In the afternoon of Thursday, June 6, the Second Regiment, one thousand and twenty strong, embarked on three steamers, and at eight o'clock p. m. left Detroit for Cleveland, arriving there the following morning. From Cleveland it proceeded by railway, via Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Baltimore, to Washington, reaching the capital on the 10^th. the following account of its arrival, which appeared under the head of "Special Dispatch to the New York Tribune," is taken from that paper and given here in full as showing the excited state of public feeling at that time, as well as the crude and peculiar ideas of military discipline and movements which then prevailed. The account dated Washington, June 10, 1861, was as follows:

The Second Michigan Regiment, Colonel Richardson, arrived at four o'clock this morning. * * * * Word had come from the United States marshal that an attack would be made on them in Baltimore, and the train halted seven miles on the other side of the Monumental City where the men loaded their muskets. The orders were to avoid an encounter if possible, but if unavoidable to take no half measures, but for each company to fight to the death and for the pioneers to make clean work with houses from which they were assailed.

In a suburb on the other side a brick was thrown at a private. It did not hit, but the orderly sergeant of company F drew his revolver and fired at the stoner. He was seen to fall, but whether killed or not is unknown.

At the depot a raw private accidentally discharged is musket, ball whisked through the car, causing great excitement, but no harm was done.

Two miles this side of Baltimore a shot from behind a fence went through a car. The lights were extinguished and the men ordered to form in line of battle if the shot should be followed by more. Sentinels were posted in each car. Near the Relay house firing was heard from one of our picket guards. It was reported that they had been attacked and had killed four men. The truth is not known. The informant adds that the regiment received a hearty welcome from the women in and beyond Baltimore, while no man, so far as he saw greeted them.

The regiment is a fine-looking body, numbering ten hundred and twenty. Their uniforms are dark blue, like the First Michigan, and they are armed partially with new Minie guns and partially with the Harper's Ferry musket of 1846. They are well supplied with clothing and camp equipage. Thirty women, who will serve as nurses and laundresses, accompany the regiment. This afternoon the regiment was received by General Scott and the President at their residences.

The regiment made a stay of several weeks in the District of Columbia, its camp being named "Camp Winfield Scott.' It was brigaded with the Third Michigan, First Massachusetts and Twelfth New York, the brigade commander being Colonel Richardson, of the Second Michigan. When General McDowell made his forward movement towards Manassas, this brigade moved with the army into Virginia and was engaged in the fight at Blackburn's Ford, July 18, and in the battle of Bull Run, Sunday, July 21. In the panic and disorder which ended that disastrous day the Second Regiment behaved with great steadiness, covering the retreat of the brigade towards Washington, for which it was warmly complimented by the heroic Richardson.

After Bull Run the regiment was encamped for some weeks near Arlington, and later in the season at Ft. Lyon, Virginia, where it remained during the fall. About December 20 substantial and conformable winter-quarters were constructed at "Camp Michigan" three miles from Alexandria, on the Acotink road. While This camp was in process of construction an officer wrote that "Cabins are growing up on every side, adorned with doors and windows, produced by a process called 'cramping,' which is somewhere on the debatable ground between buying and stealing." Here the regiment remained until march, 1862, when it moved with its brigade and the Army of the Potomac to Fortress Monroe, and thence up the Peninsula to Yorktown and Williamsburg, at which latter place it took active part in the severe engagement of Monday, May 5, sustaining a loss of fifty-five killed and wounded. Among the latter were Captain Morse, of F Company, who was afterwards transferred to the invalid corps, and Capt. William B. McCreery, an original member of F Company, but who had been promoted to the command of Company G; he received three severe wounds, by one of which his left wrist was permanently disabled. Afterwards having recovered sufficiently to return to the field, he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the Twenty-first Michigan infantry, and two months later became its colonel. He led his regiment gallantly through the fire and carnage of Stone's river (December 31, 1862, to January 3, 1863), and fought at its head at Chickamauga, (September 20, 1863), until he had received three severe wounds, and was finally taken prisoner by the enemy. He was sent to Libby prison, Richmond, from which, however, he succeed in making his escape by tunneling under the walls, February 19, 1864. Six days later he returned to Flint, where a public reception was extended to him by leading citizens and a banquet was given in his honor at the Carlton House, March 2. The disability resulting from his numerous wounds compelled his retirement from the service and he resigned in September, 1864. Maj.-Gen. George H. Thomas, in reluctantly accepting his resignation, took occasion to compliment him highly, in orders, on his honorable record and the gallantry of his service in the Army of the Cumberland. These facts relating to the military career of Colonel McCreery are mentioned here in connection with the battle of Williamsburg because that fight virtually severed his connection with the Second Regiment, in which he was among the most honored and popular of its officers.

From Williamsburg the Second Regiment moved with the army, up the peninsula to and across the Chickahominy and fought in the battle of Fair oaks, May 31 and June 1, 1862. Its loss in that engagement was fifty-seven killed and wounded; that of Company F was fourteen, or one-fourth the total killed and wounded of that regiment. Three companies of the Second, however, were not engaged in the fight.

In the retreat, or "change of base," as it has sometimes been called, from the York river railroad to James River, the regiment fought at Glendale, or Charles City Cross-Roads, June 30, and at Malvern Hill, July 1. From the latter field it retired with the army and moved to Harrison's Landing on the James, where it remained until the general evacuation of that position, August 15 when it march down the Peninsula and was moved thence by way of the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River with other troops to the assistance of the imperiled army of General Pope in the valley of the Rappahannock. During this campaign it took part in the fights of August 28, 29, 30, and in the battle of Chantilly, September 1.

At Fredericksburg the Second was not actively engaged. It crossed the Rappahannock on the 12^th of December, but in the great battle of the next day was held in reserve and sustained only a loss of one killed and one wounded by the enemy's shells; but, with the eighth Michigan it was among the last of the regiments of the army to recross to the north side of the river on the 16^th.

On the 13^th of February, 1863, the regiment moved to Newport News, Virginia, and on the 19^th of March, took its route to Baltimore, and thence by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and steamers on the Ohio river, to Louisville, Kentucky, with the Ninth Army Corps, of which it was a part. The corps remained in Kentucky during the months of April and May, and in June was moved to Mississippi to reinforce the army of General Grant near Vicksburg. The Second went into camp at Milldale, near Vicksburg, on the 17^th and a few days later was stationed at Flower Dale church. On the 4^th of July, the day of the surrender of Vicksburg, the regiment left flower Dale and moved east towards the capital of Mississippi to take part in the operations against the rebel army of General Johnston. It arrived in front of Jackson on the evening of the 10^th, and on the 11^th advanced in skirmish line on the enemy's rife-pits, which were taken and held for a time. Superior numbers, however, compelled the Second to retire from the position, with a loss of eleven killed, forty-five wounded and five taken prisoner. On the 13^th and 14^th of July the regiment was again slightly engaged. On the 17^th and 18^th it was engaged in destroying the Memphis & New Orleans railroad in the vicinity of Jackson and Madison, and then moved through Jackson, which had been evacuated by the enemy, back to Milldale; it remained there till August 5, when it marched to the river, and thence moved with the Ninth Corps by way of Cincinnati, to Kentucky, and encamped at Crab Orchard Springs, in that state, on the 30^th of August. Here it remained twelve days. Before September 10 it broke camp and took the road for Cumberland Gap and Knoxville, Tennessee, reaching the latter place September 26. It moved from the vicinity of Knoxville, October 8, and was slightly engaged at Blue springs on the 10^th. On the 20^th it was again at Knoxville, but immediately afterwards moved to Loudon, and thence to Lenoir, Tennessee, where, on the 8^th of November, its men commenced building winter quarters. The strength of the regiment at that time was reported at five hundred and three, present and absent.

The anticipation of passing the winter at Lenoir was soon dispelled by the intelligence that the enemy under General Longstreet was moving up the valley of the Tennessee in heavy force, evidently having Knoxville as his objective point. On the 14^th of November, the Second regiment, with its division, the First division of the Ninth Corps, was ordered out to meet and repel Longstreet, who was reported to be crossing the Tennessee below Loudon. He was found in force neat Hough's Ferry, on the Holston, and the division fell back to Lenoir. Here a line of battle was formed; but, on the enemy coming up, the retreat towards Knoxville was resumed, the Second Regiment, with its brigade, forming the rear guard. On the 16^th it again stood in line at Campbell's Station to resist the advance of Longstreet, who was pressing up with great vigor. A sharp engagement ensued in which the Second lost thirty-one in killed and wounded. The position was stubbornly held till dark, when the retreat was resumed. The regiment reached Knoxville at five 0[clock in the morning of the 17^th after a march of nearly thirty miles through mud and rain and a battle of several hours' duration, all without rest or food. It rook position on a hill below the city, at Ft. Saunders, where rifle-pits were constructed and where the regiment remained during the siege which followed. On the 19^th and 20^th it was slightly engaged, and on the 24^th, under orders to attack a line of rifle-pits, it advanced under command of Major Byington, moving several hundred yards across an open plain swept by a front and flank fire of musketry and canister. The line was carried, but could not be held; the attacking force was dislodged and compelled to retire, with a loss to the Second Regiment of eighty-one killed and wounded--very nearly half its whole number in the fight. Among the killed was Adjutant William Noble and Major Byington, was mortally wounded.

On the morning of Sunday, November 29, 1863, a force of the enemy consisting of two veteran Georgia brigades of McLaw's division, made a furious and persistent assault on Ft. Saunders; but they were repelled and finally driven back in disorder with a loss of eight hundred in killed, wounded and prisoners and three stands of colors. With the force inside the fort during this assault were Companies A, F, G, and H, of the Second Michigan. Their loss, however, was inconsiderable, being only five killed and wounded. From that time the regiment saw no fighting at this place other then slight skirmishes and on Friday night, December 4, the enemy withdrew from before Knoxville, after a siege of eighteen days' duration.