1st Michigan Lancers

In 1862 Colonel Arthur Rankin of Windsor, Canada, recruited eight companies to be assigned to a Lancer regiment. These companies were mustered into the service of the United States with the maximun number of men, fully armed and equipped except as tpo horses.. Before they could be fully organbized and recruited, orders were recieved from the War Department disbanding the regiment, contrary to the repeated protests of Governor Blair and without givivng any reasons for such an order. Most of the men entered service in other regiments then in the field; but, the government lost the services of a remakably fine regiment of cavalry.