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70th
Pennsylvania Regiment, 6th PA Cavalry
Online Books
70th
Pennsylvania Regiment, 6th PA Cavalry Soldier Roster - History of Pennsylvania
Volunteers, 1861-5, Volume 2 by Samuel P Bates, 1869
View Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| Seventieth Regiment / 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 duty 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 was 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 equipments. 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 3d 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 maneuvres 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 1863-64 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), 1st 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 6th lost 41 men in the action at Trevilian Station, and 326 strong
was sharply engaged at Charles City cross-roads in July. It then 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 2nd and 17th regiments under the name of the 2nd provisional cavalry
and ordered to Lousiville, Ky., where it was mustered out on Aug. 7,
1865. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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