| 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry | |
|---|---|
 Pennsylvania flag | |
| Active | October 5th, 1861 – August 7th, 1865 |
| Country | United States |
| Allegiance | Union |
| Branch | Cavalry |
| Engagements | Seven Days Battles Battle of Antietam Battle of Chantilly[1][2][2] Battle of Fredericksburg Stoneman's 1863 raid Battle of Chancellorsville Battle of Brandy Station[3][4] Battle of Gettysburg Battle of Bristoe Station Battle of Cold Harbor Battle of Trevillian Station[5][6] Valley Campaigns of 1864 Siege of Petersburg Battle of Five Forks Battle of Sayler's Creek |
| Pennsylvania U.S. Cavalry Infantry Regiments 1861-1865 | ||||
|
The 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry was a Union cavalry regiment during the American Civil War. They were known for their early use of 9 ft (2.7 m) lances with 11 in (280 mm) lance heads, and were called "Rush's Lancers."[7]
History
The regiment was raised during August and September 1861 from companies raised in Philadelphia, Montgomery and Berks counties by Richard H. Rush, who had been authorized to do so by Governor Curtin.[8] Rush was appointed Colonel of the regiment, with Lieutenant Colonel John H. M'Arthur and Majors C. Ross Smith and Robert Morris, Jr. at the suggestion of Major General George B. McClellan,[9][lower-roman 1] the regiment received their lances on November 30, 1861. After several weeks of training in Philadelphia, the regiment was transferred to Washington, D.C., where it was assigned to the Cavalry Division of the Army of the Potomac.[10]
The regiment served with the army during the Peninsula Campaign and Maryland Campaign,[11] skirmishing many times but seeing no heavy fighting. During the Battle of Fredericksburg, it served as the provost guard for the Center Grand Division, guarding the bridges to the grand division's rear. It was absent during the Battle of Chancellorsville, participating instead in Stoneman's Raid.[12]
In May 1863, the regiment retired their lances and were rearmed with Sharps carbines. They were assigned to the Reserve Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division and fought in both the Gettysburg Campaign and Mine Run Campaign. During the Battle of Brandy Station in June 1863, the regiment (led by Major Robert Morris, Jr.) unsuccessfully charged the guns at St. James Church, suffering the greatest casualties of any regiment in the battle. Several Confederates later described the 6th's charge as the most "brilliant and glorious" cavalry charge of the war. (In many Civil War battles, cavalrymen typically dismounted once they reached an engagement and fought essentially as infantry. But in this battle, the surprise and chaos led to a mostly mounted fight.)[3][4][13][14]
The following year, it fought in the Overland Campaign and Sheridan's Valley Campaign among the Valley Campaigns of 1864. In September, the regiment's original enlistments expired, and the unit was reorganized for an additional three years. Following the Appomattox Campaign, it was ordered to Washington, D.C., where it was consolidated with the 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry and 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry to form the 2nd Pennsylvania Provisional Cavalry. The combined regiment was sent to Louisville, Kentucky, where it was mustered out in August 1865.
The 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry had one Medal of Honor Recipient: Captain Frank Furness, commander of Company F. During the Battle of Trevillian Station[5][6][15] (June 11–12, 1864), Furness "Voluntarily carried a box of ammunition across an open space swept by the enemy's fire to the relief of an outpost whose ammunition had become almost exhausted, but which was thus enabled to hold its important position," according to the citation for the medal, awarded on October 20, 1899.[16]
Reenactors
A group based in Morrisville, New York portrays Company G.
Casualties
- Killed and mortally wounded: 7 officers, 71 enlisted men
- Died of disease: 3 officers, 86 enlisted men
- Total: 10 officers, 157 enlisted men
Today
In August 1861, members of First Troop, Philadelphia City Cavalry, were mustered in and organized into companies C and E of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry for Federal service in the Civil War. Companies C and E were mustered out on 17 June 1865.[17] The First Troop, Philadelphia City Cavalry (17 November 1774) is the oldest, continuously active Cavalry Troop in the US Army, currently serving as A TRP, 1st/104th CAV, Pennsylvania Army National Guard. The Civil War campaign streamers of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry currently fly from A Troop's guidon along with streamers ranging from the American Revolution to World War II. The Troop recently served in peacekeeping missions in Bosnia (2002-3) and the Sinai (2008). Numerous artifacts of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry are currently housed in the Troop's private museum which is currently closed due to construction.[18]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ In the latter part of November, McClellan, then commanding the Army of the Potomac, requested that the regiment be armed with the lance. The regiment received their lances on November 30, 1861.
Citations
- ↑ ABT The Battle of Chantilly.
- 1 2 NPS Chantilly.
- 1 2 ABT Battle of Brandy Station.
- 1 2 NPS Brandy Station.
- 1 2 ABT Battle of Trevilian Station.
- 1 2 NPS Trevilian Station.
- ↑ Rush's lancers by Mort Kunstler. Vladimir Arts USA Inc. (n.d.). https://vladimirarts.com/products/rushs-lancers-by-mort-kunstler
- ↑ Dyer (1908), pp. 1560.
- ↑ Gracey (1868), p. 26.
- ↑ Cooke (1861), pp. 2–4; Gracey (1868), pp. 32–36.
- ↑ Johnson & Buel, The Struggle Intensifies Battles and Leader, vol. II (1887), pp. 490, 684).
- ↑ Johnson & Buel, The Tide Shifts Battles and Leader, vol. III (1887), pp. 174–175.
- ↑ Eicher, McPherson & McPherson (2001), p. 492; Kennedy (1998), p. 204; Loosbrock (2000), p. 272; Salmon (2001), pp. 194, 198.
- ↑ Johnson & Buel, The Tide Shifts Battles and Leader, vol. III (1887), p. 261.
- ↑ Johnson & Buel, Retreat with Honor Battles and Leader, vol. IV (1887), pp. 188–194.
- ↑ Wittenberg (2000).
- ↑ GlobalSecurity, 1/104 Cav (2010).
- ↑ FTPCC, The Civil War (1861 - 1864) (2009).
References
- Cooke, Philip St. George (1861). Cavalry Tactics (PDF) (2014 Big Byte ed.). Washington DC: Adjutant-General's Office, United States, War Department. OCLC 682072242. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. - Dyer, Frederick Henry (1908). A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion (PDF). Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co. pp. 31, 44, 214, 279, 282, 322, 323, 324, 409, 1560–1561. ASIN B01BUFJ76Q. Retrieved August 8, 2015. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Eicher, David J.; McPherson, James M.; McPherson, James Alan (2001). The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War (PDF) (1st ed.). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. p. 990. ISBN 978-0-7432-1846-7. LCCN 2001034153. OCLC 231931020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- Gracey, Samuel Levis (1868). Annals of Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry (PDF) (1st ed.). Philadelphia, PA: E. H. Butler & Co. pp. 1–388. LCCN 02015691. OCLC 85888211. Retrieved 2023-03-19.
- Johnson, Robert Underwood; Buel, Clarence Clough (1887). Robert Underwood Johnson; Clarence Clough Buel (eds.). The Struggle Intensifies. Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: Being for the Most Part Contributions by Union and Confederate officers: Based upon "The Century War Series". Vol. II. New York City: The Century Company. p. 786. OCLC 48764702. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Johnson, Robert Underwood; Buel, Clarence Clough (1887). Robert Underwood Johnson; Clarence Clough Buel (eds.). The Tide Shifts. Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: Being for the Most Part Contributions by Union and Confederate officers: Based upon "The Century War Series". Vol. III. New York City: The Century Company. p. 778. OCLC 48764702. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Johnson, Robert Underwood; Buel, Clarence Clough (1887). Robert Underwood Johnson; Clarence Clough Buel (eds.). Retreat with Honor. Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: Being for the Most Part Contributions by Union and Confederate officers: Based upon "The Century War Series". Vol. IV. New York City: The Century Company. p. 778. OCLC 48764702. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Kennedy, Frances H., ed. (1998). The Civil War Battlefield Guide (Kindle) (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN 0-395-74012-6. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
- Loosbrock, Richard D. (2000). Heidler, David S.; Heidler, Jeanne T. (eds.). Battle of Brandy Station. Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History. New York City: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-04758-X.
- Salmon, John S. (2001). The Official Virginia Civil War Battlefield Guide. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 0-8117-2868-4.
- "Brandy Station June 9, 1863". www.battlefields.org. American Battlefield Trust. January 13, 2009. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- "The Battle of Chantilly". www.battlefields.org. American Battlefield Trust. January 13, 2009. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- "Trevilian Station June 11 - 12, 1864". www.battlefields.org. American Battlefield Trust. January 13, 2009. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- "Prelude to Gettysburg: The Battle of Brandy Station (U.S. National Park Service)". nps.gov. U.S. National Park Service. January 19, 2017. Retrieved September 14, 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- "Chantilly (U.S. National Park Service)". nps.gov. U.S. National Park Service. March 14, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- "Trevilian Station (U.S. National Park Service)". nps.gov. U.S. National Park Service. March 14, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Wittenberg, Eric J. (2000). "Captain Frank Furness: Brilliant Architect and Medal of Honor winner". The Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry, "Rush's Lancers". Eric J. Wittenberg. Archived from the original on 2007-05-02. Retrieved 2007-05-12.
- "1st Squadron, 104 Cavalry Regiment". GlobalSecurity.org. GlobalSecurity.org. 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
- "FTPCC - History 1800-1899". First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry. 2010. Archived from the original on 2009-12-11. Retrieved 2010-09-01.