The 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment was a

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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 in ...

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 conscript ...

that served in the

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during the

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

Service

The 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry was organized at

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...

, between December 30, 1861, and March 10, 1862. The regiment was mustered out of Federal service at

Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

, on November 15, 1865, and disbanded at

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th ...

, on December 14, 1865.

Total strength and casualties

The 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry initially recruited 1,127 officers and men. An additional 998 men were recruited as replacements, for a total of 2,125 men. The regiment suffered 24 enlisted men killed or died from wounds in action, and 4 officers and 284 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 312 fatalities.

Commanders

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 ...

Cadwallader C. Washburn * Colonel Thomas Stephens *

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 colon ...

Levi Sterling * Lieutenant Colonel H. Eugene Eastman * Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas H. Dale

Notable people

* Albert Webb Bishop was captain of Co. B, resigned to accept appointment as lieutenant colonel of the 1st Arkansas Cavalry Regiment and went on to serve as a public official and University president in Arkansas. * Napoleon Boardman, father of Charles R. Boardman, was 1st lieutenant in Co. A and later detailed as chief of ordinance on the staff of General

William Rosecrans William Starke Rosecrans (September 6, 1819March 11, 1898) was an American inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and U.S. Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War. He was ...

and rose to the rank of colonel. * William Henry Brisbane was chaplain of the regiment. Before the war, he was an abolitionist activist who freed a number of enslaved people from the south and settled them in the north. * Charles L. Catlin was enlisted in Co. D and served through the entire war. After he served as a Wisconsin legislator. * Samuel A. Cook was enlisted in Co. A for the final months of the war. After the war he served as a U.S. congressman. *

Melvin Grigsby Melvin Grigsby (June 8, 1845 – February 15, 1917) was an American attorney, politician, and military leader from South Dakota. A Union Army veteran of the American Civil War, Grigsby was most notable for his service as South Dakota Attorney ...

was enlisted in Co. C and was a prisoner of war. After the war he became the 3rd

Attorney General of South Dakota The Attorney General of South Dakota is the state attorney general of the U.S. state of South Dakota. The attorney general is elected by popular vote to a four-year term and holds an executive position as the state's chief legal officer. In 1992, ...

and later served as colonel of the 3rd U.S. Cavalry Regiment during the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...

. *

William J. Hoynes William James Hoynes (18461933) was an Irish-American professor and academic who was the dean of the law department at the University of Notre Dame. He was also a veteran of the American Civil War, newspaper editor, lawyer, and was "famed as a p ...

was enlisted in Co. D. Earlier in the war he served in the

20th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment The 20th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was a volunteer infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 20th Wisconsin was organized at Madison, Wisconsin, and mustered into Federal service August 23, 1862 ...

and was wounded at the

Battle of Prairie Grove The Battle of Prairie Grove was a battle of the American Civil War fought on December 7, 1862. While tactically indecisive, the battle secured the Union control of northwestern Arkansas. A division of Union troops in the Army of the Front ...

. After the war he was the first dean of the law department at the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main c ...

. *

Edward S. Minor Edward Sloman Minor (December 13, 1840July 26, 1924) was an Americans, American businessman, Republican Party (United States), Republican politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He served six terms in the United States House of Representatives, repre ...

was enlisted in Co. E and later promoted to sergeant. Near the end of the war he was commissioned as 1st lieutenant of the company. After the war he served as a Wisconsin legislator and U.S. congressman. * William H. Morgan was adjutant of the regiment, and later adjutant of the brigade and the division. After the war he received an honorary brevet to brigadier general. * Sewall A. Phillips was enlisted in Co. A. After the war he served as a Wisconsin legislator. * George N. Richmond was captain of Co. E. and later major of the 3rd battalion. After the war he was a Wisconsin state senator and Mayor of

Appleton, Wisconsin Appleton ( mez, Ahkōnemeh) is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. One of the Fox Cities, it is situated on the Fox River, southwest of Green Bay and north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the c ...

. * Reuben B. Showalter was enlisted in Co. C for the last year of the war. After the war he served as a Wisconsin legislator. * Horatio H. Virgin, son of Noah Virgin, was adjutant of the 1st battalion and later became lieutenant colonel of the 33rd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and received an honorary brevet to colonel.

References

External links