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185th
Pennsylvania Regiment, 22nd PA Cavalry
Online Books
185th
Pennsylvania Regiment, 22nd PA Cavalry Soldier Roster - History of Pennsylvania
Volunteers, 1861-5, Volume 5 by Samuel P Bates, 1869
View Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| Twenty-second Cavalry. — Col., Jacob Higgins;
Lieut.-Col., A. J. Greenfield; Majs., George T. Work, Elias S. Troxell,
Henry A. Myers. The 22nd cavalry, the 185th regiment of the line, was
organized at Chambersburg, Pa., Feb., 22, 1864, for three years'
service. It was formed by a consolidation of five companies organized
from the reenlisted men of the 22nd cav. (six months' organization),
with the five companies of the Ringgold battalion and the "Washington"
and "Lafayette" cavalry (two companies). The Ringgold battalion was made
up of the following companies, enlisted for three years' service:
Ringgold company, Capt. John Keys, organized at Washington, Pa., Oct. 2,
1861; Keystone company, Capt. George T. Work, organized at Washington,
Sept. 6, 1862; two independent companies, Capts. Harvey H. Young and M.
W. Mitchener, organized at Washington, during Sept. and Oct., 1862;
Patton Co., Captain A. J. Barr, organized at Washington, Oct. 14 1862.
The Washington cavalry, Capt. A. J. Greenfield, was organized at
Wheeling, Va., Aug. 19, 1861, and the Lafayette cavalry was organized at
the same place Nov. 6, 1862, under Capt. Alex. V. Smith. These companies
had served independently in West Virginia, going to the front as fast as
each was organized. Those earliest in the field were active at Blue's
gap, Bloomery gap, Strasburg, Columbia furnace, Two Churches, Rude's
hill, North River mills and Dashu's mills. After the battle of
Gettysburg, they joined in the pursuit of Lee and were engaged at
Petersburg, Lexington and Moorefield, in the early part of 1864. The six
months' battalion was enlisted in June, 1863, under the president's
proclamation of June 15, calling for militia for six months' service.
Under Maj. Morrow it guarded the fords of the Susquehanna near
Harrisburg and picketed the roads leading into the Cumberland Valley.
After the battle of Gettysburg it joined in the pursuit of Lee's army
and was employed with the cavalry in holding the Shenandoah Valley until
its reorganization in Feb., 1864. Early in March it proceeded to
Cumberland, where it was united with the Ringgold battalion. In April
700 of the men who were not yet mounted proceeded to Pleasant Valley,
Md., where they received horses and equipments and engaged in drill and
discipline. About the middle of June the regiment was ordered to
Martinsburg, temporarily armed with muskets, and assigned to Mulligan's
infantry brigade. It was engaged with Early's forces at Martinsburg, and
Maryland heights early in July and on the 17th had a sharp engagement at
Snicker's gap. Soon after it was finally mounted and equipped as cavalry
and joined Gen. Torbert's force, engaged in Sheridan's campaign in the
valley. It was active at Kernstown, where it displayed great steadiness
and gallantry; fought at Opequan and Berryville; met with considerable
loss at Charlestown; and at Halltown Maj. Myers was severely wounded. A
detachment of the regiment had been left behind at Cumberland in April
and under the command of Maj. Work had been in active service all
summer, sharing in the campaign against Lynchburg, the battles of New
Market and Kernstown, and aiding in the decisive defeat of McCausland's
forces at Moorefield, subsequent to the burning of Chambersburg. After
the union of the two detachments at Hagerstown, the regiment joined Gen.
Averell's forces and was actively engaged at Martinsburg, Bunker Hill,
Stephenson's depot, Darkesville and Bucklestown. On Sept. 18 it charged
the enemy at Martinsburg and on the evening of the following day joined
in the brilliant cavalry charge which routed the enemy at the Opequan,
where the regiment captured a battery and 80 men. It was again active at
the battles of Fisher's hill, Brown's gap and Weyer's cave, where the
command made a determined charge which saved the entire division train.
It lost severely in this action, Maj. Work and Adjt. Isenberg being
among the severely wounded. It was fiercely engaged at Cedar creek,
where it lost heavily, and then returned to Martinsburg, where it
encamped until Dec. 20. On that date, it moved to New creek and during
the winter was engaged in picket and scouting duty in the counties of
Hardy, Hampshire and Pendleton, operating against roving bands of the
enemy. Cos. E and F were mustered out on July 19, 1865. The remaining
companies were consolidated with the 18th Pa. cavalry, on June 24, to
form the 3d provisional cavalry, which was mustered out on Oct. 31,
1865, at Cumberland, Md. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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