John L. Rolison

Residence Oakland County MI; 24 years old.

Enlisted on 9/18/1861 at Lapeer, MI as a Private.

On 10/29/1861 he mustered into "I" Co. MI 1st Eng
He was discharged on 10/31/1864 at Atlanta, GA

He was listed as:
* Wounded Bridgeport, AL (date not stated)
* Wounded Green River (date not stated)

Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:

- Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers 1861-65

MICHIGAN
Engineers and Mechanics.
(Three Years)

In an effort to save to the credit of Michigan several
companies being recruited for Colonel Wilson's Fusileers (so-
called), at Chicago, Ill., Wright L. Coffinberry, Baker Borden,
Perrin V. Fox and James W. Sligh of Grand Rapids went to the
office of William P. Innes, as a suitable person to wire the
War Department as follows: "Will the War Department accept a
regiment from Michigan on same terms as Colonel Wilson's of
Chicago?" The message was sent, and next day the answer came:
"Yes, with the approval of the governor of the State."
Governor Blair was asked when he could be seen, "Important."
He answered: "Will take night train and be there in the
morning."

Hon. W. D. Foster met the governor and explained the
situation. After conference with Mr. Foster, he called in Mr.
Innes and soon gave him authority to raise a regiment of ten
companies to be officered and equipped as infantry and provided
with implements for engineer service, to which he gave the name
of "First Michigan Engineers and Mechanics." The companies
intended for Colonel Wilson readily accepted position with
Colonel Innes. Recruiting was active and the city of Marshall
fixed for rendezvous.

Some complained that the inducements of extra pay, etc.,
promised in Colonel Wilson's circulars, would not be realized.
Colonel Innes went to Washington for definite information. The
War Department accepted the regiment with same pay and
allowances as engineers of the regular army. The colonel
reported same on his return to the regiment, stating that those
(if any) who declined to accept these conditions were at
liberty to go. The line officers were allowed horses, and
implements for engineer service were provided. The regiment
was completed by the last of October and on the 29th of October
was mustered into service by Captain H. R. Mizner, U. S. Army.

The field, staff and line officers at organization were as
follows:

Colonel William P. Innes, Grand Rapids. Lieutenant
Colonel, Kinsman A. Hunton, Marshall. Major, Enos Hopkins,
Jackson. Surgeon, William H. DeCamp, Grand Rapids. Assistant
Surgeon, Willoughby O'Donoughue, Albion. Adjutant, Clement F.
Miller, Kalamazoo. Quartermaster, Robert S. Innes, Grand
Rapids. Chaplain, D. Burnham Tracy, Petersburg.

Co. A. Captain, John B. Yates, Ionia. First Lieutenant,
Frederick W. Huxford, Albion. Second Lieutenant, Horace C.
Gilson, Albion.

Co. B. Captain, Baker Borden, Grand Rapids. First
Lieutenant, John W. Williamson, Grand Rapids. Second
Lieutenant, John W. McCrath, Grand Rapids.

Co. C. Captain, Wright L. Coffinberry, Grand Rapids.
First Lieutenant, James D. Robinson, Grand Rapids. Second
Lieutenant, Edwin Baxter, Grand Rapids.

Co. D. Captain, Perrin V. Fox, Grand Rapids. First
Lieutenant, Joseph C. Herkner, Grand Rapids. Second
Lieutenant, William T. Hess, Grand Rapids.

Co. E. Captain, Silas Canfield, Ionia. First Lieutenant,
L. F. Mills. Second Lieutenant, Albert B. Culver, Ionia.

Co. F. Captain, James W. Sligh, Grand Rapids. First
Lieutenant, Albert H. Kimball, Grand Rapids. Second
Lieutenant, William F. Nevius.

Co. G. Captain, Garrett Hannings, Kalamazoo. First
Lieutenant, Elias H. Broadwell, Kalamazoo. Second Lieutenant,
Franklin Fisk, Kalamazoo.

Co. H. Captain, Marcus Grant, Jackson. First Lieutenant,
Edson S. Frary, Petersburg. Second Lieutenant, Solon S. Grant.

Co. I. Captain, Heman Palmerlee, Grand Rapids. First
Lieutenant, Joseph J. Rhodes. Second Lieutenant, Theodore H.
Prall, Pontiac.

Co. K. Captain, Emery O. Crittenden, Marshall. First
Lieutenant, Lorenzo D. Mason, Boston. Second Lieutenant,
Arthur Connelly, Grand Rapids.

The regiment left the State December 17, 1861, with an
aggregate strength of 1,032, proceeding to Louisville, Ky., and
reported to General Buell, in command of the Army of the Ohio.
It was divided into four detachments and assigned to duty with
the four Divisions of General Buell's army as follows:

First detachment, Colonel Innes in command, consisting of
Companies B, E, and I, reported to General McCook at
Munfordsville, Ky.

Second detachment, Lieutenant Colonel Hunton commanding,
consisting of Companies C, F and G, reported to General Thomas
at Lebanon, Ky.

The third detachment, consisting of Companies C and H,
under command of Major E. Hopkins, reported to General Nelson,
at New Haven, Ky.

The fourth detachment, consisting of Companies A and K,
Captain J. B. Yates commanding, reported to General Mitchell at
Bacon Creek, Ky.

These detachments remained with their several divisions
during the winter, engaged in various duties. The one under
Lieutenant Colonel Hunton, consisting of Companies D, F and G,
was with General Thomas in the battle of Mill Springs, Ky.,
Jan. 19, 1862.

The detachment with General Mitchell, consisting of
Companies A and K, was among the first to occupy Bowling Green
immediately after its evacuation by the confederates.

Buell's army having arrived at Nashville very soon after
the capture of Fort Donaldson by General Grant, the regiment
was concentrated and engaged during March in building railroad
bridges at Franklin, Columbia, Murfreesboro and other places,
with headquarters at Nashville. On April 3d Colonel Innes,
with his staff and Companies B, C, E, I and H, left Nashville
and being joined at Columbia by Companies D, F, and G,
commenced the march with Buell's Army of the Ohio to re-enforce
General Grant at Shiloh, Miss. On this march several bridges
were built and the rapidity with which the work was
accomplished enabled General Buell to reach the field of Shiloh
in time to assist in turning the tide of battle and converting
defeat into victory. In the meantime Companies A and K,
commanded by Captain Yates, had marched from Nashville with
General Mitchell's division, by way of Murfreesboro to
Huntsville, Ala., cutting the railroad communications at that
point. Eight companies were with the army in its advance on
Corinth, engaged in building defenses, placing siege guns in
position and constructing miles of corduroy roads through the
swamps to facilitate the advance of the army.

After the evacuation of Corinth, June 1, 1862, these
companies started on the march toward Decatur, Ala., building
bridges at various points on the Memphis & Charleston railroad.
During the month about 3,000 feet of bridges were built and the
road put in running order as far as Decatur. Companies A and K
at Huntsville had worked on the road also and thus it was
repaired as far as Stevenson, excepting the bridge over the
Tennessee river at Decatur. In July the whole regiment was at
Huntsville. In August Colonel Innes, with five companies,
marched to Nashville, and commenced building bridges on the
Louisville and Nashville railroad previously destroyed by the
confederate general, Morgan, in his raid upon our
communications. On the advance of the confederate army under
General Bragg into Kentucky, in September, the regiment was,
with Buell's army, hastily concentrated at Louisville; the
different battalions with the several divisions of the army
taking part in the campaign against Bragg. On October 8th, the
detachment under command of Major Hopkins, consisting of
companies A, C and H, with Rousseau's division of McCook's
Corps, took part in the battle of Perryville, with a loss of
seventeen men wounded. After the battle of Perryville the
regiment was again united and marched with the army to
Nashville. In taking leave of the army General Buell
complimented, and made personal mention of Colonel Innes,
Lieutenant Colonel Hunton and Major Hopkins. General Rosecrans
having been appointed to the command of the army, it was
concentrated at Nashville. During November and December the
regiment was engaged in building bridges over Mill Creek and
other streams on line of Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad,
preparing for the advance to Murfreesboro.

The advance on Murfreesboro during the last few days of
December culminated in the battle of Stone River Dec. 31, 1862,
and Jan. 1 and 2, 1863. The enemy, under General Wheeler,
having raided our communications and destroyed baggage trains,
Colonel Innes was ordered to take position at Lavergne, midway
between Nashville and Murfreesboro, to protect our
communication and supply trains passing on the pike. A slight
barricade composed of brush and wagons was constructed, and
none too soon, for at noon on New Year's day, a large force of
rebels under General Wheeler made its appearance on the
Murfreesboro pike just north of the position taken by the
regiment. The improvised corral was soon attacked and the 391
officers and men were confronted with three or four thousand
cavalry and a section of light artillery. During the
engagement, which lasted until dark, the enemy made seven
distinct, separate charges upon the little band behind their
frail defenses, but each time was repulsed with loss.

Mr. Greely, in his book, "The American Conflict," notices
Colonel Innes' defense at Lavergne and in part says: "The
operation of the enemy in the rear of our army during this
memorable conflict (battle of Stone River), reflects no credit
on the intelligence and energy with which they were resisted.
The silver lining to this cloud was a most gallant defense made
on the 1st of January by Colonel Innes' First Michigan
Engineers and Mechanics, 391 strong, fighting behind a slight
protection of wagons and brush, who repulsed repeated charges
from more than ten times their number of Wheeler's cavalry."

From January 1st to June 29th, 1863, the regiment was
stationed at Lavergne, Murfreesboro, Smyrna and Nashville.
During this time it built bridges, magazines, buildings for
commissary and ordnance stores and relaid large amount of
railroad track.

In 1862 Congress passed an act recognizing all volunteer
organizations mustered into the United States service and
placing them on the same footing as the corps of engineers of
the Regular Army of the United States. This allowed the First
Michigan Engineers twelve companies of 150 men each. In the
winter of 1863-4, recruiting parties from each company were
sent home and by energetic work 913 recruits were secured,
among them being an addition of two new companies, L and M,
bringing the regiment up to the maximum of twelve companies.
The officers of the new companies were:

Co. L. Captain, George D. Emerson. First Lieutenant,
Elias H. Broadwell, Kalamazoo (by transfer). Second
Lieutenant, ---- ----, ----.

Co. M. Captain, Edson P. Gifford, Grand Rapids. First
Lieutenant, Daniel M. Moore, Rome. Second Lieutenant, Douglas
Nelson, Isabella City. Second Lieutenant, Caleb A. Ensign,
Jonesville.

The officers of the three battalions were John B. Yates,
commissioned Major May 28, 1863; Perrin V. Fox, commissioned
Major Dec. 15, 1863, and Garrett Hannings, commissioned Major
January 1, 1864.

On June 29, 1863, the regiment moved south with the army
from Murfreesboro in the advance on Chattanooga, and was
engaged in repairing the railroad from Murfreesboro to
Bridgeport, building bridges, etc. A bridge over Elk River,
460 feet long and 40 to 60 feet high, was built in eight days
from timber taken from the woods, and one over Duck River 350
feet in length, in about the same time. Later detachments of
the regiment were engaged in building bridges and repairing the
railroads leading to Bridgeport, Ala. One battalion under
command of Captain P. V. Fox accompanied the advance of the
army to Chattanooga. This detachment consisted of Companies D
and K, commanded by Lieutenants Herkner and Curtis,
respectively. Besides building pontoon and trestle bridges at
Chattanooga, it took a most active part in the construction of
a pontoon bridge at Brown's Ferry across the Tennessee River,
and opening up the well-known "cracker line" from Chattanooga
to Bridgeport. In connection with this affair a correspondent
from Chattanooga writes as follows:

"During the fight, Captain P. V. Fox, company D, Michigan
Engineers and Mechanics, in command of three companies of that
regiment, with forty of his own and ninety-eight of the Twenty-
first Michigan Infantry, volunteered to place the pontoon
bridge in proper position across the river at the contested
point, which they accomplished in seven hours, and only a short
time was consumed in the construction of fifty-two pontoon
boats and their formation into a serviceable bridge."

The laying of this bridge with the movement of Hooker's
troops opened the "cracker line" from the base of supplies to
Chattanooga and from that date the half-starved Union forces
were served with full rations. General Thomas complimented the
officers in charge of this expedition and the men serving under
them in general orders.

During the latter months of 1863 and the early part of
1864, the regiment was engaged in the construction of the
Nashville and Northwestern railroad from Nashville to the
Tennessee River, erecting block houses on the lines of railroad
from Nashville to Chattanooga, and in the construction of
storehouse and ordnance buildings at Bridgeport and
Chattanooga. Companies L and M completed the defenses at
Stevenson, Ala. In June, 1864, the regiment, with the
exception of the two companies at Stevenson, L and M, and one
company, C, at Chattanooga, took up the line of march with the
army under General Sherman in its advance to Atlanta,
rebuilding bridges, repairing railroads and materially
assisting in the advance of the army. The regiment arrived in
Atlanta on September 28th, where its headquarters were
established. On Nov. 2, the original term of the regiment
expired. Colonel Innes and such officers as desired to do so
were mustered out; also the enlisted men whose term of
enlistment had expired. The re-enlisted veterans, together
with recruits who had joined the regiment from time to time,
enabled it to maintain its full strength and organization
entire. Colonel John B. Yates succeeded to the command of the
regiment.

Ten of the companies were at Atlanta, Ga., Nov. 1, 1864,
employed in constructing defenses and destroying public
property that was useful to the confederates. Companies L and
M were in Tennessee and did not accompany General Sherman on
his march to the sea.

The regiment was attached to the Fourteenth corps and made
the march to Savannah, Ga., its services often being required
in the construction of bridges and laying pontoons so the army
might not be delayed on the march. Upon arrival at Savannah,
the regiment destroyed a vast amount of railroad track leading
out of the city and assisted in constructing defenses and
fortifications.

On this memorable march the regiment was required to keep
pace with the movements of the army, traveling over twenty
miles a day, and during the time was employed in tearing up
railroad track, twisting rails, burning bridges, repairing and
making roads through marshes, and building bridges. The
regiment left Atlanta November 16th and arrived before
Savannah, Ga., Dec. 11. The following extracts taken from a
diary kept during the march will give a better idea of the work
done, and the hardships of the march:

"Nov. 17. Companies K, D, C, G, E and I, with three days'
rations, left the main column and struck the Atlanta & Augusta
railroad at Lithonia; tore up the track and twisted the rails
for several miles; then followed large bodies of infantry from
the Fourteenth Corps until they reached Covington, twisting the
T rails."

"Nov. 18. After reaching a point beyond Covington, the
six companies left the railroad about dusk and marched three or
four miles until we reached the direct road to Eatonton, not
far from the Oleofanbacher river. The day's march was very
hard on the men, some of whom fainted by the way."

"Dec. 2. Marched as usual. Reached Buckhead Creek at 1
p. m.; repaired two or three bridges partly destroyed by
rebels. General Slocum present in person waiting to cross his
troops and train. Crossed over and camped near Buckhead Church
about dark."

"Dec. 3d. Moved down the river toward Millen and Augusta.
Then marched to near Horse Creek, on the road to Sylvania; the
last few miles were made after dark; men very tired; halted in
the road near water; supper at 11; sleep about midnight."

"Dec. 4th. Reveille at 4. Marched at 6 a. m.; repaired
several bad places in the road, one in particular near Little
Horse Creek; cut down small pine trees and with fence rails
made a passable road for the trains. Part of the men on duty
at this place all night keeping road in repair and assisting
trains to cross."

"Dec. 10th. Marched at 7 a. m. At Telfair we turned off
on the railroad. Formed column by companies closed in mass.
Waited orders; soon discovered an engine up the track carrying
a mounted cannon, which opened upon us. After a few shots we
moved across the track into the woods. One man, Robert Brown
of company H, was mortally wounded by a cannon ball. Soon
after the regiment was ordered on to a canal where a dam was
built to prevent the rebels overflowing the ground between us."

"Dec. 11. Major Hanning, with companies C, E, I and B,
moved over to the Charleston & Savannah railroad. After
finishing the dam across the canal the balance of the regiment
moved out from under fire and went into camp near General
Sherman's headquarters."

"On Dec. 24 the regiment moved into Savannah. Have a very
comfortable camp in the suburbs and the men are enjoying a
well-earned rest.

After the fall of Savannah the regiment was embarked on
transports for Beaufort, S. C., and then started on the long
march through the Carolinas for Goldsboro, N. C. During this
march a vast amount of public property was destroyed, railroad
iron heated and twisted and almost numberless bridges built and
repaired, the men often working all night so the army could
march the next morning.

Companies L and M, that had been left in Tennessee were
assigned to duty with the army of the Cumberland and were
busily engaged during the year in building block houses,
guarding railroads and were frequently attacked by the enemy.
March 1, 1865, these two companies proceeded by rail to New
York where they were sent by steamer to Beaufort and afterward
joined the regiment at Goldsboro, N. C.

After the surrender of General Lee to General Grant and
General Johnson to General Sherman, the regiment proceeded to
Washington, where it took part in the grand review, May 24.
The regiment was then sent to Nashville, Tenn., where it was
employed upon the defenses until September 22, when it was
mustered out of service. It arrived at Jackson, Mich., where
it was paid and disbanded October 1, 1865.

Engaged at Mill Springs, Ky., January 19, 1862;
Farmington, Miss., May 9, 1862; siege of Corinth, May 10 to 31,
1862; Perryville, Ky., October 8, 1862; Lavergne, Tenn.,
January 1, 1863; Chattanooga, Tenn., October 6, 1863; siege of
Atlanta, Ga., July 22 to September 2, 1864; Savannah, Ga.,
December 11 to 21, 1864; Averysboro, N. C., March 16, 1865;
Bentonville, N. C., March 19, 1865.

Total enrollment...........................................2920
Killed in action..............................................2
Died of wounds................................................4
Died in confederate prisons...................................2
Died of disease.............................................280
Discharged for disability (wounds and disease)..............279

It is difficult to present in a brief manner the important
services rendered to the Union armies by this regiment, the
organization of which, and for the purpose it was designed, are
quite distinct from any other Michigan regiment. Scarcely an
organization in the western department but what at some time
during the war was helped and benefitted by the labors of the
officers and men of the Engineers' and Mechanics', and the
movement of the great armies of Rosecrans, Sherman and Thomas
were facilitated and combinations made practical that otherwise
would have been left to the element of chance.

Possibly more than any other organization the regiment
worked in detachments, often at widely different places, as
their skillful services were required in the mechanical
construction of bridges, pontoons, boats, forts, block houses,
saw mills and in the destruction of the enemy's railroads. The
prodigious labors of the engineers in building bridges across
wide rivers and over deep chasms from the material that was
growing in the forest, in celerity or utility had the work been
done at the factory from finished seemed at times like the work
of genii and could not have been surpassed products, aided by
the best mechanical appliances.