William F. Fox, Lt. Col. U. S. V., Regimental Losses in the American Civil War, 1861-1865: A Treatise on the extent and nature of the mortuary losses in the Union regiments, with full and exhaustive statistics compiled from the official records on file in the state military bureaus and at Washington

Sixth Michigan Cavalry.

Total of killed and wounded, 496; died in Confederate prisons (previously included), 98.

notes.--One of the most remarkable and gallant cavalry charges of the war was made by a squadron of the Sixth Michigan Cavalry at Falling Waters, Md., on July 14, 1863. In the retreat from Gettysburg, a Confederate division made a stand at Falling Waters on the Potomac, to cover the crossing of troops, and intrenched their position. This position was attacked by four companies of the Sixth--Companies D, C, B, and F--led by Major Peter A. Weber, who with two other officers was killed in the affair. The outer line of works was carried, and the men leaped their horses over the inner line, but were obliged to retreat with a heavy loss. At Hawes's Shop, Custer's Brigade fought dismounted, the Sixth Regiment losing 16 killed and 19 wounded out of 140 engaged. In Sheridan's cavalry campaign in 1864--from May 4th to June 30th--the Sixth lost 29 killed, 60 wounded, and 64 missing; many of the latter were killed or wounded. After the close of the war the brigade was ordered to the far West where it was engaged in fighting Indians.

The Sixth was organized at Grand Rapids under the second call for volunteers, and was mustered into the service of the United States, October 13, 1862. It left Grand Rapids, 1,229 strong, on the 10th of December, 1862, and proceeded to Washington where it was assigned to the Michigan Cavalry Brigade. This brigade was commanded by General Copeland, who was succeeded in June, 1863, by General Custer. The brigade was mustered out on November 24, 1865, the recruits having been previously transferred to the First Michigan Veteran Cavalry, which was not mustered out until March 10, 1866.