Published: February 22, 2009 10:39 am      

Excerpt: 'Their war whoop rang out...'

This excerpt from "Michigan In the War," an 1882 state report by Adjutant Gen. Jonathan Robertson, describes a May 1863 battle at Spotsylvania, Va., between the Confederates and New York and Michigan infantries and Company K of the 1st Michigan Sharp Shooters. Second Lt. Garrett Graveraet's father, Henry Graveraet, was one of 17 sharpshooters killed that day:

"Every now and then the Confederates would fight their way up to the battery and lay hold on the cannon to turn them on the Union forces, but to touch one of those guns meant instant death at the hands of the sharpshooters. In this desperate encounter, the little band of Indians was commanded by Lieutenant Graveraet of Little Traverse ...

"Under a perfect storm of lead their numbers seemed to melt away, but there was no sign of faltering. Sheltered behind trees, they poured volley after volley at the zealous foe, and above the din of battle their war whoop rang out with every volley. At dusk the ammunition gave out, but with the others the Indians rushed forward at the shout of "Give 'em steel, boys!" from the twice-wounded, but still plucky Colonel DeLand."