How many men served in the 3rd Michigan? - update 5/20/2017

Based on present research, when the 3rd Michigan left Grand Rapids, Michigan on June 13, 1861, it had enrolled (inclusive of officers, musicians and wagoners) 1,046 men and officers:

Company A 102
Company B 100
Company C 103
Company D 101
Company E 102
Company F 103
Company G 101
Company H 102
Company I 106
Company K 99
Staff 8
Band 19

During its existence, the Old 3rd Michigan Infantry recruited some 366 additional men. They joined the original group of 1,046 who had enlisted by June 10, 1861, for a total of 1,412 men who either enlisted in or were assigned to the regiment during the war.

Of the total enrolled:

Company A 127
Company B 123
Company C 132
Company D 133
Company E 163
Company F 130
Company G 126
Company H 128
Company I 144
Company K 131
Unassigned 44
Staff 11
Band 20

It should also be noted, however, of the Unassigned five men are accounted in the transfer to the 5th Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the two regiments in June of 1864, and nine others are known to have entered other units instead of the Third Michigan, leaving a total of 30 men who remain today unaccounted for.

We can say with some certainty that a total of 1,373 men actually served at one time or another and in one capacity or another in the Third Michigan infantry (first organization).

Third Michigan Infantry website has a brand-new look with updated information

Well, I suppose the subject line pretty much says it all. Anyway, you can see for yourself right here:

http://www.oldthirdmichigan.org/

Spread the word! And thanks for your support --

members attending the 1921 reunion in Grand Rapids

l-r, top row: George Carlise, Abraham Eddy, Henry Patterson 2nd row: John Barrett, John Jackson, Oscar Foster third row: Charles Miller, Andrew Webster, Simon Brennan, August Heyer front row: Martin Taylor, George Davis, John McNab, Robert Musgrove

Website update: Burial sites of the Men of the 3rd Michigan

In preparation for creating a brand-new look for the oldthirdmichigan dot org website, I've updated much of the content as well. Here's the latest information on burial sites:

The men of the Old 3rd Michigan Infantry died literally all over the United States and Canada. They are buried as far west as California and British Columbia, as far south as Key West, Florida and as far north as Montana and Maine:

Alabama 2 

Arizona 1

Arkansas 2

California 22

Canada 4

Colorado 6

Connecticut 3

District of Columbia 34

Florida 3

Georgia 13 (11 at Andersonville) 

Iowa 4 

Illinois 16

Indiana 7 

Kansas 13

Kentucky 1

Louisiana 1 

Maine 2

Maryland 8

Massachusetts 1

Michigan 683

Minnesota 4

Mississippi 1

Missouri 6

Montana 3 

Nebraska 7

New Hampshire 1

New Jersey 2 

New York 33

North Carolina 8 (5 in mass grave at Salisbury)
North Dakota 1 

Ohio 24

Oklahoma 9 

Oregon 11

Pennsylvania 39 

Rhode Island 1 

South Carolina 8

South Dakota 2 

Tennessee 4

Texas 6

Utah 1
Virginia 195 

Washington state 15 

Wisconsin 20

Wyoming 1

The great majority, however, are buried in Michigan and Virginia. In fact, at least 881 of men who served in the Old 3rd Michigan Infantry, or nearly 62% of the total enrolled, died and were buried in Virginia or Michigan.

Of the 683 men reportedly buried in Michigan, by far the largest number (208) are found in Kent County, and of that number 42 are buried in the “Michigan Soldiers’ Home” Cemetery in Grand Rapids.

The Michigan counties with the next highest number of burials are Ottawa (53), Ionia (50), Barry (38), Muskegon (28) and Newaygo (22).

Unknown
Many of the 195 men buried in Virginia are probably interred in unknown graves scattered throughout the state, like so many thousands of soldiers.

For example, it is likely that of the estimated 35 men who died at Fair Oaks, Virginia, on May 31, 1862, all are interred in Seven Pines National Cemetery, although we know exact locations for only a fraction of that number. And the men who died at Groveton on August 29, 1862, their remains were reportedly brought to Arlington National Cemetery and interred in a mass grave very close to the Custis-Lee mansion.

The fact that so many men who died in prison camps remain "unknown" is well-established. However, it is also quite likely that several of the Old 3rd soldiers who returned to Michigan during the war and died at home today rest in unmarked graves. This is particularly true for Samuel Camp in Lamont, Ottawa County, Francis Barlow, Henry Kampe and William Gibson in Grand Rapids, as well as Chauncey Strickland.

Website update: Birthplaces of the Men of the 3rd Michigan

Silas Compton

In preparation for creating a brand-new look for the oldthirdmichigan dot org website, I've updated much of the content as well. Here's the latest information on birthplaces:

Of the 1,277 reported birthplaces of the men of the Old 3rd Michigan Infantry we find 207 born in Europe, 72 in Canada and 998 in the United States.

More than 21% of Old 3rd Michigan men were born outside of the United States. From Europe the highest number came from present-day Germany (104), followed by the United Kingdom (82).

In the United States, the overwhelming number of men were born were born in New York State (489), accounting for nearly  39% of the total reported. Next was Michigan with 225 or about 18% of reported birthplaces; of that number 21 men were born in Kent County (the point of origin for the regiment). Third highest was Ohio (128).

When taken together, New York, Ohio and Michigan accounted for more than two-thirds (66.6%) of all reported birthplaces.