TWRNTY-FIRST
MICHIGAN INFANTRY REGIMENT
Like many Michigan
regiments, the Twenty-first Michigan Infantry was recruited from
a Congressional district. This regiment was from the Fourth Congressional
District, which included such counties as Kent, Muskegon, Mackinac,
Delta, and Cheboygan. Its muster date was September 4, 1862, and
it served for nearly three years before being mustered out on June
8, 1865, at Washington.
Also, like many
other Michigan infantry regiments, the Twenty-first, early in 1863,
received an order of Austrian Rifle Muskets, caliber .54 and .55,
equipped with quadrangular bayonets.
The men of the
regiment must have been proud of themselves as marksmen, for in matches
with men from Wisconsin and Illinois regiments at Murfreesboro, Tennessee,
in late May, 1863, they won the right to get Colt Revolving Rifles.
However, these rifles were. not immediately forthcoming, for in 1863
the regiment received Springfield Rifle Muskets, Models 1855, 1861,
and 1863, caliber .58, and more Austrian Rifle Muskets, quadrangular
bayonet, caliber .54 and .55. These guns had leaf and block sights.
The Twenty-first also received some Enfields, caliber .577 and .58;
plus two musician swords and some non-commissioned officer swords.
Two arms that were
received by the Twenty-first do not follow the conventional pattern.
During the fourth quarter of 1863, it received the Henry Breech-loading
Rifle (a 12-shot repeater) caliber .44, as well as the United States
Model 1841 Rifle, caliber .54.
A typical period
of arms deliveries was the year 1864: Springfields, Austrian, and
Enflelds (all of the types previously described for this regiment)
continued to flow to the regiment.
(This booklet was
published by the Michigan Civil War Centennial Observance Commission
in 1966.)
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