The collection, 2019, 5 cubic feet (in 10 boxes), was collected by Quita V. Shier to research her subsequent book on the topic, and includes research copies of military service records of the men in Company K from the National Archives and information from online censuses and newspapers documenting the First Michigan Sharpshooter Regiment, Company K. The military service records document enlistment, pay, invalid status, death or discharge, and/or pension records in military forms and correspondence. Only a few images are included of tombstones or portraits of soldiers in obituaries. A few tax or land records are also included. The collection documents the lives and significance of the Company K soldiers during the Civil War era. This collection is organized alphabetically by the name of the soldier’s surnames. The originals are housed in the National Archives.
Biography:
Quita V. Shier, graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University and is a longtime resident of Michigan. As a historian, Shier also taught classes at Delta College and has experience in archival and family genealogical research. Her books concern Indian cultures and ways of life. A historian of Native Americans who fought in the Civil War in Michigan Sharpshooters 1st Regiment, Company K, she collected research copies of the military service records of the men in Company K from the National Archives and information from online censuses and newspapers to write her book, Warriors in Mr. Lincoln's army : Native American soldiers who fought in the civil war (2018), copies of which are available in the CMU libraries. (This information is from her book.)
Company K was the only company in the First Michigan Sharpshooter Regiment with Native Americans on its roster that fought during the Civil War. Led by two white officers and one Native, the regiment was otherwise composed of 137 Anishnaabe Native Americans who were good marksmen and employed tactics in battle that were traditional for their people, but not for the U.S. Army. Many enlisted and served in the vain hope that their military service would help them secure new treaties, more land rights, citizenship, equal social standing, and financial security. The regiment fought in the battles of Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Crater, which were all important battles during the Civil War. While some Native Americans fought for the Confederacy, this unit is unique in Civil War and Michigan history, and played a significant role in helping change the tide in the war. (This information is from her book.) The Clarke has other primary and secondary sources on Company K, both the regiment and information about individuals. Interested researchers should consult the Libraries catalog for further information.
