More than 3,000 Kalamazoo County men served in the Union forces during the Civil War. They fought in the most horrific battles from Blackburn's Ford to Appomattox, and 396 did not return home. The war tested the area not just on the battlefield but in its collective back yard and, at times, its front yard. A peace rally held by local Democrats was interrupted by Lincoln supporters who viewed the Democrats as traitors. Residents reacted jubilantly to the capture of Richmond, the Confederate capital, and mourned the assassination of Lincoln, who had visited the village of Kalamazoo before the war. As veterans, the former combatants left behind indelible reminders of their sacrifice. Local historian Gary L. Gibson uncovers long-lost stories, many never before told, of Kalamazoo County during and after America's bloodiest conflict.

Soldier who were from, mustered into service, or settled in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Information was compiled from several sources, including service records, county histories, pension records, post office records, census and G.A.R. rosters. Includes an every-name index.

First Michigan Colored Infantry later became 102nd Regiment Infantry.

Lenawee County was a hotbed for antislavery activities in the 1830s that translated into strong Union support in April 1861. Adrian, Tecumseh and Hudson sent hundreds of soldiers to fight and die in the Civil War. The Emancipation Proclamation propelled nearly fifty of the county's African American residents to take up arms to preserve the nation and end slavery once and for all. Captain Samuel DeGolyer, creator of the Lenawee Guard, escaped Confederate prison in Richmond. On the homefront, residents like Laura and Charles Haviland sheltered fugitive slaves and even donated land to help families start anew. Join author Ray Lennard as he explores the events of the war that changed Lenawee County and the nation forever.

v. 1-v. 30. 1st-30th Infantry -- v. 31-v. 41. 1st-11th Cavalry -- v. 42. Battery Units -- v. 43. Engineers & Mechanics -- v. 44. Sharpshooters -- v. 45. Other States -- v. 46. Colored Troops.