9th Michigan Volunteer Cavalry Regiment The 9th Regiment Michigan Volunteer Cavalry was an cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War . The Ninth Cavalry began its organization in the fall of 1862 , at Coldwater , under the direction of Colonel James L . David , of Trenton , who had been Quartermaster of the 1st . Michigan Cavalry . The Regiment , with the exception of 2 companies incomplete , was mustered into the service of the United States on the 19th . of May , 1863 , the muster rolls containing the names of 1073 officers and men . Previous to leaving the State for the front , the ladies of Coldwater gave to the Ninth , a finely lettered silk standard , with the United States arms on one side , on the other , the arms of the State , with the inscription : " Presented by the ladies of Coldwater " . This flag passed through many hard fought battlefields , being carefully guarded and well defended . The Regiment was ordered to the field in Kentucky , under the command of Colonel David , leaving its rendezvous at Coldwater by detachments , respectively , on May 18 . , 20th . , and 25th . , 1863 , proceeding to Covington , KY , then on June 4 . , to Hickman ' s Bridge , where on June 12 . , they were ordered to Mount Sterling , to pursue Everett ' s guerrillas , who they overtook at Triplett ' s Bridge , then completely routed . Returning to Hickman ' s Bridge on the 25th . , they entered on the campaign against the confederate Morgan . Arriving at Stanford on the 28th . , then to Lebanon , arriving there on the 4th . of July , with the rear guard , where they drove Morgan ' s forces from the town , who was then on his contemplated raid into Indiana and Ohio . Colonel David had hurried his command to this point at the rate of fifty miles per day , then after scattering Morgan ' s forces , returned to Danville . The Regiment reached Danville on the 6th . , where , Colonel W . T . Saunders , of the 5th . Kentucky Cavalry , assumed command of the whole force then there , the Eighth and Ninth Michigan Cavalry , being in the same Brigade . The Ninth left there on the 7th . , arriving at Lawrenceburg the same day , here companies " D " , " H " , and " B " , under the command of Major Gallagher , went in pursuit of Morgan ' s men , engaging them at Cumming ' s Ford , scattering them and taking 32 prisoners , then returning to Lawrenceburg on the 9th . On the 12th . , the Ninth regrouped and marched to Westport , where they were divided . Companies " A " , " B " , " F " and " L " , under the command of Lt . Colonel Acker , with a section of Battery " L " , 1st . Michigan Light Artillery , under the command of Lieutenant Roys , took transports to Cincinnati , arriving there on the 15th . They were disembarked , then immediately ordered by General Burnside , on a march , the intent being , to flank Morgan ' s forces , then on the Ohio side of the river . Colonel Acker ' s command joined the forces of General Hopson , at Montgomery , where the pursuit of Morgan commenced , marching day and night , coming upon the southern column at daylight on the 19th . , at Buffington ' s Island . General Hopson ' s force attacked his rear , while General Judah attacked his front . The engagement was brisk , but short , and the rout of the rebels was complete , over 2000 prisoners being taken by the union forces , with some artillery and a large amount of small arms and equipment , with numerous horses and other property . The Ninth was hotly engaged , Companies " L " and " F " , under Major Gallagher , were dismounted and advanced as skirmishers , driving the rebels , turning their retreat into a complete rout . Major Gallagher , with Company " F : , under the command of Lieutenant Karrer , charged on the rebel flank , capturing three pieces of artillery , with a large number of prisoners , following the retreating confederates for about four miles , until relieved by other union forces . Another detachment of the Ninth , under the command of Colonel David , made up of Companies " C " and " K " , along with portions of Companies " A " and " B " , with a section of Battery " L " , First Michigan Light Artillery , were ordered in pursuit of Morgan , having embarked on transports at Lawrenceburg on July 14 . , landed at Portsmouth , Ohio , on the 16th . , thence pursuing the rebels in the direction of Chester , overtaking them and capturing some prisoners . Continuing the pursuit , the detachment reached Buffington ' s Island , then on Sunday morning of the 19th . , engaged them at that point , taking a large number of prisoners . After the fight , Colonel David ' s forces were united with that of Lieutenant Acker , then the Regiment commenced a movement back to Covington , arriving there on July 31 . Another detachment , under the command of Major May , consisting of Companies " D " , " E " , " H " , and " I " , with a section of Battery " L " , First Michigan Light Artillery , under Lieutenant Gallagher , had left Westport , KY , July the 15th . , on board transports , arriving at Cincinnati on the 16th . , going into camp at Covington , and remaining there until the 24th . Here Companies " C " and " K " , from Portsmouth , joined Way ' s command . This force on the above date also entered on the pursuit of Morgan , by way of the Little Miami Railroad , arriving at Mingo Junction on the 25th . , then marched to La Grange , then to Stubenville . Morgan . being tracked , was soon overtaken , when skirmishing commenced , continuing until after dark , with some loss in wounded , driving the rebels before them during the entire night , exchanging shots . On the morning of the 26th . , Morgan being hard pressed and flanked , was forced into an engagement which resulted , after a severe fight of an hour and a half , in the complete rout of his forces , with a loss of 23 killed , 44 wounded and 305 prisoners , while the detachment of the Ninth , lost in wounded , Lieutenant Fisk and seven men . The pursuit was continued , Morgan with the remnants of his force flying in confusion until , meeting with the forces under General Shackleford , he surrendered . The Regiment , having been reunited at Covington , proceeded to Hickman ' s Bridge , then participated in the expedition of General Burnside into Eastern Tennessee , arriving at Knoxville on the 3rd . of September , having skirmished at Loudon on the 2nd . From Knoxville they proceeded to the Cumberland Gap . On the 7th . , a detachment of the Regiment drove in the rebel pickets , entered the Gap , then burned a large mill , on which the confederacy depended to a great extent for subsistence . Loss to the Regiment was one killed and one wounded . On the 8th . , the rebels , 2500 strong , with 14 cannon , surrendered to the Union forces . Subsequently the Regiment was engaged at Carter ' s Station , September 22 . , loss one killed , four wounded , Zollicoffer , September 24 . , driving the rebels from their fortifications , Blue Springs on October 5 . and 10th . , with a loss of two wounded , then at Raytown on October 11 . , with a loss of two killed and two wounded . Since they arrived at Covington , in May 1862 , the Regiment marched nearly 3000 miles , exclusive of marches by detachments , while scouting , foraging , etc . At the beginning of November , 1863 , the Regiment was at Henderson Station , and seems to have performed a considerable amount of scouting during the month , in that portion of Tennessee . In December , notes its march towards Knoxville on the 6th . , then a skirmish with the confederates on Clinch Mountain on the 7th . , during a march 30 miles . On the 10th . , while on reconnaissance , the met the rebels two miles from Moorestown , and successfully engaged them , then on the 12th . , was occupied , with its Brigade , in a sharp action near Russellville . The position of the Regiment at Bean ' s Station , was attacked on the 14th . , causing the command to fall back toward Rutledge . The next two days , the Regiment , under the command of Major Brockway , ( Colonel Acker being wounded at Bean ' s Station ) , while acting as rear guard , was engaged in constant skirmishing near Rutledge . Later in the month they were in skirmishes at Dandredge and Mossy Creek . On the 16th . , of January , 1864 , the Regiment , then under the command of Major Gallagher , moved from Dandredge in the direction of Bull ' s Gap , encountering the rebels infantry in a large force at Kinsboro Cross Roads , where after a severe fight of about an hour and a half , the Regiment fell back to Dandredge , having lost 32 in killed , wounded and missing . The next day they were skirmishing from noon to dark near the same place , then fell back to New Market , having been engaged at Fair Garden , Sevierville , and Strawberry Plains . Then they moved from Strawberry Plains to Knoxville . Further memoranda refer to continued marches and counter marches during the month , which closed with the Regiment at Little River . The May reports indicate they were camped near Nicholsville , waiting for new equipment . In June the Regiment is found again fighting , with the notorious Morgan near , near Cynthiana , KY . It appears that on June the 9th . , the Regiment , then under the command of Colonel Acker , was in camp at Nicholosville , and ordered to scout Bayley ' s Cross Roads , a distance of 14 miles , with orders that if Morgan was found , to engage him . On the 10th . , they marched to Lexington , where a battalion of the Regiment , under the command of Major McBride , met with a portion of Morgan ' s command , had a brisk skirmish , then retired . On the 11th . the Regiment marched to Paris and bivouacked for 2 hours , then after dark started for Cynthiana , leading the horses most of the way , so as to make as little noise as possible . Just at daylight on the 12th . , the confederates were found behind rail barricades . The 11th . Michigan and the 12th . Ohio Cavalry were in line of battle on foot , for the purpose of driving them from the barricade , while the 9th . charged the left flank in a most splendid manner , taking 300 prisoners , 500 horses and a large quantity of small arms . This charge was a brilliant affair , completely routing the southerners , and driving large numbers of their troops into the Licking River in much confusion and thoroughly demoralized . On October 9 . , the Regiment was at Decatur , then on to Stone Mountain , from there they set out on the Atlanta Campaign with General Sherman ' s Army , skirmishing at Macon , then Griswaldville , again at Milledgeville on the 24th . of November , thence to Gilliam ' s Plantation . For the duration of the war the 9th . participated in all of the movements of Sherman ' s Army on his infamous March to the Sea , then with his northward thrust into the Carolinas that resulted finally in the surrender of Johnston ' s Army . The 9th . after months of scouting , foraging and performing picket duty , all along the Eastern seaboard , marched to Concord on the 14th . of July , where they were mustered out of service on the 21st , then sent by rail to Jackson , Michigan , where they were paid off and disbanded on the 30th . The Ninth was the only Michigan Cavalry Regiment that marched with Sherman to the sea , and composed the escort of General Kilpatrick , who maintained communication between that army and the Atlantic coast . Total strength and casualties . The regiment suffered 2 officers and 26 enlisted men killed in action or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 154 enlisted men who died of disease , for a total of 184 fatalities .