initial six companies were sent to Seymour, IN to repel the Morgan Raid, where they were in contact with his raiders at North Vernon on July 13 and at Pierceville on July 14. After the successful rebuff of the raid, the regiment returned to Dearborn and trained there until August 16, when they moved to Chicago to guard prisoners-of-war until March 17, 1864. The regiment was then ordered to Annapolis, Maryland, on March 17. Company K was composed primarily of Native Americans of the United States, especially members of the Ojibwa, Odawa, and Potawatomi nations. In their first combat at The Wilderness, the Indian men in Company K recognized the disadvantage of the Union's blue uniform, which could be seen at a long distance, while the Confederates could not be spotted at a comparatively short distance. They would find a dry spot of earth and roll in it until their uniform was the complete color of the ground before going out on the skirmish line, a custom adopted by the whole regiment. Sgt. Thomas Ke-chi-ti-go, called "Big Tom" by the white Sharpshooters, further ordered each brave to cover his breast and head with twigs and leaves to prevent contrast of color with their surroundings. Through its service, the regiment was esteemed for its solid, dependable, and effective conduct, providing valuable sniping, counter-sniping, and harassment fire during the Siege of Petersburg. It was noted for its "splendid work" in the debacle of the Battle of the Crater on July 30, 1864. Many other Union soldiers noticed mortally wounded Native American members of Company K, "... drawing their blouses over their faces, they chanted a death song and died — four of them a group."

In Their Own Story

The regiment was highly trained in its combat skills, and the Indian men in Company K were recognized as the most accomplished. In their first combat at The Wilderness, they, on the very first day at the front, caught on to the great advantage our enemy employed over us in the color of uniform. Ours was blue, and could be seen at a long distance; while the "Johnny" (as we called them) could not be spotted at a comparatively short distance, even when lying in an open field. This disadvantage to us was appreciated almost immediately that these Indians got in the field, and they would go out and find a dry spot of earth and roll in it until their uniform was the complete color of the ground before going out on the skirmish line; and if the day was wet, they would not hesitate to take mud and rub it over their clothes, for as soon as this dried a little they would have what they were after—the color of the earth. This custom was adopted by my whole Regiment; and it was often remarked that our Regiment could do the closest skirmishing at the least cost of any Regiment in the Division. The 1st was one of the first units to enter Petersburg after it finally fell on April 1, 1865. The regiment suffered 6 officers and 131 enlisted men who were killed in action or mortally wounded and 165 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 362 fatalities.

Reader's Guide

The 1st Michigan Sharpshooters was attached to the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, IX Corps, Army of the Potomac, to September 1864, and then to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, IX Corps, to July 1865. Their detailed service includes the Overland Campaign from May 4 to June 15, 1864, with battles including the Battle of the Wilderness (May 5–7, losing 25 men: 11 killed or died of wounds, 13 wounded, and 1 missing), the Battle of Spottsylvania Court House (May 12–21, losing 155 men: 34 killed or died of wounds, 117 wounded, and 4 missing), and the Battle of Cold Harbor (June 1–12). During the Siege of Petersburg (June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865), they fought at the Second Battle of Petersburg (June 16–18), the Battle of the Crater (July 30, 1864), the Battle of Globe Tavern (August 18–21), the Battle of Peebles's Farm (September 29-October 2), and the Battle of Boydton Plank Road (October 27–28). In 1865, they fought at the Battle of Fort Stedman (March 25), participated in the Appomattox Campaign (March 28-April 9), assaulted and helped fall Petersburg (April 2), were the first unit into Petersburg (April 2), occupied Petersburg (April 3), pursued Lee (April 3–9), moved to Washington, D.C. (April 22–27), participated in the Grand Review (May 23), camped near Washington, D.C. until July 28, and were mustered out on July 28, 1865.

Did You Know?

• The 1st Michigan Sharpshooters was the first unit to push into and take Petersburg, Virginia, on April 3, 1865.
• Company K was composed primarily of Native Americans from the Ojibwa, Odawa, and Potawatomi nations.
• The regiment adopted the practice of rolling in dirt or mud to camouflage their blue uniforms, a custom started by the Native American members of Company K.
• At the Battle of the Crater on July 30, 1864, the regiment was noted for its 'splendid work'.
• The regiment suffered a total of 362 fatalities: 6 officers and 131 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, and 165 enlisted men who died of disease.