6th Michigan Infantry/Heavy Artillery

When the 6th Michigan was about to form the officers and NCOs went to a camp of instruction where the NCOs were issued gray uniforms with black trim. Before the regiment left Michigan it was issued dark blue 5-button sack coats.
 
Quite a coincidence! I recently surveyed CW burials in Oak Hill Cemetery at Lampasas, Texas. Out of approximately 96 CW burials, only one had fought for the Union: Private Wilber Webber of New York, (Oct. 3, 1838-March 17, 1926), 6th Michigan Heavy Artillery. I'd love to find out more about him, I know the 6th served in the siege of Port Hudson.
DSCN1357.JPG
 
There's an extensive Wikipedia article about the 6th Michigan Infantry. They saw some really hot action at Baton Rouge and at Port Hudson, where they took part in two attacks on the Confederate works. It was after Port Hudson that they were designated as Heavy Artillery.
 
Tell us more about the 6th Michigan Infantry. Where did they serve?
Department of the Gulf, mostly - along the Mississippi from May 1862 on. In other words, they served front and center to the corruption under Ben Butler. They saved their brigade from being flanked at Baton Rouge and fought bravely at Port Hudson despite being ordered into hopeless charges. But they were a remarkable disciplinary mess outside of battle (even by volunteer standards), and that contrast is part of what makes them a fascinating bunch.
 
Quite a coincidence! I recently surveyed CW burials in Oak Hill Cemetery at Lampasas, Texas. Out of approximately 96 CW burials, only one had fought for the Union: Private Wilber Webber of New York, (Oct. 3, 1838-March 17, 1926), 6th Michigan Heavy Artillery. I'd love to find out more about him, I know the 6th served in the siege of Port Hudson.
Webber enlisted as a private at the outset and served 3 years. He returned south after the war and married a resident of Amite City, La., then moved to Lampasas by 1890. In the early 1880s he wrote to his comrades in response to a reunion invitation and described visiting the battlefield at Baton Rouge, which he already found unrecognizable. He also visited the national cemetery there and remarked that "those who did the best service rest quietly under the unknown marble block."
 
ericrfaust, thanks for the info on Webber. Where did you find out about his 1880's reunion experiences? I apologize for not yet taking time to watch your presentation; I'm looking forward to it. I owe it to Webber, poor guy, as the sole Yankee buried here in Rebel country.
 
ericrfaust, thanks for the info on Webber. Where did you find out about his 1880's reunion experiences? I apologize for not yet taking time to watch your presentation; I'm looking forward to it. I owe it to Webber, poor guy, as the sole Yankee buried here in Rebel country.
Glad I could help! Webber's comments appear in a newspaper clipping that's preserved in a scrapbook the unit's assistant surgeon put together. The actual scrapbook is at Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan, in the Milton Chase papers. I recognized his name right away because I mentioned him in my book while discussing the regiment's reunions.
 
Back
Top