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 , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

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,

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

, 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

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

. The company was assigned to the

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

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 (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

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 , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

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,

in conjunction with the 30th Illinois Infantry, mustering into service on September 1, 1861. It participated in the operations against Fort Henry and

, 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 = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

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

. 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

, 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.

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

Units

See also

Notes

References