Home / Civil War Genealogy / Michigan / 6th Michigan Cavalry
6th Michigan Cavalry
Company Unknown
William Riley HagerRank Unknown
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Contact Name: Pat
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Date Added: 9/30/2018

Company A
James W WaltersRank Unknown
Hometown: Fairfax, VA. Enlisted with William B. Pickett also from Fairfax. Born 1844, Died 1918, buried in the Alpine Cemetery in Alpine, Oregon
Contact Name: Tom Hall
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Date Added: 4/24/2013

Company B
Solon M. Bentley - Sergeant
Enlisted in Company B. on August 30, 1862 at Grand Rapids for 3 years age 22. Captured at Fairfax Courthouse, Va. April 23, 1863. Promoted to Corporal on March 20, 1864. Promoted to Sergeant on May 1, 1865.
Died July 6, 1884 at Hastings, MI.
Contact Name: David Pew
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Date Added: 5/10/2004

Company B
William J. Tuffs - Private
Enlisted on 15 Sep 1862 in Grand Rapids as a Teamster for 3 years at age 39. Mustered 11 Oct 1862. Missing in action at Hanover, PA, 30 Jun 1863. Returned to regiment, Oct 1863. Taken prisoner at Berryville, VA, 30 Jul 1864. Died of disease at Jamestown, MI, 22 May 1865.
Contact Name: Janice Bastian
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Date Added: 8/28/2009

Company C
joseph chevrieRank Unknown
Joseph Chevrie was in Michigan Infanty 6th C Galien age 24 this would be my great-great-grandfather on the rogers side. thank you judith
Contact Name: judith
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Date Added: 10/2/2007

Company E
Marvin Emory Avery - Sergeant
KIA Battle of Richmond 1864. Rank Quarter Master Sergeant
Contact Name: Mark Fields
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Contact Homepage: http://www.relativelyconnected.com
Date Added: 5/16/2010

Company G
James Vincent Judd - Private
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Contact Name: Wade Pittillo
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Date Added: 1/1/2005

Company G
Peter J. Putnam - Private
Enlisted on August 30, 1862 and mustered on October 11th. Placed with the 6th Michigan Cavalry Co G at Camp Kellog at Grand Rapids with the Ovid contingent under Captain George Drew. Transferred to the Veterans Invalid Reserve Corps on Feb 15, 1864 where he was acting Steward. Mustared out R Harrisburg, Pa. on Oct 11, 1865. He was a member of the Laingsburg, MI GAR Post.
He was married to Julia Ann Denniston on December 31, 1859. After farming in Sciota Township, they moved into Laingsburg in 1887. Seven children were born to them: Cornelius, John, Eliza, Mary, Minnie, Willie, and Nora.
He died in Laingsburg, Mi on February 24, 1916 and is buried with his wife in the Laingsburg Cemetery.
Contact Name: Dewey Jones
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Date Added: 8/2/2013

Company H
Charles F Meyers (Myers) - Private
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Contact Name: L A Norman
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Date Added: 1/31/2017

Company I
John Bail - Corporal
thRegiment Michigan
Volunteer Cavalry
1862-1865
View the 'Regimental Roster'

Name: John Boyle ,
Residence: Stronach, Michigan
Enlistment Date: 29 August 1862
Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Side Served: Union
State Served: Michigan
Unit Numbers: 1075 1075
Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 29 August 1862 at the age of 25
Enlisted in Company I, 6th Cavalry Regiment Michigan on 11 October 1862.
POW on 11 June 1863 at Seneca, MD
Returned on 01 November 1863
Promoted to Full Corporal on 01 February 1865
Mustered out Company I, 6th Cavalry Regiment Michigan on 24 November 1865 in Fort Leavenworth, KS
John Bail
Index to and images of pension cards of Civil War veterans in the United States. More information below
Name: John Bail
State Filed: Michigan
Widow: Frederika Bail

John Bail enlisted 6th Michigan in August 1862 at Stronach Michigan.
Enlistment spells name John Bayle or Boyle depending on how you interpret the handwriting. A typical case of that era when spelling was based on phonetical understanding of spoken word by a second party followed by interpretation of handwriting to mechanical print.
Result he is carried on Michigan and Federal Civil War records as John Boyle..
John was captured at Seneca Falls MD on June 11 1863 by Jeb Stewart Cavalry and retained until prisoner exchange at Camp Chase Ohio on November 1 1863 and returned to his unit.
he Sixth Cavalry was organized at Grand Rapids, under the authority granted to the honorable F.W. Kellog, by the War Department, approved by the Governor. Its recruitment being completed, it was mustered into the service of the United States on the 13th. of October, 1862, with 1229 officers and men on its rolls.
The Regiment left its rendezvous at Grand Rapids, fully mounted and equipped, but not armed, on the 10th. of December, 1862, under the command of Colonel George Gray, with orders to proceed to Washington.

While in the field in 1863, a flag was procured and presented to the Sixth, by General James Kidd, of Ionia, then a Major in the Regiment. This flag was borne through many battles, and is now in the possession of the state. In the latter part of 1864, the citizens of Ionia had made a handsome silk flag, which was delivered to the Regiment by the honorable James Kidd, of Ionia.

This flag, after being carried through the war, was taken with the Regiment to Wyoming, on an expedition against the Indians, and was the first flag to be flown over Fort Reno, on the Powder River. It is now in the possession of the relatives of General Kidd, and is a highly prized souvenir of the Regiment.

During its entire time in the service of the United States, they were assigned to the famous, Michigan Brigade, under the command of Brigadier General George A. Custer.


The Sixth's history is found under that Brigade's history
Sixth , with parts of the other regiments of the
brigade, were then ordered to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where
detachments were sent on various expeditions against the
Indians, and in September the brigade was consolidated by
muster out of part of the officers and men and the balance
formed into the 'First Michigan Veteran Cavalry.'

The order sending this brigade to the far West after its
long and gallant service in the East was considered an unjust
act and a long and acuminous correspondence between Governor
Crapo of Michigan and the War Department ensued.

Only partial justice was done these men by an act of
Congress passing an appropriation to repay them for being
mustered out in Utah with no way of returning across the plains
except on foot or by wagon train.

Obituary;
Employed Ryerson mills Muskegon Booming Company Served Sixth Michigan Cavlary under General Custer, Member Phil Kearny Post No. 7 Grand Army of the Republic and of the Empire Degree of Honor. He leaves wife and four children. Resided 147 Terrace Street at the time of death.
ame: John Boyle ,
Residence: Stronach, Michigan
Enlistment Date: 29 August 1862
Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Side Served: Union
State Served: Michigan
Unit Numbers: 1075 1075
Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 29 August 1862 at the age of 25
Enlisted in Company I, 6th Cavalry Regiment Michigan on 11 October 1862.
POW on 11 June 1863 at Seneca, MD
Returned on 01 November 1863
Promoted to Full Corporal on 01 February 1865
Mustered out Company I, 6th Cavalry Regiment Michigan on 24 November 1865 in Fort Leavenworth, KS

John Bail name was handwritten by enlisting officer as John Bayle.
a as written interpreted as o. Result John was and is carried on rolls as John Boyle.
History of unit includes both Civil War and Indian war participation,
In spring of 1865 US needed more troops in the West to control Indians.
John Boyle unit as described by Col. Kidd in a book Custers' Wolverines indicates pulled off trains in Pittsburgh after Grand Review Washington DC and placed on boats to go down Ohio to West.
Protested as thought enlistment for duration, Reminded they signed for three years in October 1962. Some jumped ship. those that remained were in South Dakato, Colorado , Utah going to Fort Reno. Here an interesting flag raising of first US flag by the Sixth.
Released in Spring 1866 and required to march home. Transportation not provided by Government. Later reimbursement authorized in special congressional action.

John was captured at Seneca Dam MD on June 11 1863 by Jeb Stuart Cavalry. He was paroled and returned to Sixth on November 1 1863 at Camp Chase Ohio.
ohn Bail, one of the pioneers of Muskegon, died this morning at his home, 117 Terrace Street, after a year's illness, age 84 years. Mr. Bail was born in Germany, coming to Muskegon in 1859, where he has since made his home. He was employed at the Ryerson Hills and company mill and by the old Muskegon Booming company, and was well known to all of the early settlers of Muskegon.

He served in the Sixth Michigan Cavalry during the Civil War under General Custer. Mr. Bail was a member of Phil Kearney Post No. 7, Grand Army of the Republic and of the Empire Degree of Honor.

He leaves besides his wife, four children. Mrs. Fred Wright of North Muskegon, Mrs. Richard P. Freeman of New London, Connecticut, Charles Bail of San Francisco, California, and Henry Bail of Muskegon, and four grandchildren. The funeral announcement will be given later.
Burial Oakwood Muskegon Michigan




Contact Name: John Seites
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Date Added: 1/5/2006

Company I
August Hartman - Private
August Hartman
Residence was not listed; 24 years old.
Enlisted on 2/6/1864 at Grand Rapids, MI as a Private.
On 2/6/1864 he mustered into 'I' Co. MI 6th Cavalry
He deserted on 6/17/1865 at Fort Leavenworth, KS.

Family documentation has him receiving a pardon with a full pension for disability from wounds received August 29, 1864 near Smithfield Crossing, WV (shell fragment to head). When he left Ft. Leavenworth, he took his carbine, saddle and horse and rode all the way back to Michigan.
Contact Name: JT Allen
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Date Added: 7/14/2014

Company I
James Cyrus Parsons - Private
I have two photos of James Cyrus Parsons
Contact Name: Jack Parsons
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Contact Homepage: Parsons20@comcast.net
Date Added: 2/19/2012

Company K
Austin Wesley Clark - Private
''Wes'', as he was known, mustered with the Regiment in September of 1862 in Grand Rapids, along with two Stanton cousins from Barry County. He was captured at Trevalion Station, and survived Andersonville to live until 1939 in Battle Creek, Michigan. An article in the Battle Creek newspaper on November 18, 1934 relates some of his interesting recollections of the War. Among his duties was ambulance driver, and he recalled that General Custer sometimes rode with him.
Contact Name: Ron Stanton
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Date Added: 11/28/2004

Company K
Ard Smith Stanton - Private
Ard Smith Stanton is recorded incorrectly as Andrew Stanton, by some sources. He mustered in with the Regiment in Grand Rapids as did his brother, Russell, and Cousin Wes Clark.
Ard was wounded at Winchester on September 19, 1864 and died in Virginia on October 17, 1864. A gravestone for him is in Union Cemetery, near Dowling in Barry County. I do not know for a fact that his body was brought home.
A bit of equipment information I have found that may be of interest. Company K was initially issued M1860 Cavalry Sabers, Burnside Carbines, and Army Colt Pistols. They carried the Burnsides through the War, or so the Army recorded. Their first issue of Spencers was recorded in September of 1863, and then only four rifles and four carbines. Company K was issued a total of 152 Burside Carbines, 15 Spencer Rifles, and 53 Spencer Carbines during the war. Somehow they managed to draw a total of 269 Army Colts.
I''d be curious if anyone has information on the recruiting drive in the Assyria area of Barry County that resulted in the recruiting of Company K.
Contact Name: Ron Stanton
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Date Added: 11/28/2004

Company K
Russell Kimball Stanton - Sergeant
R.K., as he was known, served as saddler. He mustered in with the Regiment in Grand Rapids in September 1862, and served through the War, and also in the western campaign until he was mustered out at Ft. Leavenworth on November 24, 1865. Many of his family later went west to that area, likely based on his reports.
His younger brother also served in Co K, and was wounded in action at Winchester, September 17, 1864. Ard Smith Stanton died of those wounds on October 19, 1864.
Contact Name: Ron Stanton
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Date Added: 11/28/2004

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