16th Michigan Infantry Regiment
(Stockton's Independent Regiment)

The 16th Michigan Infantry lost 12 officers and 235 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 143 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861

July to September

Organized at Plymouth and Detroit, Mich. by Thomas B.W. Stockton, who had commanded the First Michigan Volunteers in the Mexican War. Opposition to Stockton, who was a Democrat, by Michigan's Governor Austin Blair caused Stockton to obtain permission to create the regiment directly from the War Department. It received no state funding and was not initially given a state numeric designation, taking the name "Stockton's Independent Regiment."

September 8

Eight companies mustered in at Camp Backus, Detroit under Colonel Stockton, Lieutenant Colonel John V. Reuhle and Major Norval Welch.

September 14-15

The War Department ordered Governor Blair to immediately forward all organized regiments to Washington, even if not completed.

September 16

After a review where a delegation of Detroit ladies presented the regiment with a flag emblazoned "Stockton's Regiment," it left the state for Washington, D.C., on the steamers May Queen and City of Cleveland with 761 men in eight companies.

September 17

The regiment landed at Cleveland and continued by train to Pittsburg. After eating, they continued that night by rail to Harrisburg.

September 18

Arrived in Harrisburg and was joined by 83 additional recruits from another new Mcihigan regiment.

September 19-20

Travelled through Baltimore, where the regiment was greeted with flags and cheers, and arrived in Washington, where they were posted to Camp Casey.

October

Attached to Butterfield's Brigade, Fitz John Porter's Division, Army of the Potomac and camp at Hall's Hill, Defences of Washington

1862

March

Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac; Advance on Manassas, Va.

March 10

Moved to the Virginia Peninsula

March 22-24

Reconnoissance to Big Bethel

March 30

Warwick Road

April 5

Siege of Yorktown

April 5-May 4

Reconnoissance up the Pamunkey

May

Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac

May 27

Battle of Hanover Court House

May 27-29

Operations about Hanover Court House

June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond

June 26

Battles of Mechanicsville

June 27

Gaines' Mill

Captain Thomas Carr, Lieutenants Richard Williams and Byron McGraw and 46 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, 6 officers and 110 enlisted men wounded, and Colonel Stockton, 1 other officer and 53 men captured. Lt. Colonel Welch took command of the regiment.

June 29

Savage Station

June 30

Turkey Bridge or Malvern Cliff

July 1

Malvern Hill

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed, 1 officer and 36 enlisted men wounded, and 3 men missing

July 2

Duty at Harrison's Landing

August 12

Colonel Stockton returned from Confederate captivity.

August 16

Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Centreville

August 30

Battle of Bull Run

Commanded by Major Thomas Barry. Captain R. W. Ransom, Lieutenants Michael Chittick and John Ruby and 13 enlisted men were killed, 4 officers and 59 enlisted men wounded and 17 men missing.

September 6-22

Maryland Campaign

September 7

Colonel Stockton resumes command of the regiment, but is given command of the brigade due to General Butterfield being ill

September 16-17

Battle of Antietam

Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Norval E. Welch, the regiment was in a supporting position and was not engaged.

September 19

Shepherdstown Ford

September - October

At Sharpsburg

October 29- November 17

Movement to Falmouth, Va.

December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment lost 3 killed, 30 wounded and 8 missing

December 29-30

Expedition from Potomac Creek to Richards and Ellis Fords, Rappahannock River

1863

January 20-24

"Mud March"

January - April

At Falmouth

April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign

May 1-5

Battle of Chancellorsville

The regiment lost 1 killed and 6 wounded

May 18

Lt. Colonel Welch promoted to colonel after Colonel Stockton's resignation

June 17

Aldie

June 21

Middleburg and Upperville

Captain Judd Mott was mortally wounded, and 9 enlisted men were wounded. The regiment captured a Confederate Blakely Gun and 19 men after the brigade commander, Colonel Strong Vincent, gave the order to "stop that damned battery howling."

July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The Regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Lieutenant Colonel Norval E. Welch. Lieutenants Butler, Brown, William Borden and Wallace Jewett were killed or mortally wounded.

From the monument, "Regiment held this position during the afternoon and night of July 2, 1863, and assisted in defeating the desperate attempts of the enemy to capture Little Round Top. Present for duty 17 officers, 339 men total 356. Casualties: 3 officers 20 men killed, 2 officers 32 men wounded, 3 men missing. Total 60."

July 5-24

Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va

July 11

At Williamsport

July 17

Crossed the Potomac at Berlin

July 23

Wapping Heights

In reserve

July - October

Duty at Warrenton, Beverly Ford and Culpeper

October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign

November 1

In camp near Three Mile Station on the Orange & Alexanderia Railroad. It was calculated the regiment marched 800 miles since the previous November 1st

November 7-8

Advance to line of the Rappahannock

November 7

Rappahannock Station

Commanded by Major Elliott, the regiment lost 3 men wounded

November 26-
December 2

Mine Run Campaign

Commanded by Colonel Welch, the regiment guarded the wagon trains

December 24

The regiment reenlisted 294 men and was re-mustered into service for the duration of the war.

1864

January 2 -

February 17

Veterans return to Michigan on furlough

January 9

The regiment reached Detroit

February 9

Reported at Saginaw to return to service

January - May

At Bealeton Station

May 4-June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River

May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

Commanded by Major R. T. Ellott. The regiment guarded wagon trains at Wyckoff Ford on May 5. It joined the battle and lost 35 casualties on May 7.

May 8-21

Battle of Spottsylvania Court House

May 8

Laurel Hill

The regiment made a forced march in the morning and was then attacked while crossing a dense swamp. It lost a handful of men but captured a Confederate colonel and a large number of the enemy

May 12

Assault on the Salient

May 23-26

North Anna

May 23

Jericho Mills

May 26-28

On line of the Pamunkey

May 28-31

Totopotomoy

Major Robert Elliott was killed commanding the regiment, and Captain George Swan took over.

June 1-12

Battle of Cold Harbor

June 1-3

Bethesda Church

June 13

Crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge under the command of Captain Guy Fuller.

June 16-18

Before Petersburg. Colonel Welch resumes command.

June 16

Siege of Petersburg begins

August 18-21

Six Mile House, Weldon Railroad

September 29-
October 2

Poplar Springs Church, Peeble's Farm

Colonel Welch was killed leading a charge over the enemy's breastworks. Nine other men were killed and 42 were wounded. Major Partidge took over the regiment despite having been wounded three times.

October 27-28

Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run

December 7-12

Warren's Raid on Weldon Railroad

1865

February 5-7

Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run

Commanded by Colonel Partidge

March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign

March 29

Junction of Quaker and Boydton Roads and Lewis Farm near Gravelly Run

March 30-31

White Oak Road

April 1

Five Forks

April 2

Fall of Petersburg

April 3-9

Pursuit of Lee

April 9

Appomattox Court House; Surrender of Lee and his army.

May 3-12

March to Washington, D.C.

May 23

Grand Review

June 16-22

Moved to Louisville, Ky., then to Jeffersonville, Ind.

July 8

Mustered out under Colonel Benjamin Partidge

Edward Hill