"Colonel," Union horse who survived 18 battles. Colonel was owned by Lieutenant N.J. Hall of the 4th U.S. Artillery and 7th Michigan Infantry Regiment. He was cared for by the Hillsdale County Soldiers and Sailors Reunion Association after Hall's death in 1878. From the Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress
The 7th Michigan Infantry was organized at Monroe, Michigan and mustered into Federal service for a three-year enlistment on August 22, 1861. Among the ranks was future Brigadier GeneralHenry Baxter, who was captain of C Company.
The 7th was assigned to the Army of the Potomac soon after it was formed and served in the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Corps, for the duration of the war. Sister regiments in the 3rd Brigade included the 19th Massachusetts, 20th Massachusetts, 42nd New York, and 59th New York.
The 7th was one of the first regiments to cross the Rappahannock River on Dec. 11th, 1862 while under fire from Confederate sharpshooters hidden in the buildings of Fredericksburg, the first opposed riverine assault in American military history.
The regiment was mustered out on July 5, 1865, since, as the war was over, they were no longer needed.
The regiment suffered 11 officers and 197 enlisted men who were killed in action or mortally wounded and 3 officers and 186 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 397
fatalities.[1]
