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The '''Michigan Brigade''', sometimes called the '''Wolverines''', the '''Michigan Cavalry Brigade''' or '''Custer's Brigade''', was a [[brigade]] of [[cavalry]] in the volunteer [[Union Army]] during the latter half of the [[American Civil War]].
The brigade first gained fame during the [[Gettysburg Campaign]] under the command of youthful [[Brigadier General (United States)|Brigadier General]] [[George Armstrong Custer]]. After the war, several men associated with the brigade joined the [[U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment]] and later fought again under Custer in the [[Old West]] [[frontier]].
==Service
===Organization and the Gettysburg Campaign===
The Michigan Cavalry Brigade was created on [[December 12]], [[1862]], at [[Washington, D.C.]]. It originally consisted of the 5th, 6th and 7th Michigan Cavalry [[regiment]]s, under the command of General [[Joseph T. Copeland]]. During the early part of the 1863 [[Gettysburg Campaign]], the 1st Michigan Cavalry and Battery M, 2nd United States Artillery were added to the brigade in central [[Maryland]] as part of a major reorganization of the [[Army of the Potomac]]'s [[Cavalry Corps (ACW)|Cavalry Corps]] by its commander, [[Alfred Pleasonton]].<ref>[http://www.michcavalry.com/MCB.html History of the Michigan Brigade]</ref> ▼
▲of the 5th, 6th and 7th Michigan Cavalry [[regiment]]s, under the command of General [[Joseph T. Copeland]]. During the early part of the 1863 [[Gettysburg Campaign]], the 1st Michigan Cavalry and Battery M, 2nd United States Artillery were added to the brigade in central [[Maryland]] as part of a major reorganization of the [[Army of the Potomac]]'s [[Cavalry Corps (ACW)|Cavalry Corps]] by its commander, [[Alfred Pleasonton]].<ref>[http://www.michcavalry.com/MCB.html History of the Michigan Brigade]</ref>
The larger brigade was assigned to the newly promoted Custer, who assumed command near [[Westminster, Maryland]]. The Michigan Brigade saw its first combat action as an entity at the [[Battle of Hanover]] in southern [[Pennsylvania]] on [[June 30]], [[1863]]. There, Custer's men were deployed as a strong advance skirmish line south of town. Two days later, on [[July 2]], the brigade participated in the [[Battle of Hunterstown]], where one of the Wolverines, Norville Churchill, rescued a fallen Custer, who was pinned in the road under his slain horse.<ref>[http://www.gdg.org/Research/Authored%20Items/nytimesaug81863.htm ''New York Times'', August 8, 1863.]</ref>
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At the subsequent [[Battle of Gettysburg]], the Michigan Brigade was posted east of [[Gettysburg, Pennsylvania|Gettysburg]] along the Hanover Road on [[July 3]]. On the [[Battle of Gettysburg, Third Day cavalry battles|third day]], the brigade fought in piecemeal fashion, with the 5th and 6th serving as dismounted skirmishers near the John Rummel farm on the left of the battlefield, while first the 7th and then the 1st Michigan charged into a growing mounted melee in the center. Custer's cry of "Come on, you Wolverines!" became the rallying cry of the brigade.<ref>[http://members.aol.com/dlharvey/custer.htm Custer's Official Report for the Battle of Gettysburg.]</ref>
During the retreat of the [[Army of Northern Virginia]] from Gettysburg, Custer's men maintained a series of skirmishes and encounters with the Confederate rear guard, fighting another battle at Falling Waters as the last of [[Robert E. Lee]]'s army slipped across the [[Potomac River]]. The skirmishing continued well into [[Virginia]], including a minor affair at [[Amissville, Virginia|Amissville]].
===Bristoe and Mine Run Campaigns===
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For a time, the [[1st Vermont Cavalry]] was assigned to the Michigan Brigade.
In February 1864, the Michigan Brigade paricipated in [[Judson Kilpatrick]]'s large 5,000-man cavalry raid on the Confederacy's capital city, [[Richmond, Virginia]]. Kilpatrick's objectives for the daring raid were to free Federal prisoners of war, cut supply lines, and create panic among the Confederate civilians and government officials. Carrying only rations for two days, the troopers were expected to live off the land by foraging for food. Kilpatrick's men severed all the rail lines between Richmond and the Army
During the [[Overland Campaign]] in May, the Michigan men were engaged in [[Philip H. Sheridan]]'s raid, fighting at the [[Battle of Haw's Shop]] on [[May 28]]. There, due to the heavily wooded terrain, Custer dismounted the brigade and deployed in a long, double-ranked line of battle, as if they were infantrymen. However, Custer inspired his men by staying mounted as he led them forward, waving his hat in full view of the enemy. Some of the relatively inexperienced [[South Carolina]] Confederate infantry mistook a Union shift in position for a retreat and charged after them, only to run into Custer's men, who captured eighty Confederates. Forty-one Michigan cavalrymen fell in the attack, but their enthusiastic charge caused [[Wade Hampton III|Wade Hampton]]'s men to withdraw.
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===1865===
On [[February 27]], General Sheridan commenced a major movement against Early's remaining forces in the Valley and his communications and supply lines. The Michigan Brigade participated in an engagement at Louisa Court House against enemy cavalry under [[Thomas L. Rosser]], routing the Confederates and capturing the village and its important stores of military supplies.
Not long afterward, following Early's final crushing defeat at the [[Battle of Waynesboro]], Sheridan's force was reassigned to the Richmond area to help [[Ulysses S. Grant]]'s final push to break Lee's entrenchments. The Michigan Brigade arrived at White House Landing in time to participate in some of the final engagements of the [[Army of the Potomac]], including the [[Battle of Five Forks]] on [[April 1]]. They were active in the pursuit of Lee's retreating army following the fall of Richmond and again engaged the Confederates at the [[Battle of Sayler's Creek]] on [[April 6]]. They were among the troops that finally blocked Lee's planned escape route, precipitating the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House.
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