The Williams’ Rifles, a.k.a. Company B, Williams’ Battalion (Lansing, Ingham County) formed in 1859. During the Civil War, the Williams’ Rifles were Company G, 3rd Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Although Lansing, the ‘new’ state capitol, was a small town in 1859 enough men could be found to form two militia companies, both of which were named for Colonel Adolphus Wesley Williams who was also call a major in some sources. In 1859, the recently formed William Rifles earned a spot in Class I of the Michigan Uniformed Militia. In 1859, they reportedly carried rifled muskets also referred to as Minnie rifles. In 1860, Captain J.R. Price took 22 men to the Michigan Uniformed Militia encampment being held at Jackson. They had a small three-piece band in addition to the riflemen.
In 1861, they had 60 State owned rifle muskets, 4 revolvers and 8 noncommissioned officer swords. Their rifles were said to be Minnie rifles with spring bayonets that could be detached and used as sidearms. The Lansing State Republican printed letters from newly assigned members of the Williams Rifles about how the 3rd Regiment confiscated their rifles and give them to another unit. Because of this they sarcastically referred to themselves as the Williams’ Muskets. The men were livid about this injustice. The company members had purchased these rifles in 1859. The rifles were described as Minnie rifles with the new “patent spring saber bayonet where the bayonet can be detached and worn as a sidearm. Unhappy with their replacement muskets, and still considering themselves as a rifle company, the men made an effort to replace their confiscated rifles with Minnie rifles, which they scoured Virginia battlefields to find.
The Michigan Adjutant General’s Report of 1860 lists them as wearing gray uniforms. A September 1 1860 Detroit Free Press article gives their uniform as grey coats and pants trimmed with green. The report also indicates that the Williams’ Rifles wore regulation caps. The color of their caps is not given.
Their first offer of service was to escort the newly elected President through Baltimore on his way to Washington, but this offer was not accepted. When sworn in to federal service with the 3rd Michigan Infantry the state issued them gray uniforms with ten-button jackets.