Michigan Militia company whose namesake dies in Florida as a Confederate general

major bill

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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The Grayson Light Guard a.k.a. Grayson’s Guard a.k.a. Grayson’s Corps (Detroit, Wayne County) was formed in July of 1850 and named for Major John B. Grayson [Brevet Colonel] United States Army, West Point class of 1826. Grayson later became a general in the Confederate army, dieing in Florida in 1861. Grayson found enough spare time from his active army duties to serve as this militia company’s company commander. Unlike many other companies in Detroit at the time, they were not an ethnic based unit and even professed their desire to be an American independent company. With 100 men, this company was unusually large for the Michigan Militia at that time. They were a highly respected company, and considered the top militia in the State.

Some sources indicate that they were formed from The Detroit City Guard, but this is in error. The Detroit City Guard and the Grayson Light Guard existed for four years from 1850 to 1854 as separate companies. It is possible that some members of the Detroit City Guard left the company to form the Grayson Light Guard.

They adopted the undress uniforms of the U.S. Army and dilled once a month in the old Brady Guards armory. The Michigan Adjutant General Order No. 27 assigned them to the 1st Regiment, 1st Battalion, 1st Division of the Michigan Militia and accepted their uniforms. Their uniforms were to be consistent with the present U.S. Army, U. S. Army General Order No. 2 dated 1850, with the following exceptions, the fatigue dress of dark blue blouse instead of the army light blue and large plated silver buttons with Michigan coat of arms upon them instead of the small army buttons. Silver cord was to be added to the coat collars and silver cord and loops on the cuffs in the style of the Army or in other words the jackets will be trimmed liked the full dress U.S. Army uniforms. The Grayson Light Guard was allowed by the Adjutant General to substitute a flat top bell shaped cap for the gig-top army caps. The caps were to be trimmed and finished as existing regulations required.[ii]

The company purchased their uniforms from Messrs. Eagle and Elliott of Detroit at the cost of $18.25. The Detroit Free Press gives this report on the company. “The uniform is a very handsome one. The coats are a short sack of dark-blue, trimmed with sliver, the pants are also of blue, with a lighter-blue stripe relieved with silver cord: flat caps, blue cloth, a silver and encircling it, and the initials of the company in front in plain silver capitals; plume white, shoulder knots and belts similar to those of the United States Army, The company uses the percussion muskets. The uniforms were gotten up by Messrs. Eagle & Elliott, and the caps by Thom. Armstrong.”

Some sources claim that in 1856 they became the Detroit Light Guard. For several months both, the Grayson Light Guards and the Detroit Light Guard existed and a more likely explanation is that some former Grayson Light Guard militiamen formed The Detroit Light Guard and this new company later adsorbed the old company.

In 1861, ex-members attempted to reform the company for service in the Civil War. They were again to be called the Grayson Light Guards. It would appear that an effort was made to combine this revived company with the former members of the Brady Guards. This attempt to reestablish the old companies was unsuccessful and the Grayson Light Guard disappeared from newspapers reports. There is no information as to what uniforms were worn during 1861 but it is possible that they wore their old uniforms.

“The Adrian Military Festable”, Detroit Weekly Tribune, July 31 1850, p. 2, col. 4.
[ii] General Order no. 27, Detroit Free Press, August 17 1850, p. 3, col. 2.
 
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He was Commander of East and Middle Departments of Florida. He does have the look a Civil War general.

John_B__Grayson.jpg
 
Major Bill, Do you happen to know how the death rate between battle deaths and sickness deaths comes out for Generals? I've seen that there were more sickness deaths in total but have never seen a figure broken down by officers, especially Generals.
 
Major Bill, Do you happen to know how the death rate between battle deaths and sickness deaths comes out for Generals? I've seen that there were more sickness deaths in total but have never seen a figure broken down by officers, especially Generals.

No I have not. This might be an interesting topic. Generals could get sicklike every soldier and were older and perhaps not in as good as shape as a younger soldier.
 
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