Noah Henry Ferry (April 30, 1831 – July 3, 1863), was a Major in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

's 5th Michigan Cavalry. He died in the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

Early life

Noah was born in 1831 to Rev.

William Montague Ferry William Montague Ferry Sr. (September 8, 1796 – December 30, 1867) was a Presbyterian minister, missionary, and community leader who founded several settlements in Ottawa County, Michigan. He became known as the father of Grand Haven and father ...

and his wife Amanda White Ferry. He was their fourth child and third son. His oldest brother William Montague Ferry Jr. was a Colonel in the Union Army (and later a politician), and his other older brother was U.S. Senator Thomas W. Ferry . The family lived at a Presbyterian missionary on

Mackinac Island Mackinac Island ( ; french: Île Mackinac; oj, Mishimikinaak ᒥᔑᒥᑭᓈᒃ; otw, Michilimackinac) is an island and resort area, covering in land area, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The name of the island in Odawa is Michilimackinac an ...

, where Rev. Ferry ministered to Native American's. In 1834, the Ferry family moved to

Grand Haven Grand Haven is a city within the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Ottawa County. Grand Haven is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, for which it is named. As of the 2010 census, Grand H ...

. Here, the Ferry's started many successful businesses which included interests in lumber, iron, ship building, and bankingSeibold, David H. (2007). ''Grand Haven - In the Path of Destiny''. Norton Shores, Michigan: Grand Haven Historical Society. p. 39. .

Before the War

Noah took over the Ferry and Sons Sawmill in White River Township when he was just 23 years old. He was the township's wealthiest citizen, and largest employer.

Civil War

During the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, Noah and a group 102 men (many were his employees) enlisted as the "White River Guard." They elected Noah as their commander. The guard was combined with others and became the 5th Michigan Volunteer Cavalry. Noah Ferry was Major of the Regiment. The regiment went to Virginia to fight, and met up with Michigan's 1st, 6th, and 7th Brigade. They were collectively called The Michigan Cavalry Brigade. Fighting in the war proved tiring and frustrating for The Michigan Cavalry Brigade. Tensions became high, in large part due to constant drunkenness of Colonel Freeman Norvell (the man in charge of The Michigan Cavalry Brigade). During one of Colonel Norvell drunken tirades, Major Ferry held a gun to his head and demanded he relinquish command of the Brigade. Ferry was triumphant in his battle of will. Colonel Norvell resigned and Ferry was offered the position of Colonel of the Brigade. Ferry turned down the role insisting he had not yet earned this position.

Death at Gettysburg

When Ferry and his men got to Gettysburg, it was clear that this battle would be unlike one they had previously seen. While waiting for support from Brigadier General George Armstrong Custer's men, Ferry led 200 unmounted cavalrymen into battle, famously saying, "Rally boys, Rally for the fence" shortly before he was shot in the head, dying instantly.

Legacy

General Custer's official report talked of the loss of "The brave and chivalric Major N. H. Ferry."''The Cavalry at Gettysburg,'' Edward G. Longacre, 1986. Colonel Russell Alger knew Ferry and his family. Col Alger was with Ferry the day he was killed. Alger wrote, "Major Ferry, who was cheering his battalion to hold its ground, was instantly killed. His death cast a deep gloom upon the whole Brigade. He was a gallant soldier, an exemplary man and his loss was a great blow." He also wrote, "(Ferry) wore the uniform of the Union because he could not conscientiously shirk the duty he felt that he owed the government, and relinquished fortune, home, ambition, life itself, for the cause of the Union."{{Cite web, title=The Project Gutenberg eBook of Personal Recollections of a Cavalryman, by J.H.Kidd., url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/29608/29608-h/29608-h.htm, access-date=2022-01-05, website=www.gutenberg.org Ferry's Body was buried under a tree on the battle field. Shortly afterwards, Noah's Father William Montague Ferry, and Brother Thomas W. Ferry went to recover his body. His body was brought back to Grand Haven where it lays in the Ferry plot of the Lake Forest Cemetery. Though buried in Grand Haven, Ferry has the foremost stone in the Michigan section of the

Gettysburg National Cemetery Gettysburg National Cemetery is a United States national cemetery created for Union casualties from the Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War. The Battle of Gettysburg, which was fought between July 1 to 3, 1863, resulted in the larges ...

. The main street of Montague Michigan, is named Ferry Street in Noah's Honor. Ferry Church in Montague is also named in Noah's honor.

References

Union Army officers Michigan Brigade Battle of Gettysburg People from Grand Haven, Michigan People from Mackinac Island, Michigan Ferry family Union military personnel killed in the American Civil War Military personnel from Michigan 1831 births 1863 deaths