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182nd
Pennsylvania Regiment, 21st PA Cavalry
Online Books
182nd
Pennsylvania Regiment, 21st PA Cavalry Soldier Roster - History of Pennsylvania
Volunteers, 1861-5, Volume 5 by Samuel P Bates, 1869
View Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| Twenty-first Cavalry. — Col., William H. Boyd; Lieut.
-Col., Richard F. Moson; Majs., John W. Jones, Charles F. Gillies,
Oliver B. Knowles. This regiment, the 182d of the line, was raised in
the counties of York, Adams, Lancaster, Franklin, Bedford and Cambria
during the summer of 1863, under the president's call of June 15, 1863,
for militia for six months' service. The companies rendezvoused at Camp
Couch, Harrisburg and were mustered into the U. S. service from June 23
to Aug. 10, 1863, for six months. All the field and most of the line
officers and men were experienced in the cavalry service. After being
equipped and mounted it was sent to an instruction camp at Chambersburg.
On Aug. 22, it was ordered to Harrisburg and from there Cos. C, E, H, L
and M, were ordered to Pottsville and Scranton, Co. B to Gettysburg, and
the other five to Harper's Ferry, where they did duty in the Department
of the Shenandoah during the fall and winter. About Feb. 1, 1864, the
regiment was reunited at Chambersburg, where it was reorganized for
three years' service, those who did not choose to reenlist for the long
term being mustered out on Feb. 20, 1864. As reorganized the officers
were as follows: Cols., William H. Boyd, Oliver B. Knowles; Lieut.-
col., Richard F. Moson; Majs., Charles F. Gillies, Oliver B. Knowles,
Robert Bell, Richard Ryckman. In Feb., 1864, the ranks were filled by
new recruits and the regiment was organized for the long term. In May it
was ordered to Washington, except Co. D, which had been detailed for
duty at Scranton, Pa. At Washington the command was dismounted and armed
and equipped as infantry. It joined the army at Cold Harbor and was
assigned to the 2nd brigade, (Col. Sweitzer) 1st division, 5th corps. In
the severe fighting here it lost 1 ofificer and 7 men killed, 4 officers
and 43 men wounded, among the severely wounded being Col. Boyd. It was
again heavily engaged in front of Petersburg on June 18, losing 11
killed, 79 wounded and 1 missing, Lieut. -Col. Moson and Maj. Gillies
being among the wounded. It was next in action on the Jerusalem plank
road and met with some loss. When the mine was exploded on July 30 it
was under fire and met with further loss. It shared in the battle of
Six- mile house, on the Weldon railroad in August, losing 1 killed and
27 wounded. In September it was transferred to the 1st brigade, 1st
division, 5th corps. In the actions at Peebles' farm and Poplar Spring
Church it lost 16 killed and wounded and was complimented for gallantry
by its division commander, Gen. Griffin. This battle was the last in
which it was engaged as infantry. On Oct. 5 it moved to City Point,
where it was again mounted and assigned to the 1st brigade, (Col. C. H.
Smith) of Gen. David McM. Gregg's division. It lost heavily at the
Boydton plank road late in the month, having 3 killed, 33 wounded and 18
missing, and was again in action at Stony Creek Station on the Weldon
railroad in December. About this time Co. F was detailed for duty at the
6th corps headquarters, where it remained until near the end of its
service. The regiment shared in the Weldon railroad expedition with some
loss, and also participated in the movement to Hatcher's run in Feb.,
1865. Meanwhile, it had been recruited to the maximum strength and on
March 1 was transferred to the 2nd brigade, 2nd division, commanded by
Gen. J. Irvin Gregg, nearly half of the command consisting of dismounted
men. These were ordered to City Point and afterwards shared in the final
assault on Petersburg. In the final campaign, which was begun by the
cavalry on March 29, 1865, the 21st had the advance. It was engaged at
Dinwiddie Court House; partially engaged at Five Forks; and in the
action at Amelia Springs lost 98 out of 234 engaged in less than an
hour's fighting. It was again in action at Sailor's creek and was
engaged in the disastrous fighting at Farmville. It was also sharply
engaged on the Lynchburg road, when the news of Lee's surrender was
received. It then moved with the cavalry corps to the support of Gen.
Sherman, but returned to Petersburg on the news of Johnston's surrender.
It then served by detachments on provost guard duty in Virginia until
the middle of June, when it was concentrated at Lynchburg and mustered
out on July 8, 1865. During its ten months of active service, 4 officers
were killed or died of wounds, 1 died of disease, 14 were wounded, and 4
captured. Of the enlisted men, 147 were killed or died of wounds and
disease, and 253 were wounded. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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