64 and resulted in the battle of the
Wilderness, began on May 3, it was the morning of May 4, when the
Wolverine troopers left their camp near Culpeper. The Second and Third
divisions, as has been shown, had the honor of leading the advance and
preceded the infantry, crossing at Ely's and Germanna fords,
respectively, on the day before. The First division bivouacked on the
north side of the river during the night of May 4. At three o'clock on
the morning of May 5, the march was resumed and, crossing at Ely's ford,
it moved to Chancellorsville, and was encamped that night at the
"Furnaces," south of the Orange plank road, about midway between
Wilderness Church and Todd's Tavern, in the rear of the left of the
union lines.

Early on the morning of May 6, "boots and saddles" and "to horse"
summoned the brigade to arms; and at two o'clock a.m., it was on the
march by the Furnace road toward the intersection of that highway with
the Brock turnpike. Gregg was at Todd's Tavern, at the junction of the
Catharpin and Brock roads. Custer was to be the connecting link between
Gregg's division and Hancock's corps. Devin, with the Second brigade,
was ordered to report to Custer. Wilson had been out the previous day on
the Orange plank road and pike, beyond Parker's Store, where he
encountered Stuart's cavalry and was roughly handled. While moving up
in the darkness, we came upon the scattered troopers of the First
Vermont cavalry, which for some time before the redistribution had been
attached to the Michigan brigade, but was then in Chapman's brigade of
Wilson's division. They were moving to the rear, and seemed much
chagrined over their defeat and declared that they did not belong to the
Third division, but were the "Eighth Michigan."

"Come along with us," said their old Michigan companions-in-arms.

"Wish we could," they replied.

Arriving at his destination before daylight, Custer posted his troops so
as to be ready to meet the expected attack. Two troops, one from the
First Michigan the other from the Sixth, commanded by Captain George R.
Maxwell and Captain Manning D. Birge, respectively, were sent well out
on the Brock road to picket the front. The line of battle was formed in
the woods, facing a cleared space, beyond which dense timber served as a
screen to prevent the enemy's approach from being discovered. The right
was held by the First and Sixth Michigan, formed in two lines,
regimental front, the Sixth in rear, the