The state of
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
raised a number of short-lived Independent
Cavalry Companies which 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 of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...
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 ...
. Most of these units were quickly amalgamated with larger formations.
Units
*Barker's Dragoons was organized at
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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on April 19, 1861. It served at
Cairo, Illinois and later
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
, serving as
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 – October 29, 1885) was an American soldier, Civil War Union general, civil engineer, railroad executive, and politician who served as the 24th governor of New Jersey. A graduate of West Point, McCl ...
's escort. It participated in the
Battle of Rich Mountain
The Battle of Rich Mountain took place on July 11, 1861, in Randolph County, Virginia (now West Virginia) as part of the Operations in Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War.
Background
Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan assumed c ...
and was mustered out in September 1861.
*Carmichael's Independent Cavalry Company was organized at
Camp Butler,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
as Cavalry Company B of the
29th Illinois Infantry, mustering into service on August 19, 1861. It participated in the operations against
Fort Henry and
Fort Donelson
Fort Donelson was a fortress built early in 1862 by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River, which led to the heart of Tennessee, and thereby the Confederacy. The fort was named after Confederate general Da ...
, and then the
Battle of Shiloh. In July 1862 it was assigned as Company B of
Stewart's Independent Cavalry Battalion.
*Dollins' Independent Cavalry Company was organized in conjunction with the
31st Illinois Infantry, mustering in on September 18, 1861 at
Cairo, Illinois. It participated in the operations against
Fort Henry and
Fort Donelson
Fort Donelson was a fortress built early in 1862 by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River, which led to the heart of Tennessee, and thereby the Confederacy. The fort was named after Confederate general Da ...
, and then the
Battle of Shiloh. In July 1862 it was assigned as Company C of
Stewart's Independent Cavalry Battalion.
*Ford's Independent Cavalry Company was organized in conjunction with the
53rd Illinois Infantry, mustering in on January 1, 1862 at
Ottawa, Illinois
Ottawa is a city located at the confluence of the navigable Illinois River and Fox River in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The Illinois River is a conduit for river barges and connects Lake Michigan at Chicago, to the Mississippi Ri ...
. It participated in the
Battle of Corinth and was assigned to the
15th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry
The 15th Regiment of the Illinois Volunteer Cavalry was a volunteer cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
History of service
The 15th Illinois Cavalry was organized at Aurora, Kane Co., Illinois on 2 Aug 1 ...
as Company "L" on December 25, 1862.
*Gilbert's Independent Cavalry Company was organized in conjunction with the
52nd Illinois Infantry, mustering in on October 25, 1861 at
Geneva, Illinois. It participated in the Battles of
Corinth
Corinth ( ; el, Κόρινθος, Kórinthos, ) is the successor to an ancient city, and is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Since the 2011 local government refor ...
and
Shiloh and was ultimately assigned to the
15th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry
The 15th Regiment of the Illinois Volunteer Cavalry was a volunteer cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
History of service
The 15th Illinois Cavalry was organized at Aurora, Kane Co., Illinois on 2 Aug 1 ...
as Company G on December 25, 1862.
*Hutchins' Independent Cavalry Company was organized in conjunction with the
27th Illinois Infantry, mustering in on October 25. In July 1862 it was assigned as Company E of
Stewart's Independent Cavalry Battalion.
*Jenks' Independent Cavalry Company was organized at
Aurora, Illinois as Cavalry Company A of the
36th Illinois Infantry, mustering into service on September 23, 1861. It participated in the Battles of
Pea Ridge,
Iuka, and
Corinth
Corinth ( ; el, Κόρινθος, Kórinthos, ) is the successor to an ancient city, and is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Since the 2011 local government refor ...
. The company was assigned to the
15th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry
The 15th Regiment of the Illinois Volunteer Cavalry was a volunteer cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
History of service
The 15th Illinois Cavalry was organized at Aurora, Kane Co., Illinois on 2 Aug 1 ...
as Company I on December 25, 1862.
*Dodson's Kane County Independent Cavalry Company was organized on September 1, 1861. The company was assigned to the
15th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry
The 15th Regiment of the Illinois Volunteer Cavalry was a volunteer cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
History of service
The 15th Illinois Cavalry was organized at Aurora, Kane Co., Illinois on 2 Aug 1 ...
as Company H on December 25, 1862.
*Marx's Independent Cavalry Company was organized on December 9, 1861 and was assigned to
Thielman's Independent Cavalry Battalion as Company B.
*The McClellan Dragoons were organized at
Chicago, Illinois
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in October 1861. They were assigned to the
12th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry as Companies H and I in February 1862 but operated independently until February 1863. They served in the
Peninsular Campaign and the battles of
Antietam
The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union G ...
,
Fredericksburg, and
Gettysburg until joining the main body of the regiment at
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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in November 1863.
*McClernand's Body Guard was organized January 21, 1863 and was subsequently assigned as four companies of the
16th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry in April 1863.
*Naughton's Irish Dragoons was organized on September 21, 1861 in conjunction with the
23rd Illinois Infantry. The company was assigned to "Curtis Horse," the
5th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry
The 5th Iowa Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry unit from Iowa that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
History
The 5th Iowa Cavalry was originally raised as the Curtis Horse in Omaha, Nebraska, on September 5, 1861, and later ab ...
, as Company L in November 1861.
*O'Harnett's Independent Cavalry Company was organized at
Camp Butler,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
in conjunction with the
30th Illinois Infantry, mustering into service on September 1, 1861. It participated in the operations against
Fort Henry and
Fort Donelson
Fort Donelson was a fortress built early in 1862 by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River, which led to the heart of Tennessee, and thereby the Confederacy. The fort was named after Confederate general Da ...
, and then the
Battle of Shiloh. In July 1862 it was assigned to
Stewart's Independent Cavalry Battalion.
*Schambeck's Independent Cavalry Company was organized at
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
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on July 8, 1861. The company was assigned to
Thielman's Independent Cavalry Battalion as Company C but never operated with the rest of the battalion. It participated in the
Battle of Carnifex Ferry
The Battle of Carnifex Ferry took place on September 10, 1861 in Nicholas County, Virginia (now West Virginia), as part of the Operations in Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War. The battle resulted in a Union strategic vict ...
and the
Battle of Antietam, and spent the rest of its time in service in
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
. The company mustered out on July 16, 1864.
*Sherer's Independent Cavalry Company was organized at
Aurora, Illinois as Company B,
36th Illinois Infantry, but detached from the regiment and served primarily as headquarters guard. It was assigned to the
15th Illinois Cavalry on December 25, 1862 as Company K and mustered out with that regiment.
*Stewart's Independent Cavalry Company was organized at
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau ( , french: Cap-Girardeau ; colloquially referred to as "Cape") is a city in Cape Girardeau and Scott Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. At the 2020 census, the population was 39,540. The city is one of two principal citi ...
on August 10, 1861 on the orders of
John C. Fremont. It participated in the operations against
Fort Henry and
Fort Donelson
Fort Donelson was a fortress built early in 1862 by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River, which led to the heart of Tennessee, and thereby the Confederacy. The fort was named after Confederate general Da ...
, and then the
Battle of Shiloh. In July 1862 it was assigned to
Stewart's Independent Cavalry Battalion.
*Thielman's Independent Cavalry Company was organized at
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
on July 2, 1861, and was assigned to
Thielman's Independent Cavalry Battalion as Company A on December 9, 1861.
See also
*
List of Illinois Civil War Units
*
Illinois in the American Civil War
During the American Civil War, the state of Illinois was a major source of troops for the Union Army (particularly for those armies serving in the Western Theater of the Civil War), and of military supplies, food, and clothing. Situated near majo ...
Notes
References
The Civil War Archive
Units and formations of the Union Army from Illinois
1861 establishments in Illinois
Military units and formations established in 1861
Military units and formations disestablished in 1862