Michigan History: Primary Sources

Diaries of a surgeon, an artillery officer, and a fruit farmer; correspondence between government officials and a Whig political appointee; slavery documents, and other Civil War era personal and political correspondence.

The current collection represents diverse military experiences, ranging from a musician to a prisoner of war. The handwritten originals have full transcriptions that are searchable with subjects.

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The Archives of Michigan has close to 1,400 Civil War photographs in its collections. The majority of the images are carte de visite's of soldiers taking during their time of service during Civil War (1861-1865). Also included are reproductions of sheet music, broadsides and some group photographs all dating from the 1860s

The records document the history of Michigan soldiers in the form of muster rolls, letters, lists of dead, monthly returns and other materials sent to the state Adjutant General during the war.

This site was designed for the purpose of sharing the involvement during the Civil War, recognizing the local fallen who fought during that time and about the proposed Civil War Monument and the County’s participation of the Civil War Sesquicentennial.

Experiences of the author as officer and later commander of the 6th regiment, Michigan volunteers, near New Orleans and at Port Hudson; sharply criticizing his commanding officers, Gens. Thomas Williams and William Dwight and Col. T. S. Clark.

Writer served with the 3rd Michigan Infantry Regiment.

Writer served with the 3rd Michigan Infantry Regiment.

The writer served with 25th Michigan Infantry Regiment.

Writer served with the 2nd Michigan Infantry Regiment.

Text of the first 9 chapters from Elizabeth Custer's" Tenting on the plains."

Writer was a member of the 24th Michigan Infantry Regiment.

Writer served with the 2nd Michigan Infantry Regiment.

Newspaper column in the Detroit Advertiser and Tribune.

Author served with the 19th Michigan Infantry Regiment.

Author served with 6th Michigan Cavalry Regiment.

Writer freed himself from slavery by becoming a teamster with the 13th Michigan Infantry Regiment.

Writer served with the 6th Michigan Infantry Regiment.

Writer served with the 1st Michigan Artillery Regiment

Writer served with the 10th Michigan Infantry Regiment.

Writer served with 8th Michigan Cavalry Regiment.