The 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry (161st Volunteers) was a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

that served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

Service

The 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry was organized at

Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the List of c ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

beginning in September 1862 as the "161st Volunteers" and mustered in for three years service under the command of

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

John Irvin Gregg John Irvin Gregg (July 19, 1826 – January 6, 1892) was a career U.S. Army officer. He fought in the Mexican–American War and during the American Civil War as a colonel and near the end of the war as a brevet general in the Union army. In 186 ...

. The regiment was attached to Defenses of Washington to January 1863. Averill's Cavalry Brigade,

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...

, to February 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac, to August 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May 1865.

Department of Virginia The Department of Virginia and North Carolina was a United States Military department encompassing Union-occupied territory in the Confederate States during the Civil War. In 1863 it was formed by the merging of two previously existing departmen ...

to August 1865. The 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry mustered out August 11, 1865.

Detailed service

The regiment left Pennsylvania for

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

on November 23, 1862. It was then stationed at Camp Casey, near

Bladensburg, Maryland Bladensburg is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland. The population was 9,657 at the 2020 census. Areas in Bladensburg are located within ZIP code 20710. Bladensburg is from central Washington. History Originally called Garrison's Landi ...

, until January 3, 1863. Its first moved in 1863 was to

Falmouth, Virginia Falmouth is a census-designated place (CDP) in Stafford County, Virginia, United States. Situated on the north bank of the Rappahannock River at the falls, the community is north of and opposite the city of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U. ...

on January 3. The regiment then took up duty on the line of the

Rappahannock River The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 It traverses the entir ...

until April 1863. It was involved in operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church February 5-7. Hartwood Church February 25. Kelly's Ford March 17. Operations about Bealeton Station April 13-27. Elk Run April 13. Next it was involved in the

Chancellorsville Campaign The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Chancellorsville is known as Lee's "perfect battle" because h ...

from April 26-May 8. Specifically it participated in Stoneman's Raid April 29-May 8. Kelly's Ford April 29. Ely's Ford May 2. Brandy Station, Stevensburg, and Beverly Ford June 9. Aldie June 17. Near Middleburg June 18. Middleburg June 19.

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

July 1-3. Steven's Furnace July 5.

Shepherdstown, West Virginia Shepherdstown is a town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States, located in the lower Shenandoah Valley along the Potomac River. Home to Shepherd University, the town's population was 1,734 at the time of ...

, July 14-16. Little Washington August 27. Advance to the Rapidan September 13-17. Culpeper Court House September 13. Crooked Run September 18. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Warrenton or White Sulphur Springs October 12-13. Auburn and Bristoe October 14. St. Stephen's Church October 14. Catlett's Station October 14.

Mine Run Campaign The Battle of Mine Run, also known as Payne's Farm, or New Hope Church, or the Mine Run campaign (November 27 – December 2, 1863), was conducted in Orange County, Virginia, in the American Civil War. An unsuccessful attempt of the Union A ...

November 26-December 2. New Hope Church November 27. Parker's Store November 29. Expedition to Luray December 21-23. Amissville, Gaines Cross Roads, and Sperryville December 22. The regiment started 1864 off by participating in

Kilpatrick's Younkers Inc. is an American online retailer and former department store chain founded as a family-run dry goods business in 1856 in Keokuk, Iowa. The retailer had evolved over more than 150 years to include a presence in locations throughout Iowa ...

Raid Raid, RAID or Raids may refer to: Attack * Raid (military), a sudden attack behind the enemy's lines without the intention of holding ground * Corporate raid, a type of hostile takeover in business * Panty raid, a prankish raid by male college ...

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

February 28-March 4, 1864. Beaver Dam Station February 29. Fortifications of Richmond March 1. Rapidan Campaign May-June. Todd's Tavern, Wilderness, May 5-8.

Sheridan Sheridan may refer to: People Surname *Sheridan (surname) *Philip Sheridan (1831–1888), U.S. Army general after whom the Sheridan tank is named *Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751–1816), Irish playwright (''The Rivals''), poet and politician ...

's Raid to James River May 9-24. North Anna River May 9-10. Ground Squirrel Church and Yellow Tavern May 11. Brook Church, Fortifications of Richmond, May 12. Milford Station May 21. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Haw's Shop May 28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor May 31-June 1. Sumner's Upper Bridge June 2. Sheridan's Trevilian Raid June 7-24. Trevilian Station June 11-12. White House or St. Peter's Church June 21. Black Creek or Tunstall Station June 21. St. Mary's Church June 24. Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond July 1864 to April 1865. Warwick Swamp July 12, 1864. Demonstration on north side of the James at Deep Bottom July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 28-29. Malvern Hill July 28. Warwick Swamp July 30. Demonstration on north side of James River at Deep Bottom August 13-20. Gravel Hill August 14. Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14-18. Charles City Cross Roads August 16. Dinwiddie Road, near Ream's Station, August 23. Ream's Station August 25. Reconnaissance to Poplar Springs Church September 13. Reconnaissance toward Dinwiddie Court House September 15. Poplar Springs Church September 29-October 2. Arthur's Swamp September 30-October 1. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28. Reconnaissance to Stony Creek November 7. Near Lee's Mills November 16 (detachment). Stony Creek Station December 1. Hicksford Raid December 7-12. Bellefield December 8. Disputantia Station January 9, 1865. Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5-7. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Dinwiddie Court House March 30-31. Five Forks April 1. Paine's Cross Roads and Amelia Springs April 5. Sailor's Creek April 6. Farmville April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Expedition to Danville April 23-29. Moved to Lynchburg, Va., and duty there and in the Department of Virginia until August.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 302 men during service; 5 officers and 100 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 3 officers and 194 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders and other notable members

* Colonel John Irvin Gregg * Colonel Lorenzo D. Rodgers *

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

John K. Robison *

Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

Seth T. Kennedy - commanded during the Mine Run Campaign * Chief Bugler Ferdinand F. Rohm - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Second Battle of Ream's Station * Lieutenant Thomas M Downs who was captured and moved out of state as a political prisoner in Bloomsburg, PA when trying to vote. File:16th PA Cavalry p844.jpg, 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry Monument (1884), Gettysburg Battlefield

References

* Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. * Miller, Charles. ''History of the 16th Regiment Pennsylvania Cavalry, for the Year Ending October 31st, 1863: Commanded by Colonel John Irvin Gregg, of Centre County, Pa.'' (Philadelphia: King & Baird, Printers), 1864. ;Attribution * {{CWR

External links