Organized at Detroit Mich., and mustered in October 15, 1861. Moved to Jeffersonville, Ind., October 25, thence to West Point and to Muldraugh's Hill, Ky., and duty there constructing bridges and earthworks till January 4, 1862. Attached to Thomas' Command, Dept. of the Ohio, November, 1861. 16th Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to March, 1862. 23rd Independent Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to November, 1862. Headquarters 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to February, 1864. Headquarters Dept. of the Cumberland in the field to May, 1864. Reserve Brigade, Dept. of the Cumberland, to October, 1864. Headquarters Dept. of the Cumberland, Chattanooga, Tenn., to June, 1865. Nashville, Tenn., to September, 1865.
SERVICE.-March to Eiizabethtown, Ky., January 4-6, 1862 (Cos. "A," "B," "C," "D," "F" and "K"), and duty there till March 11. (Cos. "E" and "G" at West Point till January 15, 1862, then moved to Elizabethtown. Co. "I" at West Point till March 9, then moved to Elizabethtown. Co. "F" at Nolin Bridge January 9 to March 9, 1862.) March to West Point March 11-12, thence to Nashville, Tenn., March 19-23, and duty there till May 28. Expedition to Middle Tennessee in pursuit of Morgan May 3-7. Negley's Expedition to Chattanooga, Tenn., May 28-June 17. Chattanooga June 7. Forest's attack on Murfreesboro July 13. (Six Companies, "A," "B," "C," "G," "H" and "K" captured.) Companies "E," "D," "F" and "I" at Tullahoma till August. Short Mountain Cross Roads near McMinnville August 29 (Co. "D"); Tyree Springs September 11. Companies "E," "D," "F" and "I" at Bowling Green, Ky., District of Louisville, Dept. Ohio, to October. March to Nashville, Tenn., October 16-November 7. Regiment detailed as special guard at Headquarters of General Thomas, and also as provost guard for 14th Army Corps, October. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26-30. Battle of Stone's River December 30-31, 1862, and January 1-3, 1863. Overall's Creek December 31, 1862. Duty at and near Murfreesboro till June. Middle Tennessee or Tullahoma Campaign June 23-July 7. Occupation of Middle Tennessee till August 16. Passage of the Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga (Ga.) Campaign August 16-September 22. Battle of Chickamauga September 19-21. Siege of Chattanooga, Tenn., September 24-November 23. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Battles of Chattanooga November 23-25. Recononissance toward Dalton February 22-27, 1864. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1 to September 8. Demonstrations on Rocky Faced Ridge and Dalton May 8-13. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Advance on Dallas May 18-25. Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills May 25-June 5. Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Pine Hill June 11-14. Lost Mountain June 15-17. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Ruff's Station July 4. Chattahoochie River July 5-17. Peach Tree Creek July 19-20. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Utoy Creek August 5-7. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. Provost duty at Atlanta, Ga., till October 30. Moved to Chattanooga October 30-November 6, and duty there at Headquarters Dept. of the Cumberland till March 27, 1865. Moved to Nashville, Tenn., March 27, and duty at Headquarters Dept. of the Cumberland; also guarding military prisons till September. Mustered out September 15 and discharged at Detroit, Mich., September 26, 1865.
Regiment lost during service 2 Officers and 22 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 4 Officers and 281 Enlisted men by disease. Total 309.
I didn't find John Thayer there but did find:
Thayer, Daniel W.
Co C Sgt. 1st Sgt.
Thayer, Henry T.
Co's C,D Pvt. Pvt.
The only John Thayer I found was listed with the 26th:
John A. Thayer
Regiment Name 26 Michigan Infantry
Side Union
Company A
Soldier's Rank_In Pvt.
Soldier's Rank_Out Pvt.
Film Number M545 roll 42
26th Regiment, Michigan Infantry
Organized at Jackson, Mich., September 10 to December 12, 1862. Mustered in December 12, 1862. Left State for Washington, D. C., December 13. Attached to District of Alexandria, Defences of Washington, D. C., to February, 1863. Slough's Brigade, Garrison of Alexandria, Va., 22nd Army Corps, to April, 1863. Ferry's 1st Brigade, Corcoran's 1st Division, 7th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia, to July, 1863. New York, Dept. of the East, to October, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1865.
SERVICE.-Provost duty at Alexandria, Va., till April 20, 1863. Ordered to Suffolk, Va., April 20. Siege of Suffolk, Va., April 22-May 4. Siege of Suffolk raised May 4. Windsor May 23. Dix's Peninsula Campaign June 24-July 8. Expedition to Bottom's Bridge July 1-7. Ordered to New York City July 12. Duty there and at Fort Richmond, N. Y. Harbor, July 14 to October 13. Ordered to join Army of the Potomac in the field. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7, 1864. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River May 4-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness, Corbin's Bridge, May 8. Spottsylvania May 8-12. Po River May 10. Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient ("Bloody Angle") May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. (Co. "F" detached in Slough's Brigade, Defences of Washington, D. C., 22nd Army Corps, June, 1864, to June, 1865.) Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon Railroad, June 22-23, 1864. Demonstration north of the James July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 27-28. Demonstration north of the James at Deep Bottom August 13-20. Strawberry Plains August 14-18. Ream's Station August 25. Reconnoissance to Hatcher's Run December 9-10. Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5-7, 1865. Watkin's House March 25. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. On line of Hatcher's and Gravelly Runs March 29-30. Hatcher's Run -(or Boydton Road) and White Oak Road March 31. Sutherland Station April 2. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Sailor's Creek April 6. Flat Creek, near Amelia Springs, April 6. High Bridge April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Regiment specially detailed to remain at Appomattox Court House until the paroling of Lee's army was accomplished. Moved to Washington, D. C., May 2-13. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out June 4, 1865.
Regiment lost during service 3 Officers and 115 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 159 Enlisted men by disease. Total 280.