2nd Regiment, Michigan Cavalry

Brief History
The 2nd Regiment, Michigan Cavalry was organized at Detroit, Michigan and mustered in October 2, 1861. The regiment was mustered out August 17, 1865.

For more information on the history of this unit, see


 * The Civil War Archive section. 2nd Regiment Cavalry, (accessed 12 July 2012).

For a history of this unit see the Michigan in the War website which gives information on battles, officers, and a roster.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 3,685 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

Company A - Many men from Saginaw County - see Roster

Company B - Many men from Eaton County - see Roster

Company C - Many men from Kent County and Ottawa County - see Roster

Company D - Many men from Kent County - see Roster

Company E - Many men from Muskegon County - see Roster

Company F - Many men from Kent County - see Roster

Company G - Many men from Hillsdale County - see Roster

Company H - Many men from Macomb County - see Roster

Company I - Many men from Kalamazoo County - see Roster

Company K - Many men from St. Clair County - see Roster

Company L- Many men from Berrien County - see Roster

Company M - Many men from Calhoun County - see Roster

Unassigned Company - Many men from Kent County - see Roster

See Rosters, as there were men from many different Counties in these Companies

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘Michigan in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Michigan in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Michigan, and how to find them. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Gardner, Washington. "History of Calhoun County, Michigan; A Narrative Account of Its Historical Progress, Its People, and Its Principle Interests." (Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co, 1913. ) pages 555-559. Digital copy: InternetArchives and google books. Other Libraries.


 * Civil War Archiveswebsite gives a brief history of battles.


 * Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site. Perryville Battlefield website outlines a history of the 2nd Regiment Michigan Cavalry and specific information about the battle at Perryville.


 * Thatcher, Marshall P. A hundred battles in the West, St. Louis to Atlanta, 1861-1865 : the Second Michigan Cavalry with the armies of the Mississippi, Ohio, Kentucky and Cumberland... (Washington, District of Columbia : Library of Congress, Photoduplication Service, 1976), and (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1993),