6th Cavalry Regiment Pennsylvania

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REGIMENT: 6th Cavalry Regiment Pennsylvania
Date of Organization: 1 Oct 1861
Muster Date: 17 Jun 1865
Regiment State: Pennsylvania
Regiment Type: Cavalry
Regiment Number: 6th
Enlisted Died of Disease or Accident: 7
Officers Died of Disease or Accident: 3
Enlisted Killed or Mortally Wounded: 71
Enlisted Died of Disease or Accident: 86
Regimental Soldiers and History: List of Soldiers

Regimental History
PENNSYLVANIA 6TH CAVALRY (70th Infantry)

Sixth Cavalry.-Cols., Richard H. Rush, Charles R. Smith,Charles L Leiper; Lieut.-Cols., John H. McArthur, Henry C. Whelan, Charles L. Leiper, Albert P. Morrow; Majs., Charles R. Smith, Robert Morris, Jr., John H. Gardiner, J. Henry Hazleton, Henry C. Whelan, W. P. C. Treichel, Benoni Lockwood, James Starr, Charles L. Leiper, Albert P. Morrow, Abram D. Price, Charles B. Coxe, B. H. Harkness. This regiment, the 70th of the line, was raised in the city of Philadelphia, with the exception of Co. G from Berks county, and was mustered into the U. S. service at Philadelphia from Aug. to Oct., 1861, for three years. The war department gave Richard H. Rush authority on July 27, to recruit the regiment. Col. Rush was a graduate of West Point and late captain in the U. S. artillery service. On Oct. 30, a stand of colors and a set of guidons were presented by the ladies of Germantown, and on Dec. 4, the state colors were presented by Gov. Curtin. In addition to the pistol and saber, the regiment was armed with a 9-foot lance. It left for Washington about the middle of Dec., 1861, and was quartered at Camp Barclay on Meridian hill. Early in May 1862, it proceeded to New Market bridge, where it was brigaded with the reserve brigade, composed of the 5th and 6th U. S., and 6th Pa., being the 2nd brigade (Gen. Emory), of Cooke’s cavalry division, and entered on the Peninsular campaign. After being employed for some days in picketing and scouting in the direction of Hanover Court House, it was under fire in the battle there and captured 80 men and 2 officers. Two squadrons under Lieut.-Col. Smith were detached in the latter part of June to escort the wagon train to Yorktown, rejoining the regiment at Harrison’s landing. Two squadrons under Capt. Clymer were under fire with McCall’s division at Mechanicsville, and the following day the other squadrons supported Robinson’s battery at Gaines’ mill. Cos. C and H reported for dub at Gen. Kearny’s headquarters on June 28, and Co. F was engaged with Gen. Sumner at White Oak swamp and Malvern hill. The remaining companies served by detachments during the retreat with Porter, Keyes and McCall, and were repeatedly under fire. In addition to casualties in action, malarial fever struck down many of the command at this time. After the evacuation of the Peninsula the regiment returned to Washington until the opening of the Maryland campaign, when it moved with the army and was engaged with slight loss at Antietam. It encamped after the battle near Frederick, three companies being on detached service with Gen. Franklin. In October Cos. L and M were recruited in Philadelphia and added to the command. It as exposed to fire, but was not active at Fredericksburg.

After serving by detachments in various capacities during the remainder of Dec., 1862, and participating in the “Mud March” of Jan. 1863, it went into winter quarters first at White Oak Church and then at Belle Plain landing. On April 6, it was reviewed by President Lincoln, drawing attention and praise on account of its novel arms and equipment. It next participated in Stoneman’s raid into Virginia, and was engaged in scout and picket duty until June 8. As a part of Buford’s division the 6th rendered gallant service at Beverly ford, losing nearly half its effective strength, Maj. Morris being captured and confined in Libby prison, where he died on Aug. 13, 1863. It was engaged at Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville, and arrived at Gettysburg during the night of July 2. In the battle on the 3rd it was posted on the extreme left of the lines, near Round Top. In the pursuit which followed it was heavily engaged on the heights overlooking Williamsport and again at Boonsboro and Funkstown. On July 2, while the reserve brigade was still at Emmitsburg, a detachment of 100 men under Capt. Treichel was sent on special duty in the rear of Lee’s army, rejoining the regiment near Boonsboro on the 7th, having captured a large number of prisoners and destroyed several of the enemy’s wagons, with a loss of 40 men. In the maneuvers which followed in Virginia, the 6th was twice engaged at Brandy Station. With the reserve brigade it was ordered to Washington to refit, but from Oct. 11, it again shared actively in the fall campaigns, being joined on the 13th by Cos. I and E, which had been on detached service at headquarters since March. The twelve companies now served together until the close of the war. The regiment was slightly engaged at the Rapidan, Buckland mills and Sulphur Springs; scouted to James City in November; and covered the army trains during the Mine Run movement. It spent the winter of 1863-04 at Culpeper, picketing the Rapidan. While here, 140 men reenlisted and received the usual veteran furlough. In February a detachment shared in Custer’s raid upon the Virginia Central railroad and in May it entered on the arduous spring campaign of 1864, forming a part of the reserve brigade(Gen. Merritt), 1 division (Gen. Torbert), Maj. Starr commanding the regiment. It was heavily engaged at the Wilderness,- Maj. Starr being wounded, shared in Sheridan’s first raid to Richmond, fought at Old Church and at Cold Harbor on the next day. Before starting on Sheridan’s second raid in June it was joined by a number of recruits. The 6thlost 41 men in the action at Trevilian Station, and 326 strong was sharply engaged at Charles City cross-roads in July. Itthen joined the army in the Shenandoah Valley and was hotly engaged at the Opequan. Co. A was mustered out on Aug. 24, and Co. B on the 28th. At Smithfield the regiment lost 2 killed and 16 wounded, after which it was ordered to Remount camp, Pleasant Valley, Md., where the men whose term of service had expired were mustered out on Sept. 8. About the middle of November it went into winter quarters at Hagerstown, where it received 100 recruits and after rejoining its brigade at Winchester near the end of Jan., 1865, 800 more were received.It shared in Sheridan’s destructive raid to Lynchburg, and it moved with that general on his final ride. It lost heavily at Five Forks and fought its last battle on the White Oak road, dismounted, and with only 48 men bearing carbines. The remnant of the regiment was now ordered to Gen. Merritt’s headquarters for escort and guard duty, and after Lee’s surrender returned to Petersburg, thence to Danville and returned to Washington on the surrender of Gen. Johnston. After marching in the grand review it was consolidated with the 1st and 17th regiments under the name of the 2nd provisional cavalry and ordered to Louisville, Ky., where it was mustered out on Aug. 7, 1865.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 1

Battles Fought
Fought on 15 Jun 1862.
Fought on 17 Jun 1862.
Fought on 27 Jun 1862 at Near Cold Harbor, VA.
Fought on 27 Jun 1862 at Gaines’ Mill, VA.
Fought on 30 Jul 1862 at Harrison’s Landing, VA.
Fought on 1 Mar 1863.
Fought on 9 Jun 1863 at Beverly Ford, VA.
Fought on 9 Jun 1863.
Fought on 14 Jun 1863.
Fought on 17 Jun 1863.
Fought on 2 Jul 1863 at Gettysburg, PA.
Fought on 3 Jul 1863 at Greencastle, PA.
Fought on 3 Jul 1863 at Gettysburg, PA.
Fought on 4 Jul 1863.
Fought on 1 Aug 1863 at Brandy Station, VA.
Fought on 3 Aug 1863 at Brandy Station, VA.
Fought on 5 Aug 1863 at Brandy Station, VA.
Fought on 18 Oct 1863 at Bristoe Station, VA.
Fought on 4 Nov 1863 at Near Elk Run, VA.
Fought on 9 Nov 1863.
Fought on 15 Feb 1864.
Fought on 18 Mar 1864.
Fought on 7 May 1864 at Todd’s Tavern, VA.
Fought on 8 May 1864 at Todd’s Tavern, VA.
Fought on 9 May 1864.
Fought on 10 May 1864 at Wilderness, VA.
Fought on 11 May 1864.
Fought on 12 May 1864 at Spotsylvania Court House, VA.
Fought on 13 May 1864 at Spotsylvania Court House, VA.
Fought on 13 May 1864 at Near Cold Harbor, VA.
Fought on 14 May 1864 at Spotsylvania Court House, VA.
Fought on 15 May 1864.
Fought on 29 May 1864 at Old Church Tavern, VA.
Fought on 30 May 1864 at Old Church Tavern, VA.
Fought on 30 May 1864 at Cold Harbor, VA.
Fought on 31 May 1864.
Fought on 1 Jun 1864.
Fought on 3 Jun 1864 at Cold Harbor, VA.
Fought on 11 Jun 1864 at Trevillian Station, VA.
Fought on 12 Jun 1864 at Trevillian Station, VA.
Fought on 13 Jun 1864.
Fought on 17 Jun 1864.
Fought on 18 Jun 1864 at Trevillian Station, VA.
Fought on 27 Jun 1864.
Fought on 15 Jul 1864.
Fought on 26 Jul 1864.
Fought on 28 Jul 1864 at Deep Bottom Run, VA.
Fought on 29 Jul 1864.
Fought on 5 Aug 1864.
Fought on 13 Aug 1864.
Fought on 14 Aug 1864.
Fought on 28 Aug 1864 at Smithfield, VA.
Fought on 29 Aug 1864 at Smithfield, VA.
Fought on 1 Sep 1864.
Fought on 14 Sep 1864 at Middletown, MD.
Fought on 27 Sep 1864 at Near Halltown, VA.
Fought on 9 Oct 1864.
Fought on 3 Mar 1865.
Fought on 30 Mar 1865.
Fought on 31 Mar 1865 at Dinwiddie Court House, VA.

Source Information:
Historical Data Systems, comp.. American Civil War Regiments [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 1999. Original data: Data compiled by Historical Data Systems of Kingston, MA from the following list of works. Copyright 1997-2000
Historical Data Systems, Inc.
PO Box 35
Duxbury, MA 023.
Description:
This database contains regiment records from the American Civil War in the United States.

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