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92nd Pennsylvania Regiment, 9th PA Cavalry

Online Books
92nd Pennsylvania Regiment, 9th PA Cavalry Soldier Roster - History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5, Volume 3 by Samuel P Bates, 1869     View Entire Book

Regimental History
Ninety-Second Regiment / Ninth Cavalry. — Cols., E. C. Williams, Thomas C. James, Thomas J. Jordan ; Lieut.-Cols., Thomas C. James, George B. Brown, R. M. Russell, Edward G. Savage, David H. Kimmel; Majs., R. M. Russell, Griffith Jones, Edward G. Savage, John S. Detweiler, David H. Kimmel, Charles A. Apple, W. H. Longsdorf, John M. Porter, John F. Miller, Elisha Hancock, George A. Shuman. The 9th cavalry, or the 92nd regiment of the line, originally known as the Lochiel Cavalry, was recruited principally in the counties of Dauphin, Luzerne, Lancaster, Huntingdon, Perry, Cumberland, Mifflin, Blair, Wayne, Chester, Lehigh, Susquehanna, and in the city and county of Philadelphia. It rendezvoused at Camp Cameron, near Harrisburg, and was mustered into the U. S. service during the fall of 1861 for three years. The field and most of the line officers, as well as many of the privates, had already served for the three months' term. Col. Williams was an experienced veteran, having served in the militia as early as 1832; was under Gen. Scott, in the Mexican war; and had been in command of the Scott Legion of Philadelphia in the three months' service. On Nov. 20, 1861, the regiment left for Pittsburg, then proceeded by boat to Louisville, Ky., where it reported to Gen. Buell, commanding the Army of the Ohio, and went into camp at Jeffersonville, Ind., opposite Louisville. It spent the time until Jan. 10, 1862, in perfecting itself in drill and discipline, and was then ordered to the front. By the urgent request of the citizens and legislature of Kentucky it was ordered to remain for the protection of the state, when the advance under Gens. Buell and Mitchell was begun in the early part of February. The 1st battalion, under Col. Williams, was posted at Grayson springs, the 2nd, under Lieut.- Col. James, at Calhoun, and the 3d, under Maj. Jordan, on the line of the Louisville & Nashville railroad. On March 5 the regiment was ordered into Tennessee, the 1st battalion moving to Springfield, the 2nd to Nashville and the 3d to Gallatin. The 3d saw considerable active service at this period, first meeting the enemy under Morgan at Lebanon, where, with the 7th Pa. and the 3d Ky. cavalry, it defeated that gallant leader, capturing 293 prisoners, including Lieut.-Col. Wood, Morgan's second in command. It was engaged in a skirmish with Morgan's rear-guard near Livingston in May, capturing the guard and scattering Morgan's forces. On June 3 it moved from Lebanon to Tompkinsville, Ky., and a detachment was engaged on the 6th at Moore's hill, losing 5 killed and 10 wounded, Capt. McCullough being among the killed. It was again in action at Tompkinsville in July against the same enemy, and was forced by superior numbers to retire to Burkesville. In this action the enemy lost 57 killed and 140 wounded, while Maj. Jordan's force escaped with a loss of only 10 killed, 14 wounded and 19 prisoners — Jordan himself being among the latter. In August the regiment was reunited at Lebanon, Ky., and was employed in watching Morgan and Kirby Smith. It covered Gen. Nelson's retreat after the battle of Richmond, having a sharp encounter with the enemy's cavalry at Shelbyville. At Louisville it guarded the roads leading to Tennessee, while Gen. Buell was marching to the relief of the state. It was heavily engaged at Perryville, losing 10 killed and 27 wounded, and won the following words of praise from Gen. Buell : "The 9th Pa. cavalry behaved most bravely, being at one time compelled to stand for three-quarters of an hour under the concentrated fire of three batteries of the enemy's artillery, and only retiring when ordered to do so." It was now ordered to Louisville to recruit, and on Dec. 22 it shared in a daring and successful raid across the mountains of eastern Tennessee, returning to Nicholasville in Jan., 1863. Col. Williams resigned in Oct, 1862, Lieut-Col. James died on Jan. 13, 1863, and Maj. Jordan was promoted to the colonelcy. After being refitted at Louisville it moved to Nashville, skirmished at Franklin with Forrest's brigade, and operated for a period of 18 days on the right wing of the army of the Cumberland, holding in check a superior force of the enemy under Gens. Van Dorn, Wheeler and Forrest. On March 4 it was heavily engaged near Franklin, losing 12 killed and 51 wounded, but drove the enemy, and was active the next day at Thompson's station. For its gallantry on this occasion it received honorable mention in special orders by Gen. Rosecrans. It next shared in the campaign against Bragg, ending in the battle of Chickamauga, as a part of the 1st brigade, 1st cavalry division, Gen. Stanley commanding. The cavalry division led the advance of the army and the 9th Pa. was active at the battles of Rover, Middleton and Shelbyville, capturing at the latter place nearly 1,000 prisoners and a battery, and breaking the enemy's cavalry organization. It was active at Elk river and captured 200 of Bragg's rear-guard at Cowan a few days later. It penetrated to Lafayette, Ga., capturing a part of Longstreet's advance guard, and obtaining positive information of that general's presence. At the battle of Chickamauga it was again commended for its gallantry. During the winter of 1863-64 it was in east Tennessee and was active at the battles of Dandridge, New Market, Mossy creek and Fair Garden. About this time the command reenlisted for a three years' term and returned to Pennsylvania on a 30 days' furlough early in April, 1864. It was recruited to 1,200 men and returned to Louisville in the latter part of May. Gen. Morgan made his last raid into Kentucky at this time and Col. Jordan hastened with his regiment to the relief of Frankfort, compelling Morgan to fall back. The regiment then marched to Nashville and thence to Chattanooga. Ordered against Gen. Wheeler, it reached Murfreesboro early in September and defeated Dibrell's brigade at Readyville a few days later, capturing 294 prisoners. Maj. Kimmel led the gallant charge in this action. Col. Jordan was now placed in command of all the cavalry in Tennessee and drove and scattered the enemy under Gen. Williams. The 9th was now assigned to the 1st brigade, 3d cavalry division, Gen. Kilpatrick commanding, joined Gen. Sherman at Marietta, and marched with him to the sea. On the right wing of the army, under Gen. Howard, it led the advance to Macon and Milledgeville; attacked and captured the enemy's works at Lovejoy's Station, taking over 300 prisoners together with the guns, which were retained until the end of the war ; it was heavily engaged at Griswoldville in November, losing 95 men killed and wounded ; was active at Waynesboro, and Buckhead creek ; and after a month's delay at Savannah it entered on the Carolina campaign, being engaged at Blackville and Aiken. The brigade then moved rapidly toward Columbia and after taking Lexington, marched toward Charlotte, N. C, where it met and defeated the enemy. The regiment reached Fayetteville on March 11, and rested a few days. It was heavily engaged at Averasboro and Bentonville, N. C, after which it rested and refitted at Goldsboro, again taking the field on April 9. It entered Raleigh on the 13th, met and engaged the Confederate forces on the Hillsboro road beyond the city, and pursued them for a number of miles until the surrender was made of the troops under Gen. Johnston. Gen. Sherman's escort, when he met Gen. Johnston, was furnished by the 9th Pa., after which the regiment waited at Lexington for its muster out which took place on July 18, 1865.

Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 1

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