On May 16, 1861, Michigan entered the Civil War
“Thank God for Michigan!”
On May 16, 1861, Michigan entered the Civil War. The 1st Michigan Infantry arrived in Washington, D.C. to serve with the Union Army.
During the war, Michigan provided 42 regiments for battle and supplied a number of generals, such as George Armstrong Custer. Some 90,000 Michigan men—23 percent of the male population in 1860—served with the Union during the war, of which more than 14,700 died.
Want to learn more about Michigan history? Visit www.hsmichigan.org .
