Orlando Bolivar Willcox (1823–1907) was born on April 16, 1823, in Detroit, Michigan Territory. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1847. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Artillery, Willcox served at the end of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and participated in frontier duties out west, then fought in the Third Seminole War (1856-1858) in Florida. In 1857, he resigned from the Army to pursue a legal career in Detroit.
With the onset of the American Civil War in 1861, Willcox returned to military service. He was appointed colonel of the 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry, the state’s sole three-month regiment. Under his leadership, the regiment swiftly mobilized, arriving in Washington, D.C., on May 16, 1861, marking the first regiment from the western states to reach the capital. Their prompt arrival elicited President Abraham Lincoln’s gratitude, reportedly leading him to exclaim, “Thank God for Michigan!” On May 24, 1861, Willcox and his regiment entered Alexandria, Virginia overland. With Colonel Elmer E. Ellsworth slain at the hands of a local innkeeper, Willcox took control of the occupation and negotiated surrender of the town.
During the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, Colonel Willcox commanded a brigade in Major General Samuel P. Heintzelman’s division. He led multiple charges against Confederate positions until he was wounded and captured. For his “most distinguished gallantry” in this battle, Willcox was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1895. His leadership and bravery during these early, pivotal months of the war underscored his commitment to the Union cause and set a standard for the troops under his command. Following the Civil War, Willcox re-entered the regular U.S. Army and served until 1887. He died in Canada in 1907 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Reports and Letters
Primary Sources
Scott, Robert Garth, ed. Forgotten Valor: The Memoirs, Journals, & Civil War Letters of Orlando B. Willcox. Kent: Kent State University Press, 1999.
Updated: 10 March 2025
Created: 17 February 2025
Spirit of '61 