126th Cavalry Regiment (United States) - Early History & The American Civil War

Early History & The American Civil War

The 126th Infantry existed for its first 144 years as an infantry unit. The 126th Infantry dates back as early as 12 July 1855 when the Grand Rapids Light Guard and Grand Rapids Artillery companies were organized. The first officers of the Grand Rapids Light Guard included Wright L. Coffinberry as captain; Frederick W. Worden, E.T. Nelson, and A.L. Gage as lieutenants; Milton S. Littlefield, Benjamin B. Church, S.S. Porter, and G.M. McCray as sergeants. Other charter members of the Light Guard included Edward A. Earle, Joseph C. Herkner, Benjamin Luce, Henry Spring, Miles Adams, E. H. Hunt, Dr. Willard Bliss, Frank Earle, Warren P. Mills, James Sargeant, J.E. Earle, John Grady, C.B. Hinsdill, Charles D. Lyon, George E. Judd, Henry Whipple, Robert M. Collins, F. Shriver, Byron R. Pierce, B. D. Ball, Edwin S. Pierce, John Seymour, Samuel Judd, Thomas Sargeant, G. W. Remington, William Livingston, Henry Ely, and Joseph Houseman. Later that year Ringgold’s Light Artillery was organized, and four years later in 1859, the Grand Rapids Rifles came into existence. These companies along with several others from Ionia formed the 51st Volunteer Uniformed Michigan Militia Regiment prior to the American Civil War.

The four companies formed the core of the Third Michigan Infantry Regiment that joined the Civil War on 13 June 1861. The regimental commander at the time was Colonel Daniel McConnell. The Third Michigan fought in twelve campaigns before it was mustered out in June 1864. Besides five Grand Rapids companies, the Third included companies from Boston and Lyons in Ionia County, Lansing, Muskegon, and Georgetown.

On 13 June 1861 the Third Regiment marched out of Cantonment Anderson in Grand Rapids, Michigan towards the recently constructed railroad depot near Leonard and Plainfield streets, where it boarded and departed the area for the war. While attached to Richardson’s brigade of Colonel Miles’s Division, the Third participated in its first engagement against Confederate forces just thirty-eight days after being federalized. It began as a part of a reconnaissance in force towards Blackburn’s Ford along Bull Run (the term “run” is southern for creek or small river). On 21 July, the Third marched with Richardson’s brigade back to Blackburn’s ford to keep the rebels occupied while the rest of McDowell’s army hit the Confederate’s left flank. After desultory firing at the ford, Richardson learned of the Federal rout on the right and was recalled to Centreville. What they saw was utter chaos and confusion as the Confederate forces, now reinforced, literally cut through the advancing and then retreating Union forces.

Morale by the close of that first summer was presumably low in the Third Michigan. During the next few months a number of officers including Colonel McConnell resigned and returned home to Grand Rapids. Major Champlin, who had originally organized Ringgold’s Light Artillery back in 1855, assumed command of the regiment on 28 October 1861, and under him, the Third went into winter quarters at Alexandria, Virginia. That next March, the Third Michigan was assigned to General Berry’s Brigade of the Third Red Diamond Division and entered the Peninsula campaign. A few months later at Fair Oaks, the regiment’s losses were severe—thirty killed, one hundred and twenty-four wounded, and fifteen missing. Included among the dead was Captain Samuel Judd, and Colonel Champlin had been severely wounded.

Several months following Lee’s surrender in April 1865, a great homecoming by the citizens of Grand Rapids was held for the returning heroes. On 4 July 1865, tables were set the entire length of the Pearl Street Bridge for a welcome-home celebration.

Two soldiers in the Third earned the Medal of Honor.

• Private Benjamin Morse, Company C, Third Michigan Infantry
• Corporal Walter Mundell, Company E, Fifth Michigan Infantry (This was an old Third Michigan company that transferred in its entirety to the Fifth at the end of the Third’s three-year enlistment period.)