6th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment

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The 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry was a Union Army cavalry regiment that served in the Army of the Potomac and the Army of the Shenandoah during the American Civil War. It was formed in 1861 as the Philadelphia Light Cavalry and the 70th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteers by Richard H. Rush who also served as colonel from 1861 to 1862. At the request of Major General George B. McClellan, the regiment was equipped with lances which prompted the unit to be known as "Rush's Lancers." The lances proved ineffective in battle and the regiment was issued carbine rifles in 1863. The regiment served in many of the key battles in the Eastern theater of the American Civil War and were mustered out in August 1865.

History

Formation of the regiment

File:Colonel Richard H. Rush of 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment in uniform and Pascal hat with cavalry insignia holding sword - Broadbent and Co., 814 Chestnut St., Philadelphia.png
Colonel Richard H. Rush in regimental uniform and Pascal hat with cavalry insignia holding sword

In May 1861, after President Abraham Lincoln called for volunteer troops, Rush was granted permission by Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin to muster a cavalry regiment originally named the Philadelphia Light CavalryTemplate:Sfn and the 70th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers.[1]Template:Sfn The regiment consisted of many recruits from Rush's Germantown neighborhood in Philadelphia and the officers were Rush's personal friends.[2] Rush was promoted to colonel on July 27, 1861.[3] In August 1861, members of First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry were organized into companies C and E.[4] Company G was formed from a unit raised out of Reading, Pennsylvania, by George E. Clymer.Template:Sfn The regiment had a total enrollment of 1,800 officers and enlisted men.[5] The regiment was incorporated into the Army of the Potomac on October 5, 1861,[3] as the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment.[6]

The regiment was armed initially with Colt army pistols and light cavalry sabers.[7] At the suggestion of Major General George B. McClellan,Template:Sfnp the regiment was issued lances[8] modeled after ones used by Napoleon Bonaparte's troops in France[9] but never previously used by American troops.[5] The lances were Script error: No such module "convert". long with an Script error: No such module "convert". long, three-sided blade.[7] The regiment was known as "Rush's Lancers".Template:Sfn After several weeks of training in Philadelphia, the regiment was transferred to Washington, D.C.Template:Sfn

Peninsula campaign and Maryland campaign

File:6th Pennsylvania Cavalry.jpg
A sketch of the regiment in 1862

The regiment entered Virginia on March 10, 1862, and was attached to the Second Brigade, Cavalry Reserve led by William H. Emory.[5] The regiment served during the Peninsula Campaign and Maryland Campaign.Template:Sfn At the Battle of Hanover Court House they captured a company of infantry from North CarolinaTemplate:Sfn and served as scouts and couriers. However, the unit was routed and driven from the field at the Battle of Gaines' Mill.[8]

The regiment also fought at the Battle of White Oak Swamp, the Battle of South Mountain,[10] and the Battle of Antietam.[11][12] Rush left the regiment for sick leave on April 25, 1863, due to a relapse of malaria contracted during the Mexican-American War.[1] Temporary command of the regiment was given to Robert Murray Morris. Despite being on sick leave, Rush was officially listed as colonel for the regiment until September 29, 1863, when command was given to Charles L. Leiper.[5]

During the Battle of Fredericksburg, it served as the provost guard for the Center Grand Division, guarding the bridges to the grand division's rear. The regiment also participated in Stoneman's Raid.[5]

Battle of Brandy Station

In May 1863, the regiment retired their lances and were rearmed with Sharps carbines.[8] The lances were ridiculed as "turkey drivers" and were ineffective in close combat.[13] The regiment was assigned to the Reserve Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division under brigadier general John Buford and fought in the Battle of Brandy Station in June 1863.[14] The regiment led the unsuccessful charge (followed closely by the 6th Cavalry Regiment) against the guns at St. James Church.[15] The regiment overran the confederate guns but were repulsed by the troops of brigadier general William E. Jones.[16] Several Confederates later described the 6th's charge as the most "brilliant and glorious" cavalry charge of the war. (In many Civil War battles, cavalrymen typically dismounted once they reached an engagement and fought essentially as infantry. But in this battle, the surprise and chaos led to a mostly mounted fight.)[17]Template:Sfnmp[18] The hard fighting at the battle forced Confederate officers to state that "Brandy Station made the Federal Cavalry".[16]

File:Company I, 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Falmouth, Va., June 1863 LCCN2013648496.jpg
A photo of Company I, 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry, in Falmouth, Virginia, June 1863

The regiment arrived at the Battle of Gettysburg at night on July 2, 1863. They fought dismounted on July 3 and lost 12 men in the battle. The regiment also fought at the Battle of Mine Run.[5]

In 1864, the regiment was transferred to the Army of the Shenandoah[19] and fought in the Overland Campaign and in the Battle of Trevilian Station under general Philip Sheridan.Template:Sfn In September, the regiment's original enlistments expired, and the unit was reorganized for an additional three years. Following the Appomattox Campaign, it was ordered to Washington, D.C., where it was consolidated with the 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry and 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry to form the 2nd Pennsylvania Provisional Cavalry.[5] The combined regiment was sent to Louisville, Kentucky, where it was mustered out on August 7, 1865.Template:Sfn

The 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry had one Medal of Honor Recipient: Captain Frank Furness, commander of Company F.[20] On June 12, 1864, during the Battle of Trevilian Station, Furness "Voluntarily carried a box of ammunition across an open space swept by the enemy's fire to the relief of an outpost whose ammunition had become almost exhausted, but which was thus enabled to hold its important position," according to the citation for the medal, awarded on October 20, 1899.[21]

Casualties

  • Killed and mortally wounded: 7 officers, 72 enlisted men[5]
  • Died of disease: 3 officers, 86 enlisted menTemplate:Sfn
  • Wounded (not mortally): 11 officers, 222 enlisted men[5]
  • Captured or missing: 6 officers, 204 enlisted men[5]

Commanders

Legacy

File:6th PA Cavalry MN369-B.jpg
The monument to the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment was erected at the Gettysburg battlefield in 1888 by the State of Pennsylvania
File:Co-E-and-J-6th-PA-Cav-01.jpg
Monument to Companies E and I of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment

Two monuments to the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment were placed at the Gettysburg battlefield. The main monument is a six-side granite monument with four lances and was erected in 1888 by the State of Pennsylvania. The second monument is dedicated to companies E & I of the regiment and represents their placement on the left flank of the Union Army at Emmittsburg Pike. A stone position marker shows the area of the left flank of the regiment on July 3 of the Battle of Gettysburg.[22]

See also

References

Citations

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External links

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