The 1st Kentucky Cavalry Regiment 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 ...

in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

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 ...

; serving mostly in the Army of Tennessee. In late 1862 it was consolidated to constitute the 1st (3rd) Kentucky Cavalry, usually known as 3rd (Butler's) Kentucky Cavalry. The 3rd continued to serve for the duration of the war.

Service

The 1st Kentucky Cavalry was organized at Bowling Green, Kentucky and was mustered into the

on October 28, 1861. Commanded by Colonel

Benjamin Hardin Helm Benjamin Hardin Helm (June 2, 1831 – September 21, 1863) was an American politician, attorney, and Confederate brigadier general. A son of Kentucky governor John L. Helm, he was born in Bardstown, Kentucky. He attended the Kentucky Military ...

the regiment briefly served in the

Orphan Brigade The Orphan Brigade was the nickname of the First Kentucky Brigade, a group of military units recruited from Kentucky to fight for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. The brigade was the largest Confederate unit to be ...

before being brigaded with the

8th Texas Cavalry The 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment, (1861–1865), popularly known as Terry's Texas Rangers, was a light cavalry regiment of Texas volunteers for the Confederate States Army assembled by Colonel Benjamin Franklin Terry in August 1861. Though lesser kn ...

under the overall command of Joseph Wheeler. In October 1862 the depleted regiment was reformed as battalion and consolidated with the newly organized 3rd Kentucky Cavalry of Col. J. Russell Butler. In this composition it continued to serve in the Army of Tennessee for the duration of the war; usually as part of the Kentucky Cavalry Brigade in Gen. Wheeler's Corps. It surrendered with the army near Bennett Place in North Carolina on April 26, 1865.

Commanders

*Col.

*Ltc. Thomas G. Woodward *Col.

John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...

*Maj. J. W. Caldwell *Col. J. Russell Butler *Ltc. Jacob Wark Griffith

References

Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Kentucky 1861 establishments in Kentucky Military units and formations established in 1861 Orphan Brigade {{AmericanCivilWar-unit-stub

Service

Commanders

See also

References