The 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment (also known as the 60th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers or Young's Kentucky Light Cavalry) 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

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 ...

. The unit was recruited by Colonel William H. Young at Philadelphia during July and August 1861. Company A was formed around a local independent cavalry company, the Merchants' Troop of Philadelphia. As companies were formed, they were immediately sent to Camp Park in Washington, DC, for outfitting and training. Among those who assisted in their training was Lieutenant

George A. Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Custer graduated from West Point in 1861 at the bottom of his class, b ...

. The regiment was initially named the Kentucky Light Cavalry in an effort to influence citizens of that border state to remain in the Union. Although the first Pennsylvania cavalry unit formed in response to President Lincoln's call for volunteers, this initial designation caused it to lose its numbering priority to regiments formed later. The regiment served in the Army of the Potomac through the rest of the Civil War, losing a total of 169 men. It became part of the 5th Pennsylvania Cavalry May 8, 1865. A monument recognizing the unit's role in stopping forces under Major General J. E. B. Stuart from assaulting the rear of the Union lines on

Cemetery Ridge Cemetery Ridge is a geographic feature in Gettysburg National Military Park, south of the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, that figured prominently in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1 to July 3, 1863. It formed a primary defensive position for the ...

on July 3, 1863 stands east of

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Gettysburg (; non-locally ) is a borough and the county seat of Adams County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The Battle of Gettysburg (1863) and President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address are named for this town. Gettysburg is home to th ...

at the East Cavalry Battlefield.

Commanders

* William H. Young Recruited Kentucky Light Cavalry regiment. * William W. Averell Commanded from August 23, 1861 to September 26, 1862.Combined Military Service Record
/ref> *

John B. McIntosh John Baillie McIntosh (June 6, 1829 – June 29, 1888), although born in Florida, served as a Union Army brigadier general in the American Civil War. His brother, James M. McIntosh, served as a Confederate general until he was killed in the Ba ...

Commanded from September 26, 1862 to July 21, 1864. * Edward S. Jones Commanded from July 21, 1864 until mustered out, August 24, 1864. * James W. Walsh Commanded reorganized 'Veteran Battalion'- those who reenlisted after expiration of three years service- from August 24, 1864. File:David_Snavely_3rd_PA_Cavalry_Private.jpg, David Snavely, a private in the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry H Company

Notable members

William E. Miller William Edward Miller (March 22, 1914 – June 24, 1983) was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from New York as a Republican. During the 1964 presidential election, he was the Republican nominee fo ...

, Commander of Company H, recipient of the Medal of Honor.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Further details of the regiment's organization, battle service and losses
from the National Park Service. 1861 establishments in Pennsylvania Military units and formations established in 1861

Commanders

Notable members

See also

References

External links