April 30th 1861

The 2nd Michigan gatheres at floral Hall where they are fed and quartered in neighboring barns in Contonment Blair.

May 1st to 4th 1861

The Regiment are issued Smooth Bore Muskets and start learning drill and camp life.

* May 4th 1861

Henry Carrier of Company "I" died of disease. He his the first in Company "I" and possibly the first in the Regiment. There would be many more which would follow in is footsteps.

* May 6th

The Regiment is medically examined and take the oath of allegiance to the State of Michigan for a period of 3 months.

* May 11th

Meetings are held because the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry still does not have uniforms. A resolution is made not to drill after the following Monday noon if they were not supplied. Some leaders of these meeting are sent to the guard house which convinces the rest to drill.

May 14th 1861

The regiment moves to Fort Wayne and are quartered immediately on the Steam Boat Mississippi moored opposite the fort in Dry Dock.

May 14th to June 6th 1861

The Regiment drills and does normal camp duties.

* May 17th

The 2nd Mich. Takes the oat of allegiance for 3 years or during the war.

* May 18th

The Regiment goes home on final leave until the May 22nd.

* May 23rd

The Regiment is vaccinated against small ox.

* May 23rd

A petition is circulated and the Governor is telegraphed. This petition was to have Col. Israel B. Richardson removed from command. The attempt failed and Col. Richardson remained until made a Brigadier General. The complaints was that Col. Richardson was too hard on the soldiers.

* May 25th

The 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry takes the oat of allegiance to and promises to serve the USA against all its enemies for a term of three years unless sooner discharged.

* May 31st

The Regiment fires their first blank cartridge.

June 6th 1861

At 1:30pm the Regiment embarked on board the propeller Missouri and proceeded to the Michigan Central Rail Road dock. They landed, formed into ranks and paraded through the city of Detroit. By 7pm the regiment embark on the steamer Ocean and start their journey.

June 7th 1861

The Regiment arrives in Cleveland Ohio and are immediately boarded on the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Rail Road and become mobile again at 11pm.

A member of the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry on this part of the journey lost his arm due to a narrow tunnel. According to the Civil War letters of Perry Mayo he was waving at some ladies at a Rail Road Station when the incident occurred.

June 8th 1861

The 2nd Mich. leaves Pittsburgh at 1am for Harrisburg Pa which they reached at 1pm. They disembarked and marched to Camp Curtin just outside of the city.

June 9th 1861

The 2nd Mich. is marched back to the Rail Road Station and board trains. The train departs for Baltimore Ma.

*

A man of Company "K" during this journey climbed on top of the cars and bumped his head against a bridge. The 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry even at this early stage of the War seemed already to have a way of getting in trouble.

*

The train halts 15 miles from Baltimore and the Regiment is told to LOAD the Muskets then get back on the train.

*

The train stops in Baltimore and the soldiers march in the city for 2 miles from one station to another there being no direct connections between the two rail roads. This was a very hostile city and more than one word was spoken by the Civilians to the soldiers.

*

As the Regiment was boarding the train a Civilian threw a heavy stone injuring the 1st Sgt. of the Niles Company on the leg. He instantly fired and the man fell. The Civilian died the next day of the injury. This is the first time that any member of the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry fired in anger according to what I have found so far. No other incident occurred to the 2nd on this date in Baltimore.

June 10th 1861

They arrived in Washington DC. The Regiment marches in review for the first time in front of President Lincoln and General Winfield Scott.

June 11th 1861

At 9am the Regiment marches to Georgetown Heights six miles from Washington. (Camp Winfield Scott)

June 11th to 16th 1861

The 2nd Michigan is engaged at building forts and start fortifying positions for the Defense of Washington.

* June 21st

A disturbance occurred in Company "B" which resulted in almost all the men from that company being put under arrest. The men of that company accused their Captain of using extra rations to support three whores which he kept under the name of Washer Woman.

* June 27th

* Lt. Col. Chipman leaves the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry to become a Captain in the 11th U.S. Regular Infantry

* July 3rd

* Colonel Israel B. Richardson becomes a Brevet Brigadier General commanding the Brigade that the 2nd Michigan were attached to. This Brigade also includes the 3rd Michigan, 1st Massachusetts and 12th New York.

* July 11th

Company "A" and "K" go to Big Falls, the skirmish ground of July 8th 1861. Two other companies join up with them there a short time after for picket duty.

* July 14th

The companies return from picket duty at Big Falls.

* July 15th

A man from Company "E" was found dead in the canal.

July 16th 1861

At 3pm the Regiment moves across the Chain Bridge to Vienna. They arrived in Vienna at 11pm.

July 17th 1861

The Regiment moves from Vienna to Germantown, via Fairfax, and camped at sundown for the night in a large field.

July 18th 1861

At 5:30am Richardson�s Brigade (4th ) and the 1st U.S. Battery �G� and �M� as support moved in the advance during a reconnaissance in force at BLACKBURN�S FORD. This would prove to be the 2nd Michigan�s First Battle with the official loss of 1 Wounded In Action.

*

The 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry were deployed as skirmishers. They Marched over a hill though a wheat field and came under heavy fire and backed off about 8 rods.

Heavy fighting occurred on the left of the 2nd where the 12th NY and the 1st Mass. engaged the enemy in a piece of woods. They fought well but were driven out.

The 2nd Mich. moved back a short distance then up again to support the Batteries of Artillery. Coming under direct fire from the enemies Batteries the Regiment moved back about 4 rods.

The 2nd Mich. with the rest of its Brigade (4th ) moved back in good order about 2 miles to Centreville and encamped for the night.

July 19th 1861

The Regiment woke up at 4am and had breakfast. They were back on the road to Blackburn�s Ford by 6am.

July 21st 1861

The 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry was held in reserve during the Battle of 1st BULL RUN. During the following "Change of Base" (Withdrawal) the Regiment along with it�s brigade (4th) had the distinction of covering the retreat.

*

At approximately 4-5pm the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry moved with its Brigade (4th) towards Centreville then formed Line of Battle behind a stone wall in a field to support the left wing.

They were ordered a few minutes later to fall back on another position by (Acting General) Colonel Dixon S. Miles.

Brevet General Miles is put under arrest for being drunk and suspected of treachery. The entire command falls on the hands of General Israel B. Richardson.

The 4th Brigade covers the retreat in an orderly fashion and the enemy declined to give battle.

* July 21st

Lt. Joseph M. Barton resigned on this date as Regimental Quarter Master and 2nd Lt. Gilman takes the position.

July 22nd 1861

The 2nd Mich. Vol. Inf. along with the 3rd Mich. being about a mile to the rear form the Rear Guard commence retreating in the most perfect stillness and order. The Regiment regroups at Arlington Heights Virginia via Alexandria.

July 22nd to 31st 1861

They remained at Arlington Heights fortifying and recuperating along with the rest of the army.

* July 25th

The 1st Massachusetts leaves the Brigade.

* July 27th

General McClellan takes command of what he christened the Army of the Potomac.

July 31st 1861

At 4pm the 2nd Michigan moves just beside the Arlington Road about half a mile from their former positions.

July 31st to Sept. 28th 1861

The Regiment is engaged in picket duty at Bailey�s Crossing (Bailey�s Cross Roads)

* August 3rd

Sylvester Larnerd is assigned to the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry as it�s new Lt. Col.

* August 15th

General Richardson sent orders to the 12th NY to turn out for Company drill. They did not turn up. He then sent orders to them to join the Brigade for drill at 6pm which orders they refused.

General Richardson called upon the 2nd Mich. and marched them over to their tents. He ordered the Regiment to Load, Cap and Fix Bayonets. They (12th NY Infantry) were ordered to fall in which they did very quickly.

They drilled for a while with LOADED cannons at the end of the parade area covering them.

* August 18th

A Temperance lecture was given by Merwin the Michigan State temperance lecturer.
(These lecturers were very common but rarely did the soldiers listen to its advice. Gambling, Drinking and other vices were a very common thing among the soldiers.)

* August 18th

The 14th Massachusetts Infantry joins the Brigade

* August 22nd

A Provost Guard is formed of 80 men and the necessary officers drawn from the various regiments of the Brigade. Their duties include�
1. Arrest any soldier more than � of a mile from camp without a pass.
2. To seize all liquor and beer in camp or within their reach
3. To keep Ladies of ill repute (Prostitutes) out of camp

* August 22nd

The 37th NY joins the Brigade replacing the 12th NY which depart the following day.

* August 24th

The 4th Brigade (Richardson�s) is reviewed by President Lincoln, Major General McClellan and Secretary Seward.

* August 25th

Orderly Kellogg of Company "E" was shot while performing a reconnaissance of the enemy with Lt. Col. Larnerd and his party. According to the Journals of Charles B. Hayden he was severely wounded.

* August 29th

A private in Company "G" was accidentally wounded by a comrade and died almost instantly.

* August 30th

A member of Company "D" was slightly wounded while deployed as a skirmisher.

* August 31st

A man of Company "G" is shot through the body. He died on September 2nd 1861.

* September 3rd

A man of Company "K" is dangerously wounded at Sundown. He died of wounds on September 9th 1861

* September 13th

Two men are accidentally shot.

* September 18th

Two men of Company "E" were wounded while on picket

* September 21st

1st Lt. Orlando M. Poe of the Engineers becomes the 2nd Colonel of the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry.

* September 23rd

The Brigade gets inspected by General McClellan, the Prince of Joinville and others

* September 23rd

The Regiment set barn on fire which were being used by rebels for cover. Due to the distance and danger at reaching the barns they fired Red Hot iron slugs from their muskets.

* September 28th

The enemies forts are empty after the Confederates withdrawal during the night. At approximately 6pm the Union flag is hoisted over their forts.

Sept. 28th to Oct. 12th 1861

The Brigade fortifies the Captured forts which they name Fort Richardson.

October 12th

At approximately 8am the Regiment leaves for 1 � miles out of Alexandria which the 2nd Michigan names Camp Poe.

October 12th to 19th 1861

The Regiment are busy building forts. picket duty and other normal chores.

* October 15th

One of the Soldiers died at the Georgetown Hospital

October 19th 1861

The 2nd Michigan participates in a Grand Review of 13 Infantry Regiments, 2 Artillery Batteries and 3 Squadron of Cavalry.

October 25th 1861

The Regiment of Michigan are inspected by Michigan Governor Austin Blair.

November 3rd 1861

Michigan Senator Zachariah Chandler comes to the camp to examine the condition of the soldiers and equipment. (Tents were old and severely damaged by bad weather. The Regiment was also no very happy with the Smooth Bore Muskets which they still had.)

November 12th 1861

The Army moves a total of 25 miles to Pohick Church and back for a reconnaissance in force.

November 20th 1861

The 2nd Mich. participates in a Grand Review of approximately 75,000 soldiers of all type.

* November 30th

Captain May of Company "I" resigns and is replaced by 1st Lt. Benson also of Company "I" is promoted in his place.

December 10th 1861

The Regiment moves down the river 3 � miles to Washington Valley were they start setting up their winter quarters. Colonel Poe, not liking the ground, moves them on December 11th � a mile back to their previous location to much better ground.

Dec. 12th to Mar. 13th 1861

The 2nd Michigan goes into Winter Quarters for their first time which they named Camp Michigan

* December 13th

The men from the Brigade (4th) tore down a church about two miles from their quarters and carried it all away. (The soldiers would tear down anything that could be of use including barns and outhouses, doors, blinds etc. etc. etc. sometimes in presence of the owners.

* December 19th

Talk starts about moving the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry to another Brigade.

* December 23rd

Some members of the Regiment sign a petition to be moved to a fort for the winter and be drilled on Artillery. (This is the first of the attempt to make the 2nd Michigan Infantry a Artillery unit by its members.).