Samuel W Burroughs

Samuel Whiteside Burroughs

Samuel Whiteside Burroughs, enlisted asa Private into Company I (under his brother-in-law's company, Lieutenant - later Captain - Myron H. Ellis), 7th Regiment Michigan Volunteer Cavalry on February 14, 1863 at Ypsilanti, Michigan. During late June, the 7th Michigan Cavalry marched from Fairfax Court-House, Virginia, northerly with the Army of the Potomac following up General Lee's Confederate Army by way of Frederick, Maryland; thence following up the Cotoctin Valley towards Gettysburg and engaged in scouting. General Kilpatrick took command of the Cavalry Division, which General Custer at the head of the Michigan Brigade took the place of General Copland as Brigade Commander. This brigade was engaged at Hanover, Pennsylvania on June 30, 1863 with some of Stewart's Confederate Cavalry and on the 2nd and 3rd of July, this regiment and brigade were on the extreme right of the enemy and on July 3 had a great Cavalry battle with the Confederate Cavalry at Rummel's Farm. General Gregg with his division of Cavalry and with Kilpatrick's division and Custer's Brigade had a great battle with the Confederate Cavalry under General Stewart and stopped the Cavalry Corps from getting into the rear of the army of the Potomac during the third and last day's battle of Gettysburg. On the morning of July 4 or 5, the 7th Michigan Cavalry Regiment with the other part of the command followed up Lee's retreating army and was engaged at Montri Gap and again on the next day at Smithsburg and at Hagerstown still following and driving the Confederates who continued their retreat to and across the Potomac River at or near Falling Waters.

Burroughs took part in the entire Gettysburg campaign and served in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania until he was honorably discharged for youth on September 15, 1863 near Culpeper Court-House, Virginia. He re-enlisted as Private (under Major John B. Bell - a cousin) with Company I, 15th Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry (Army of the Tennessee) on March 28, 1864 and served in Georgia and the Carolinas during the winter months of December 1864, and January through March in 1865. He served through General Sherman's entire military campaigns in Georgia, the March to the Sea, and the Campaigns of North and South Carolinas to the end of the war when he was again honorably discharged (as a Corporal) at Little Rock, Arkansas on August 13, 1865.

Samuel returned to his home in Belleville, Michigan, and in 1876, he married Jane Steffy of Belleville, and they had four children, of whom three survived, Lottie B. (Descher), George H. and Don M. Burroughs. Samuel resumed his schooling for an education, and afterwards commenced the study of law. He was admitted to the bar in December 1879, and had an office in Belleville, and later practiced law in Detroit, and was elected Prosecutor for Wayne County for two years, and also a judge. He was a member of the State Bar Association, the Grand Army of the Republic No. 384 ("Silk Stocking Post"), and of International Organization of Oddfellows. He wrote a play for the stage: Herbert de Bazan; or, The soldier of the Tennessee, a tragical drama, in three acts, published by The Tribune Printing Company, Detroit, Michigan, (1873).

The following is an excerpt from the book by Mamie Wynne Cox, The Romantic Flags of Texas, Banks Upshaw and Company, Dallas, TX, 1936, Chapter XVIII, Captain Burroughs Flag of the Muskingum County, Ohio Volunteers:

"Judge Samuel W. Burroughs was one of Michigan's best trial lawyers and prosecuting attorney in Detroit. He was an orator and speaker in Michigan and other states."

Samuel Whiteside Burroughs, son of Colonel George H. Burroughs and Rebecca Jane (Bell) Burroughs, was born at Belleville, Wayne County, Michigan on August 11, 1847 (August 16, 1846 per the Ellis Family Bible Record), in Belleville, Michigan. He died on March 23, 1916 at his home in Detroit, Michigan (1004 Trumbull Ave.), 6th Ward, where he had resided since September 15, 1908. He is buried in Lot 127, with his wife, Jane, Samuel W. Burroughs, Jr. and his parents and brother, in Pleasantview/Soop Cemetery, Belleville, Michigan.

Photograph and information was submitted by Samuel Whiteside Burroughs' great grand niece Karen Kravcov Malcolm of Scottsdale, Arizona.

Samuel Whiteside Burroughs