Steffens in Zeeland Cemetery

 Roelof Steffens of Company F and his family.

Veterans in Winchester Cemetery

On a gorgeous September afternoon in 2022 I came across these three veterans buried in Winchester Cemetery, Byron Center, Michigan. Thought you'd like to meet them.

George Otto, 126th Infantry, died in France

Levi Higby, 6th Michigan Heavy Artillery, died in New Orleans, LA

James A. Burwell, 126th Infantry, killed in the Argonne Forest, France, buried in France

John E. Spalding 3rd reorganized

John E. Spalding was 24 years old when he enlisted in Company E, 3rd Michigan Reorganized Infantry on September 3, 1864, at Grand Rapids, for three years and was mustered on September 9. He was discharged at Benton Barracks, MO, on September 28, 1865. 

He eventually returned to Michigan and settled in Grand Rapids township. He is buried in Mason Cemetery.

Wounded

Theodore Castor, Company C

Of 388 men who were wounded while serving in the 3rd Michigan, 335, or more than 86% of the total wounded, suffered gunshot wounds. (pictured: Theodore Castor, lost a leg at the Wilderness on May 5, 1864)

Wounds
Very few were wounded by cannon fire and there were no reports of men being wounded by bayonet although hand-to-hand combat did happen. 

Company I had the highest number of men wounded (48), while Company A had the lowest number (28). 

By engagement: 

• Fair Oaks, May 31, 1862 - 92
• Groveton (Second Bull Run), August 31, 1862 - 100
• Chancellorsville, May 5, 1863 - 41
• Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863 - 22
• Mine Run, November 30, 1863 - 9
• Wilderness , May 6, 1864 - 62
• Spotsylvania, May 12, 1864 - 24

In the week of May 5-12, 1864, alone, the Old 3rd Michigan suffered 88 wounded (or nearly 23% of the total wounded). 

• First man wounded was Henry Kampe of Company C, at Germantown, Virginia, on July 17, 1861, the day before the Regiment was engaged at Blackburn’s Ford, near Bull Run.
• Last man wounded in the regiment was Philo Wier of Company G on June 10, 1864; he subsequently died of his wounds on July 1
• Last man wounded in wartime was George D. Hill, while serving as a member of the 1st Michigan cavalry, on April 9, 1865

Disabilities
During the war 434 men were discharged and 40 officers resigned from the 3rd Michigan on account of a disability of one type or another. 

Another 65 men from the Old 3rd who had been consolidated into the 5th Michigan were discharged for disability. 

Altogether some 539 or more than 38% of the total enrolled were discharged for disability. 

At least 42 men suffered the loss of a limb. Some of the more common disabilities reported were:  Asthma, bronchitis, consumption, deafness, dysentery, epilepsy, gunshot, heart disease, hemorrhoids, hernia, measles, pneumonia, rheumatic fever, rheumatism sunstroke, trauma or accident, typhoid fever, varicose veins and venereal disease