During the Civil War, a regiment of Sharpshooters was being recruited to fight for the Union, but there was a problem – few men could pass the marksmanship test.

Since Native Americans were famous as skilled hunters, it was decided to recruit one company - Company K - from among the tribes in Michigan. Nearly 140 men volunteered for Company K. They had names like Wolf, Greensky, Agahgo (Old Porcupine), Mwakewenah (Standing Bear), and Kakakee (Sparrow Hawk). Each man passed the test, hitting a 5 inch circle from a distance of 220 yards. For Basic Training, they were sent to Dearborn, Michigan. The soldiers of Company K wore the same uniform and received the same pay as the rest of the Regiment. The newspapers in Detroit watched them go through Basic Training and reported they made excellent soldiers.

Company K was sent to Virginia in 1864, and there fought in some of the fiercest battles of the Civil War: The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and the terrible Siege of Petersburg. During an attack against the enemy lines on June 17, 1864, a group of 15 men were captured and sent to the infamous Andersonville Prison. The rest of the company fought on till the end of the war. They proudly marched in the famous GRAND REVIEW, the official victory parade in Washington D.C. After this event, the men were sent home to Michigan … and forgotten.

Can we agree on this: The time has come to recognize the contribution of Native American soldiers to the victory of the Union army? The Civil War Sesquicentennial will be an excellent time for the story of Michigan's "Company K" to be remembered.

For a general history of the 1st Michigan Sharpshooters Regiment (including numerous mentions of Company K) the best source is THESE MEN HAVE SEEN HARD SERVICE by Raymond Herek (published 1998, Wayne University Press).

For complete information on each individual soldier who served in Company K, there is only one reliable source: "Who Was Who In Company K", by Chris Czopek (published in 2010).

Company K - 1st Michigan Sharpshooters