Overview
The 6th Ohio Independent Cavalry Company served as an independent cavalry unit from Ohio during the Civil War. Organized in August and September 1861, the company was recruited primarily from Greene and Hamilton counties and mustered at Camp Dennison near Cincinnati. The company served on the Union side, operating in the Eastern Theater and later in North Carolina. Notably, the company was attached to the 3rd New York Cavalry as Company L and participated in several expeditions, skirmishes, and battles throughout its service.
Organization & Service
The 6th Ohio Independent Cavalry Company was organized at Camp Dennison in late summer 1861 under Captain Jeptha Garrard. After initial recruitment and training, the company was ordered to Washington, D.C., on September 23, 1861. Persistent efforts by Captain Garrard ensured the company was fully armed, equipped, and mounted. The company was attached to the 3rd New York Cavalry as Company L and joined that regiment at Camp Bates near Poolesville, Maryland, on January 9, 1862.
On March 1, 1862, the company crossed the Potomac at Harper’s Ferry and moved to outposts beyond Charlestown, Virginia, soon occupying Berryville. The following day, the company engaged in a skirmish with Ashby’s Confederate cavalry. It then marched to Winchester, participated in a dash against Ashby and Stuart, and returned to Harper’s Ferry. On the day of the Battle of Winchester, the company marched for Washington, D.C., remaining there until late April before moving to Alexandria and embarking for North Carolina, arriving at New Berne on May 12, 1862.
From May to September 1862, the company was engaged in scouting and expeditions into the interior. On September 1, it moved to Washington, North Carolina, to join an expedition toward Hamilton. During the advance on September 6, the company took the lead and, after responding to musket fire, routed Confederate forces, sustaining 10 wounded and losing 14 horses. The company then proceeded to Plymouth and returned to New Berne after ten days. It continued with scouting and picket duty until December 11, when it served as provost guard during General Foster’s movement from New Berne, participating in the battles of Kinston, White Hall, and Goldsboro Bridge.
In March 1863, during the siege of Washington, North Carolina, the company was actively engaged in scouting. In the spring of 1864, it participated in raids, scouts, skirmishes, and battles around Richmond, suffering significant losses. By the expiration of its term, only a few members remained to muster out. Throughout its service, the company provided several officers to the army, including one colonel, one major, four captains, and fourteen lieutenants.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
- Skirmish at Berryville, Virginia (March 1862)
- Operations near Winchester and Harper’s Ferry (March 1862)
- Expeditions and scouting in North Carolina (May–September 1862)
- Expedition to Hamilton, North Carolina (September 1862)
- Battles of Kinston, White Hall, and Goldsboro Bridge (December 1862)
- Siege of Washington, North Carolina (March 1863)
- Raids and engagements around Richmond, Virginia (Spring 1864)
Casualties
The company sustained 10 men wounded and 14 horses killed or disabled during the expedition to Hamilton, North Carolina, in September 1862. The company suffered further losses in killed, wounded, and captured during operations around Richmond in 1864. Exact total casualty figures are not specified in available primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Captain Jeptha Garrard
- Captain George F. Dern
- First Lieutenant James K. Wilson
- First Lieutenant Henry M. Ensminger
- Second Lieutenant Joseph C. Grannan
- Second Lieutenant William V. Lawrence
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 6th Ohio Independent Cavalry Company, including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides details on the individuals who served in the company during its term of service.
To view the complete roster, visit the 6th Ohio Independent Cavalry Company Roster page.
Sources & References
- The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies (O.R.), Series I, various volumes
- Ohio Roster Commission, Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- The Union Army, Vol. 2 (Federal Publishing Company, 1908)