Maj. Gen. Byron Root Pierce, the only full brigadier-general of the late Civil War living in the state of Michigan, was born in East Bloomfield, Ontario county, N.Y., September 20, 1829, a son of Silas and Mary (Root) Pierce--the former a native of New York and the latter of Massachusetts, and both of English descent, the father of Mrs. Mary (Root) Pierce having been a hero of the Revolutionary war.

Gen. Byron R. Pierce was educated at Rochester, N.Y., and began his business life in a woolen factory, a vocation in which his father had been engaged; he later became identified with the dental profession, and in 1856 came to Grand Rapids and followed his profession up to the date of his enlistment. He had in the interval been captain of the Valley City Light Guards for two or three years. And thus had had some experience as a drillmaster; he was at Joliet, Ill., when he enlisted in the United States volunteer service, and was hurried home to Grand Rapids to take command of a company already organized. He was at once commissioned captain of company K, Third regiment, Michigan volunteer infantry, and mustered in May 13, 1861--a very early date of the Civil war, indeed--and from that time forward, for bravery and meritorious conduct in face of the enemy and other places, his promotion was rapid until his muster out, August 24, 1865, a period of over four years and three months, and this valiant service was recognized even after the war had closed by the national and state governments. These promotions may be briefly enumerated as follows

Major of Third Michigan infantry, October 21, 1861; lieutenant colonel of Third Michigan infantry, July 25,1862; colonel of Third Michigan infantry, January 1,1863; brigadier-general, U. S. volunteers, June 7,1864, mustered on field, June 18,1864, at Petersburg, by Maj.-Gen. W. S. Hancock’s acting-assistant general; brevet major-general of U. S. volunteers, April 5,1865, for gallant service at the battle of Sailor’s creek.

A brief list of the various engagements in which Gen. B.R. Pierce took an active part, as copied from the archives in the war department at Washington, D. C., is as follows:

Richardson’s brigade, Mills’ division, McDowell’s army--Blackburn’s Ford, Va., July 18, 1861; Bull Run, Va., July 21, 1861; Bailey’s cross roads, Va., August 30, 1861, reconnaissance to Pohick church, and the Occoquan, November 10-14,1861; reconnaissance to Occoquan village, February 3, 1862.

First brigade, Third division, Third corps---Yorktown, Va., April 4 to May 4, 1862.

Third brigade, First division, Third corps--Williamsburg, Va.,. May 5, 1862; Fair Oaks, May 31, 1862; seven day’s fight before Richmond’ Savage Station, June 29, 1862; Peach Orchard, June 29, 1862; Glendale, June 30, 1862; Malvern Hill, July 1, 1862; second Bull Run, August 29-30, 1862; Chantilly, September 1, 1862; duty in defense of Washington, D. C,, until November, 1862; Burnside’s march, January 20-24, 1863.

Third brigade, Second division, Third corps--Chancellorsville, a., May 1-3, 1863--wounded May 3, in left hand and right arm; Gettysburg, Pa., July 2, 1863--wounded through left leg, below knee; New York city and Troy, N.Y. August 17, to September 17, 1863, Auburn, Va., October 1, 1863; Kelly’s Ford, Va., November 7, 1863; and Mine Run, November 29-30, 1863.

Second brigade, Third division, Second corps Wilderness, May 5-7, 1864; Todd’s Tavern, May 8, 1864; Po River, May 10, 1864; Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864; led the charge on the Salient; wounded in left leg, horse killed under him; commanding First brigade; North Anna, May 23-24, 1864; Cold Harbor, June 1 to 12, 1864. Commanding Third division, Second corps, before Petersburg, Va., June 11 to 22, 1864; wounded June 18, in left shoulder; Weldon Railroad, June 22 to 23, 1864; Deep Bottom, July 27-28,1864; Mine Run explosion, July 30, in reserve; Strawberry Plains, August 14-18,1864; Ream’s Station, August 24, 1864; Popular Springs Church, September 30-October 1,1864; Boydton road, October 27-28, 1864; Fort Sedgwick, November 5, 1864; Dabney’s Mills, February 5-7, 1864; Hatcher’s Run, March 28, 1865; White Oak Road, March 30-31, 1865; Boydton Road, April2, 1865; fall of Petersburg, April 3, 1865; Sailor’s creek, April 5, 1865; Farmville, April 7, 1865; New Store, April 8, 1865; and Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1865, mustered out, August 24, 1865.

The above statement, although concise is valuable, as it gives the dates on which these important engagements, in which Gen. Pierce took so active a part, occurred, but the details of which are precluded from publication in a work as limited in its scope as is this, as indeed, the history of any one of the large engagements would require a volume much larger than this.

Gen. Byron R. Pierce was united in marriage, in Grand Rapids, October 12, 1881, with Miss Abbie L. Evans, a native of Rhode Island, and a daughter of George G. and Mary A. (Reynolds) Evans, both natives of Providence, and Capt. James L. Reynolds, great-great-grandfather of Mrs. Gen. Pierce, having been a patriot of the Revolutionary war.

Gen Pierce has served two years as department commander of the Grand Army of the Republic of Michigan, and also as senior vice-commander of the Loyal Legion, department of Michigan; he is also a master Mason and an Odd Fellow; in politics he is an active and influential republican, and in religion is a Universalist; Mrs. Pierce, a lady of refined tastes and many accomplishments, is an Episcopalian, and has been a faithful and valued helpmate to her husband in much of his varied career.

Gen. Pierce had three brothers and one brother-in-law in the Union army during the Civil war, and of these one brother, Frederick, died of disease while in service. Of the surviving brothers, Col. E. S. Pierce is a deputy sergeant-at-arms in the house of representatives at Washington, D. C., and Capt. Silas K. Pierce is a business man in Lansing, Mich. Maj. H. C. Grout, who married Gen. Pierce’s sister, was paymaster in the United States army, and died after the close of the war. Samuel O. L. Potter, M. D., who married Mrs. Pierce’s sister, is brigade-surgeon on the staff of Gen. Hale, at Manila--and thus it will be seen that the military spirit pervades the whole family.

From 1887 (the date of its opening), Gen. Pierce was commandant of the Michigan Soldiers’ Home until 1891, when a change was made in the administration through the mutations of the politics of the state government. Soon after leaving the Home, the general leased the Warwick hotel, which he successfully operated until the spring of 1899, when he retired, having made it the most popular hotel in the state, and is now living in quiet ease, surrounded by a host of warm-hearted friends.