PENNSYLVANIA ONE HUNDRED and EIGHTY-SECOND INFANTRY (TWENTY-FIRST CAVALRY) (Six Months; Three Years)

Twenty-first Cavalry. Col., William H. Boyd; Lieut.Col., Richard F. Moson; Majs., John W. Jones, Charles F. Gillies, Oliver B. Knowles. This regiment, the 182d of the line, was raised in the counties of York, Adams, Lancaster, Franklin, Bedford and Cambria during the summer of 1863, under the president's call of June 15, 1863 for militia for six months' service. The companies rendezvoused at Camp Couch, Harrisburg and were mustered into the U. S. service from June 23 to Aug. 10, 1863, for six months. All the field and most of the line officers and men were experienced in the cavalry service. After being equipped and mounted it was sent to an instruction camp at Chambersburg. On Aug. 23 it was ordered to Harrisburg and from there Cos. C, E, H, L and M, were ordered to Pottsville and Scranton, Co. B to Gettysburg, and the other five to Harper's Ferry, where they did duty in the Department of the Shenandoah during the fall and winter. About Feb. 1, 1864, the regiment was reunited at Chambersburg, where it was reorganized for three years, service, those who did not choose to reenlist for the long term being mustered out on Feb. 20, 1864. As reorganized the officers were as follows: Cols., William H. Boyd, Oliver B. Knowles; Lieut.-Col., Richard F. Moson; Majs., Charles F. Gillies, Oliver B. Knowles, Robert Bell, Richard Ryckman. In Feb., 1864, the ranks were filled by new recruits and the regiment was organized for the long term. In May it was ordered to Washington, except Co. D, which had been detailed for duty at Scranton, Pa. At Washington the command was dismounted and armed and equipped as infantry. It joined the army at Cold Harbor and was assigned to the 2nd brigade, (Col. Sweitzer) 1st division, 5th corps. In the severe fighting here it lost 1 officer and 7 men killed, 4 officers and 43 men wounded, among the severely wounded being Col. Boyd. It was again heavily engaged in front of Petersburg on June 18, losing 11 killed, 79 wounded and 1 missing, Lieut.-Col. Moson and Maj. Gillies being among the wounded. It was next in action on the Jerusalem plank road and met with some loss. When the mine was exploded on July 30 it was under fire and met with further loss. It shared in the battle of Six mile house, on the Weldon railroad in August, losing 1 killed and 27 wounded. In September it was transferred to the 1st brigade, 1st division, 5th corps. In the actions at Peebles' farm and Poplar Spring Church it lost 16 killed and wounded and was complimented for gallantry by its division commander, Gen. Griffin. This battle was the last in which it was engaged as infantry. On Oct. 5 it moved to City Point, where it was again mounted and assigned to the 1st brigade, (Col. C. H. Smith) of Gen. David McM. Gregg's division. It lost heavily at the Boydton plank road late in the month, having 3 killed, 33 wounded and 18 missing and was again in action at Stony Creek Station on the Weldon railroad in December. About this time Co. F was detailed for duty at the 6th corps headquarters, where it remained until near the end of its service. The regiment shared in the Weldon railroad expedition with some loss, and also participated in the movement to Hatcher's run in Feb., 1865. Meanwhile, it had been recruited to the maximum strength and, on March 1 was transferred to the 2nd brigade, 2nd division commanded by Gen. J. Irvin Gregg, nearly half of the command consisting of dismounted men. These were ordered to City Point and afterwards shared in the final assault on Petersburg. In the final campaign, which was begun by the cavalry on March 29, 1865 the 21st had the advance. It was engaged at Dinwiddie Court House partially engaged at Five Forks; and in the action at Amelia Springs lost 98 out of 234 engaged in less than an hour's fighting. It was again in action at Sailor's creek and was engaged in the disastrous fighting at Farmville. It was also sharply engaged on the Lynchburg road, when the news of Lee's surrender was received. It then moved with the cavalry corps to the support of Gen. Sherman but returned to Petersburg on the news of Johnston's surrender. It then served by detachments on provost guard duty in Virginia until the middle of June, when it was concentrated at Lynchburg and mustered out on July 8, 1865. During its ten months of active service, 4 officers were killed or died of wounds, 1 died of disease, 14 were wounded, and 4 captured. Of the enlisted men, 147 were killed or died of wounds and disease, and 253 were wounded.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 1

PENNSYLVANIA ONE HUNDRED and EIGHTY-SECOND INFANTRY (TWENTY-FIRST CAVALRY) (Six Months; Three Years)

Twenty-first Cavalry. Col., William H. Boyd; Lieut.Col., Richard F. Moson; Majs., John W. Jones, Charles F. Gillies, Oliver B. Knowles. This regiment, the 182d of the line, was raised in the counties of York, Adams, Lancaster, Franklin, Bedford and Cambria during the summer of 1863, under the president's call of June 15, 1863 for militia for six months' service. The companies rendezvoused at Camp Couch, Harrisburg and were mustered into the U. S. service from June 23 to Aug. 10, 1863, for six months. All the field and most of the line officers and men were experienced in the cavalry service. After being equipped and mounted it was sent to an instruction camp at Chambersburg. On Aug. 23 it was ordered to Harrisburg and from there Cos. C, E, H, L and M, were ordered to Pottsville and Scranton, Co. B to Gettysburg, and the other five to Harper's Ferry, where they did duty in the Department of the Shenandoah during the fall and winter. About Feb. 1, 1864, the regiment was reunited at Chambersburg, where it was reorganized for three years, service, those who did not choose to reenlist for the long term being mustered out on Feb. 20, 1864. As reorganized the officers were as follows: Cols., William H. Boyd, Oliver B. Knowles; Lieut.-Col., Richard F. Moson; Majs., Charles F. Gillies, Oliver B. Knowles, Robert Bell, Richard Ryckman. In Feb., 1864, the ranks were filled by new recruits and the regiment was organized for the long term. In May it was ordered to Washington, except Co. D, which had been detailed for duty at Scranton, Pa. At Washington the command was dismounted and armed and equipped as infantry. It joined the army at Cold Harbor and was assigned to the 2nd brigade, (Col. Sweitzer) 1st division, 5th corps. In the severe fighting here it lost 1 officer and 7 men killed, 4 officers and 43 men wounded, among the severely wounded being Col. Boyd. It was again heavily engaged in front of Petersburg on June 18, losing 11 killed, 79 wounded and 1 missing, Lieut.-Col. Moson and Maj. Gillies being among the wounded. It was next in action on the Jerusalem plank road and met with some loss. When the mine was exploded on July 30 it was under fire and met with further loss. It shared in the battle of Six mile house, on the Weldon railroad in August, losing 1 killed and 27 wounded. In September it was transferred to the 1st brigade, 1st division, 5th corps. In the actions at Peebles' farm and Poplar Spring Church it lost 16 killed and wounded and was complimented for gallantry by its division commander, Gen. Griffin. This battle was the last in which it was engaged as infantry. On Oct. 5 it moved to City Point, where it was again mounted and assigned to the 1st brigade, (Col. C. H. Smith) of Gen. David McM. Gregg's division. It lost heavily at the Boydton plank road late in the month, having 3 killed, 33 wounded and 18 missing and was again in action at Stony Creek Station on the Weldon railroad in December. About this time Co. F was detailed for duty at the 6th corps headquarters, where it remained until near the end of its service. The regiment shared in the Weldon railroad expedition with some loss, and also participated in the movement to Hatcher's run in Feb., 1865. Meanwhile, it had been recruited to the maximum strength and, on March 1 was transferred to the 2nd brigade, 2nd division commanded by Gen. J. Irvin Gregg, nearly half of the command consisting of dismounted men. These were ordered to City Point and afterwards shared in the final assault on Petersburg. In the final campaign, which was begun by the cavalry on March 29, 1865 the 21st had the advance. It was engaged at Dinwiddie Court House partially engaged at Five Forks; and in the action at Amelia Springs lost 98 out of 234 engaged in less than an hour's fighting. It was again in action at Sailor's creek and was engaged in the disastrous fighting at Farmville. It was also sharply engaged on the Lynchburg road, when the news of Lee's surrender was received. It then moved with the cavalry corps to the support of Gen. Sherman but returned to Petersburg on the news of Johnston's surrender. It then served by detachments on provost guard duty in Virginia until the middle of June, when it was concentrated at Lynchburg and mustered out on July 8, 1865. During its ten months of active service, 4 officers were killed or died of wounds, 1 died of disease, 14 were wounded, and 4 captured. Of the enlisted men, 147 were killed or died of wounds and disease, and 253 were wounded.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 1

Pennsylvania 21st Cavalry (Union)

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