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Forming the 21st Michigan

   Lowell White is one of the founding members of the 21st Michigan Volunteer Infantry, Co. Lowell said that he started reenacting in 1978 and participated in the battle reenactment at New Market, Virginia. During the spring of 1979 he and others wanted to create a more authentic impression of Civil War soldiers. Two units, the 24th Michigan Infantry (of which Lowell was a member and had risen to corporal) and the 5th Michigan (dismounted) cavalry decided to merge. This led to the formation of the 21st Michigan as a reenacting regiment in August of 1979. They wanted to belong to a home based regiment, one that they could identify with, so they researched the history of Michigan regiments and chose the 21st Michigan. The 21st was a “western” Michigan regiment. They choose a western regiment because they felt that although much of the heaviest fighting was done in the east, the war was won in the west. Lowell was elected second sergeant. They started out large but decreased in membership over the next several years. The decrease was due to several reasons. Some did not like the push to go authentic and did not want to obtain better equipment, learn drill etc. More events were out of state and some did not want to travel. Finally, the economy was soft and some felt they could no longer afford the hobby. They attended events at Crossroads Village, Niles Michigan, New Carlisle IN, St. Pat’s Landing, Saylor’s Creek and Billie Creek and other small events in Indiana and Ohio. At St. Pat’s Landing (near South Bend IN) Capt. Shackelford asked Lowell and his pard Lam Linden “Why are you guys so good while they (referring to their captain and his cohorts who had rarely left his tent all weekend) are so bad?”

The “Michigan Civil War Reenactment Association”

   In the early days of the 21st, they were part of the “Michigan Civil War Reenactment Association”. This consisted of the 21st and an artillery unit on the Federal side and the 5th Texas and a cavalry unit on the Confederate side. They hosted several small events in Michigan including Capac and Harbor Beach. The MCWRA existed until the early 80’s when they went their own ways, as the Confederates were more involved with being part of “Medich’s Battalion” while the 21st aligned itself with David Shackelford and his 49th IN which eventually evolved into the Cumberland Guard.

The Push to Become More Authentic

   In April 1980, Lowell and three others went to Saylor’s Creek, VA to participate in a reenactment battle on the actual battlefield. He related that this was a great reenactment. They marched 4-5 miles a day and fought the Confederates in the woods while on the march. They camped campaign style at night. The rain, marching and skirmishing made the reenactment very demanding, but it was filled with on your toes anticipation and “magic moments”.
   The enthusiasm of the men in the 21st Michigan for reenacting grew to include a desire to be more authentic in dress and military actions. All reenactments were not authentic. They co-hosted a reenactment at Capac, Michigan where the battle was fought on a softball diamond, not authentic, but fun. The 21st Michigan also took part in a reenactment at Harbor Beach, Michigan with a mock landing on the beach. Other bad events included one at Ortonville, Michigan where the Union commander was so bad that Lowell deserted in the middle of the battle, went to his car, put on a Confederate uniform and finished the fight by joining his friends in the 5th TX. In the pre 21st days, Lowell took part in a skirmish on a football field at halftime of a high school football game.
   There were also bad “authentic reenactments”. In May 1991, Lowell and Lars Liden traveled all the way to the Champion Hill battlefield in Mississippi to take part in what was billed as the biggest and best authentic reenactment in the South. The battle was a joke. The federals had about forty poorly led infantry divided into two companies. The Rebels had about 150 infantry, 17 mounted cavalry and two full scale cannon. At one point, the union captain ordered the second platoon to about face and fire on rebel cavalry in their rear. Then, without ordering the platoon to about face, he gave the command “forward march”. One platoon marched west, the other east. In spite of this, the federals won the battle as that was what the script called for. It seems that in the Deep South, everyone wants to be a Confederate and they vastly outnumber the Union forces. Lowell says that they did not get it then and they do not get it now as they lose no matter what. If they win they look bad because there is no glory in beating a badly outnumbered foe. If they lose they look like fools because they were beaten by a force a fraction of their size.

The Cumberland Guard is Formed

   The 21st Michigan’s association with the Dave Shackelford/Cumberland Guard predates the existence of the Guard. We were the first Michigan unit to join the Guard and from our example, the 7th Michigan joined followed by the 3rd Michigan and others. The Valley Guard evolved as a subset of the Michigan Cumberland Guard outfits.
   In the late 70’s the 21st Michigan met David Shackelford, Commander of the 49th Indiana. The 49th IN was a larger regiment and had a stronger attitude regarding authenticity and drill than most other units. The men of the 21st Michigan and the 49th IN became good friends. Most reenacting regiments consisted of 4-6 men much like the 21st Michigan.
   Originally, Shackelford tried to get other units to join his 49th IN (As we were few in numbers, we had the habit of falling in with the 49th so we could be under the command of a competent officer (Shackelford) at a time when good officers were rare). The guys of the 49th were a good group. They had great drill, their authenticity standards were good, and (although for a long time Shackelford insisted they wear white gaiters) they were magnificent in battle and all in all were good comrades. (In fact, a couple other 21st guys and I were actually members of the 49th in the early 80’s). However, units wanted to keep their own local and state identities and an umbrella organization was formed which was named the Cumberland Guard. Shackelford chose the name. Cumberland was chosen as in Army of the Cumberland as we wanted to portray Western troops. (There was a bit of rivalry with the spit and polish Eastern troops of the National Regiment). Guard was added as designation for elite troops as in Napoleon’s Imperial Guard. (Shackelford and Lowel are both Napoleonic fans). The Guard evolved throughout the early to Mid 80’s culminating in the outfit we know today.
   Founding units of the Guard were the 49th Indiana, 7th Kentucky (US) and the 21st Michigan. The 21st only had a handful of active members at the time so the other units dominated it. The 7th Kentucky has since disbanded due to political problems.
   A strong friendship developed between the men of the 21st Michigan and the 49th IN. Because the 49th IN believed in authenticity and Dave Shackelford wanted the 21st Michigan to join the 49th IN, but the men of the 21st wanted to maintain their local Michigan identity.
   On July 4, 1981, Shackelford’s group of independent small regiments, with Shackelford in command of this company, went to Gettysburg to participate in the battle reenactment. This was the biggest national reenactment held to date. It proved to be a signal event for all reenacting events. The main battle was most impressive due to the large number of men involved. The event was marred by lots of rain and this event was referred to as “gettysbog” for years to come.
   About this time, 1982-83, small regiments began joining together for drill. By joining together they could combine the smaller 4-6 man units into an organization large enough company drill. (Drill competitions between rival companies were a large part of reenactments). The first battalion drill with several combined regiments was held under the command of George Durenberger. For the next few years this group went to Perryville, KY as a battalion for the fall battle reenactment.

The Western Brigade is Formed

   On July 4, 1983, a group of men known as the Mudsills formed what eventually became the Western Brigade at Perryville, KY. A gentle rivalry began to develop between the Mudsills led by Durenberger and Shackelford over standards, authenticity and the appointment of officers and NCO’s. Cooperation between the rival groups waxed and waned. When the Western Brigade had good leaders such as George Durenberger or Chris Craft, cooperation was high. At other times there was no love lost.

The 21st Moves Forward through the 1980s

   In 1985, Lowell accepted the leadership responsibilities of an officer in the 21st Michigan. He was chosen because of his knowledge, leadership and dedication to the 21st Michigan and reenacting as a hobby. He and his men were also tired of serving under incompetent officers and it was felt he could do better. Lowell recalled with a chuckle that his first time out as an officer, he lost his voice because he needed to yell so much to communicate with his men above the noise of the baffle. He also related the story of how a man in the 7th Michigan rose from the ranks to become an officer. He was appointed because he was the only small man of stature that could fit into the available uniform. He also points out that that man did take his post seriously and eventually developed into a fine officer.
   About this time the membership in the 21st Michigan declined to about seven members. Members who left thought the 21st Michigan was too authentic. The remaining members did not focus on recruiting so they experienced a period of no growth.
   The 21st began participating in reenacting events at Fort Wayne in Detroit. Later in the 1980’s the Detroit Free Press wrote a feature article about the 21st Michigan at Fort Wayne. Several persons who volunteered at Fort Wayne joined the 21st and several recruits were gained from events there. The number of the 21st increased from seven on paper and four of five active to about 20 on paper and 10 to 14 active.
   The 21st also took part in reenactments at Crossroads Village near Flint, Michigan. Channel 5 from Bay City filmed the 21st Michigan during reenactment battle and showed the event on television. Lowell has a copy of this reenactment.

The 125th Anniversary Reenactments

   The year 1986 began the 125th year celebration of the Civil War. It became known to the reenactors as the 125th series. Early in 1986 the 21st Michigan encouraged the 7th Michigan to join Shackelford’s battalion known as the Cumberland Guard. Shortly after the 7th Michigan joined the 24th Michigan also became a member followed by the 3rd and 16th Michigan as well as other units from throughout the Midwest. In July 1986 the 125th Manassas was extremely hot and in drought conditions. The field hospital was very busy treating the men who were suffering from the 100-degree heat. Despite the heat this was the largest reenactment yet held. The many casualties from the heat made the engagement more realistic.
   In April 1987, as part of the 125 series, the members of the 21st Michigan went to Shiloh to take part in this early war reenactment. Lowell remembered that there was a shortage of officers and as a lieutenant; he had to take command of his company. His leadership was quickly needed because he was “killed in action”, with his men when the Rebels did not follow the script and came through the crowd instead of through the open field to the front. His company’s position was overrun by scurrilous greybacks. He also related that the weather was very cold at night. He can show you holes and scorch marks on his blanket from sleeping too close to the campfire to prove it.
   Gettysburg 1988 proved to be the best of the 125 series reenacting events. It was a very large and active event with many reenactors. The 21st Michigan with 13 men joined the 49th IN to participate in the 3-day event. The Cumberland Guard battalion portrayed the 24th Michigan on the first day of fighting. On day two they were the 3rd Michigan at the Peach Orchard and finally on day three, the guard split into two smaller battalions one of which was the 7th Michigan and were in the front lines in repelling “Pickett’s Charge”.
   In October 1987, several members of the 21st Michigan took part in the reenactment in the Battle of Cedar Mountain, VA. It was a great event with the battle taking place on the original battlefield. The 21st also participated in the battles at Perryville, KY in October.
   The 21st Michigan and the 7th Michigan joined together to participate in the Battle of the Wilderness, VA in May 1989. At this event, the 24th Michigan was a strong regiment under the leadership of Chuck Peterson. As a field officer, Peterson had to ride a horse and as fate would have it, he fell off and broke his leg, thereby, ending his reenactment career for many years.
   In September 1988 the members of the 21st Michigan went to Chickamauga, Ga. to take part in that devastating reenactment in which the Union army was defeated. The reenactment was not as large as expected because of wet weather, but it was very successful. Lowell commanded a mixed company of Cumberland Guard while Shackelford commanded a battalion. The Rebels outnumbered the federals at least three to one. At the first engagement Shackelford took advantage of that as the Rebels were deployed in three lines. Since all the Rebels wanted to fight, there would be some confusion on their part when one line would try to pass through another. Shackelford, who barely had enough men to form a single line with no reserves, would counter attack when the Rebels were vulnerable. This gave the Rebels fits. The Federals eventually had to fall back but it was more due to lack of ammunition than enemy action. In this fight, our battalion portrayed the 21st Michigan and carried the regimental flag Erv and Judy Rock prepared for the event. The next day, Shackelford skillfully placed his men on the reverse slope of the ridge. His men ambushed the Rebels with an unexpected volley and blew away most of their first line. The Rebels eventually overwhelmed the Federals with their superior numbers when losses made it impossible to keep a continuous line on the front and the Rebels poured through the gaps. Due to rainy weather and lots of mud, drill was cancelled on one of the afternoons. The 2lsters took this opportunity to visit the nearby Chickamauga battlefield and saw where the original 21st Michigan saw action.
   In April 1990, the 21st Michigan participated in reenacting the last big fight at Saylor’s Creek, VA and the surrender ceremony at the actual location at Appomattox. The 21st Michigan also took part in several excellent events during the year.

21st Members Become Film Stars

   In April 1989 several members of the 21st drove to a location near Atlanta and spent two days filming battle scenes for the movie “Glory”. (Several members of the 21st also had taken part in the filming of the miniseries “North and South Part II” near Natchez Mississippi in November 1987).
   Lowell remembers that 1992 was a memorable reenacting year for him. He was chosen as an extra for the filming of the TV “Gettysburg”, which was filmed at Gettysburg, PA. He was there for a week. Erv Rock also participated in the filming of “Gettysburg.”
   Again in 2002 members of the 21st Michigan took to the field to participate in Civil War filming. JJ Przewozniak, Scott Cook, and Ray Berels participated in filming several scenes of the film “Kill the Messenger” during the Hastings Civil War Muster in July. In the fall of 2002 Elizabeth Crowl, Foster Crowl, and Ray Berels traveled east to film scenes for the film “Gods and Generals” which was released on February 21st, 2003.

The 21st During the 1990s

   In 1993 there was another large reenactment at the site where the movie was filmed at Gettysburg. The Cumberland Guard was the largest reenacting battalion in the Union army. Shackelford rose from battalion to brigade command and wore a star. Lowell was the acting Major/Adjutant and second in command of the Cumberland Guard battalion (due to the shortage of experienced officers at large events, officers of the Guard sometimes performed more than one duty). It was at this event that he contracted an infection in his foot. Complications from this resulted in a lame leg which limits his participation to about two events per year.
   In addition to attending many local events in the 1990s, many members traveled to Chickamauga, Ga. in 1999 to reenact near the ground where the 21st Michigan fought in 1863.

The Valley Guard

   In 1993, the Valley Guard was formed. The Valley Guard was made up of Michigan units from the Cumberland Guard. The 3rd, 8th, 16th and 21st Michigan were members. The purpose of the Valley Guard was to promote safety and uniform drill practices between the participating regiments. The Valley Guard was disbanded in 1999 because of dissension between the command officers.

140th Anniversary Commemoration - 21 September 2002
21st Michigan Volunteer Infantry Monument
Ionia (Camp Siegel) Michigan
4 September 1862 - 4 September 2002

The 21st During the 2000s

   The 21st Michigan enters the new century strong. In 2000 the 21st Michigan traveled back to Perryville, KY to reenact that famous battle on the actual ground. The member also attended many local events. Of special interest in 2000, the members traveled to Ionia, Michigan to rededicate the monument to the 21st Michigan erected at Camp Siegal. An honor guard was formed and lead by Captain Rock. Lowel White gave a short speech. Rounding out the 200 season, events in St. Clair Shores, Wolcott Mill, U. S. Army Tank-automotive & Armaments Command, Ypsilanti, Caseville, Jackson, Hastings, Clawson, and Historic Burgh Village were attended in Michigan. During the Burgh Village event the 21st Michigan Ladies Auxiliary presented the unit with new National Colors.
   Many of the same Michigan events were attended in 2001. A new local event, Armada, was added in 2001. Although it was wet, cold, and windy the members enjoyed this event. We were treated to much fine home cooking complements of the citizens of Armada – thank you. A key feature of the annual Jackson event was fighting the “Battle of the Crater.” An actual crater was dug on the field and we stormed it both Saturday and Sunday. However, after Saturday evenings ran, there was several inches of water in the bottom of the crater and not many were brave enough to “jump in.” The Wolcott Mill event was significant due to the cold weather. The mercury dropped Saturday evening and those of us spending the evening were huddler around the fire most of the evening.
    In 2002 the 21st Michigan members traveled to two National 140th Anniversary events and attend a total of 16 events. Members attended two events, April and June, at Historic Fort Wayne. This historic star fort was used during the Civil War to muster troops and has fallen into disrepair. These events were designed to raise awareness and funds to preserve the fort. Members of the 21st were featured on two local television stations during this event. During the Ypsilanti Civil War Muster, the 21st Michigan participated in and won first place in the drill competition. We were lead by an officer from another unit during the competition. However, Corporal JJ Przewozniak was instrumental in the unit’s victory by discretely providing the officer assistance with the proper commands. On July 4th, the members elected to march in the Oak Park, Michigan parade. There efforts on this very hot day were rewarded with the Mayor’s trophy presented for our splendid appearance and conduct. For 2002 the military commander remained Captian Erv Rock. The corporate board of directors was Ray Berels – President, Jeffrey Przewozniak – Secretary, and Bruce Robere – Treasurer.
   The 21st attended sixteen events in 2003, including a commander’s and NCO’s camp of instruction held by the Cumberland Guard in Culver, Indiana. New for 2003 were living history events in Smyrna, Michigan and Beaverton, Michigan. The 21st was also invited to attend the Oakland County Republican Party Lincoln Day celebration at the Troy Marriott. We presented the flag just prior to dinner and setup a small historical display table. Several members helped conduct a living history demonstration for the 4th and 5th grade classes at Cherokee Elementary School in Clinton Township, Michigan. Our presentations were well attended by over 150 students and school staff. For 2003 the military commander remained Captian Erv Rock. The corporate board of directors remained un-changed with Ray Berels – President, Jeffrey (JJ) Przewozniak – Secretary, and Bruce Robere – Treasurer.

The 140th Anniversary Events

   The members of the 21st kicked off the 140th Anniversary events by voting to attend Antietam, MD and Perryville, KY in 2002. Erv Rock was selected to command a company at the 140th Antietam. The weather was great except for a little rain on Sunday. Shackelford commanded a brigade consisting of the Cumberland Guard and the Black Hats.
    On September 21st, 2002 members of the 21st traveled to Ionia to commemorate the 140th Anniversary of the 21st Michigan’s rendezvous there on September 4th 1862. While there members were given the opportunity to view the original 21st Michigan Battle Flag presented to the unit by the citizens of Ionia. The afternoon was capped off by a moving remembrance and monument rededication ceremony held at the Camp Siegal Monument. JJ Przewozniak commanded the color guard that consisted of John Bednarz (National) and Bruce Robere (State). Bill Stidham presented a reef and gave a short speech to commemorate the occasion. Several visitors attend the ceremony.
   The 140th Perryville was an outstanding event. Our initial setup was hampered on Thursday by a monsoon rainstorm. However the rain subsided by late afternoon and it was warm and sunny for the entire weekend. The 21st fell in with our pards in the 4th Michigan for the weekend. Since Perryville was the 21st Michigan’s initial baptism under fire in 1862, the 21st Michigan Colors were used the entire weekend. Prior to the Saturday afternoon battle, the battalion commander was directed by Col Shackelford our brigade commander to provide special recognition to the 21st. He made a short speech to the entire brigade after which John Bednarz carrying the 21st Michigan’s Nation Colors and Bruce Robere carrying the 21st Michigan’s State Flag were ordered by Col Shackelford to march down the entire line of the brigade so all soldiers of the brigade would have an opportunity to view and touch the colors they would be fighting for that afternoon. This was an extremely memorable event for the entire 21st Michigan at Perryville.
   Due to wet weather the 140th Gettysburg was rescheduled which resulted in many members being unable to attend. However, we were represented at the 140th Gettysburg by Jeffrey (JJ) Przewozniak.

Thanks to all who contributed to this history. A special thanks to Bill Stidham for his work on this document and to Lowell White for providing much of the historical content.