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Second US Cavalry in 1861 Slide Show
(Last update 3/01/08)
Beginnings
The 2nd Dragoons were scattered around the frontier in early 1861 as follows:
Fort Leavenworth KS: Companies C and K.
Fort Kearny, NE: Company A.
Fort Laramie NE: Companies D and F.
Taos, NM: Companies G and I.
Camp Floyd (Ft. Crittenden), UT: Companies B, E, and H.
Orders in June began necessary troop movements bringing the Army into areas deemed threatened by the coming conflict. Of the two companies at Fort Leavenworth, company K arrived at Washington City in time to participate in the First battle of Bull Run / Manassas in late July.
First Manassas
On July 21 1861, company K Second Dragoons, under Capt. Armstrong, fought as part of a cavalry force under Maj. Innis Palmer, Second (now 5th) Cavalry, which included two companies First (now 4th) Cavalry and Four companies Second (now 5th) Cavalry. This force, assigned to Porter's First Brigade of the Second Division saw most of their action on the Union right between Sudley Church and the Warrenton Turnpike.
After supporting the brigade's infantry for some time, "The cavalry were engaged in feeling the left flank of the enemy's position, in doing which some important captures were made -- one by Sergeant Sachs, of the Second Dragoons, of a General George Stuart, of Baltimore. Our cavalry also emptied the saddles of a number of the mounted rebels." This quote comes from Col. Andrew Porter's (16th Inf.) report on his brigade's actions. He further credits this cavalry force, along with some Regular Infantry and Marines as providing valuable rear guard support for the later retreating federal army. His A.A.A.G., Capt. Averell indicates that Capt. Armstrong's Dragoons, along with Arnold's Battery were last of the brigade to leave the field. Capt. Armstrong's own report makes additional mention of his company being used to slow the headlong retreat of some Rhode Island volunteers.
Happily, this first contingent of Second Dragoons into the fray acquitted themselves well in spite of the Army's overall defeat. Of the cavalry battalion's casualties (13 wounded and 5 missing), 2 enlisted Dragoons suffered non-lethal wounds.
Now for some extra credit information:
Maj. Gen'l. George Steuart of the Maryland CS Militia, whom Sergeant Sachs captured, had come looking for his son George, also serving as a Confederate officer, and who had served with the Second Dragoons as Second Lt. from 1848 through early 1855. He resigned his commission with the First (old) Cavalry in April 1861.
Capt. Armstrong, who Commanded Company K. Second Dragoons this day, resigned his own commission August 13, 1861 and later rose to Brig. General, C.S.A.
Wilson’s Creek*
The next company from the regiment to enter the great arena was Company C at the battle of Wilson’s Creek, Missouri. Since leaving Utah in 1859 it had been almost constantly in the field in Kansas and Nebraska. But in the general drift of the army toward the east, Company C arrived at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in Feb, 1861. It marched again on June 11th under Lieutenant Farrand, First Infantry and arrived at Springfield Missouri, August 6th to form part of General Lyon’s force.
20,000 confederates under General Prince had been trying hard to catch up with General Lyon’s force of about only 5000men. Despairing of overhauling then on August 9th, the rebels went into camp on Wilson’s Creek Missouri. Fearful of the loss of prestige in the doubtful state of Missouri if he retreated beyond Springfield, General Lyon decided to attack early in the morning. His plan called for dividing his force in two parts in the face of vastly superior enemy. Major Sturgis commanded one part and Col Sigel the other, which included Company C, Second Dragoons (now officially called 2nd Cavalry – see name change). Early on the morning of August 10th, Sturgis’ wing attacked the enemy from the front, while Sigel made a wide movement and approached from the rear. The attack was a complete surprise and threw the confederates into confusion. Advancing slowly with the cavalry in front, Colonel Sigel cut off small parities of Rebels who were in the outskirts of their camp. This was done so well that the enemy was not aware of their approach until they were within sight of his tents. During the ensuing engagement the cavalry was placed on the flanks.
Meantime, the main force of the army attacked and made good progress in driving the enemy south. While heading a regiment of Kansas Troops, General Lyon was killed. During the fight in Sigel’s front, a force was seen to approach carrying Union Flags and Federal Uniforms. His troops did not fire upon then, thinking they werwe a part of Lyons’ force. It was an unfair stratagem of the Confederates, and they suddenly opened an intensive fire upon Sigel’s men at close range. There was an utter rout of the little force, which fled panic stricken toward Springfield. The other half of the command under Sturgis was now forced to withdraw, and a bold effort against a superior force had failed.
That Name Change!
OK, now we have math class - sort of. In the above description of First Manassas you noticed some confusion about regimental numbering. Here's where we get it straight. For researching U.S. Regular cavalry units during this period, this is must know info!
Orders cut on August 3, 1861 changed the rich fabric of American mounted regiments from a varied group of different unit types to a common, single description force. The existing Dragoon, Mounted Rifle, and Cavalry regiments were all to be known henceforth as.... CAVALRY!
Here's how they changed, in order of seniority:
Old Name New Name
1st Dragoons (1833) 1st Cavalry
2nd Dragoons (1836) 2nd Cavalry (that's us)
Mounted Rifles (1846) 3rd Cavalry
1st Cavalry (1855) 4th Cavalry
2nd Cavalry (1855) 5th Cavalry
3rd Cavalry (1861) 6th Cavalry
Previous to this change each service had it's own distinctive uniform trim color for jackets and NCO trouser stripes. Infantry had light/dark blue, Artillery-red, DRAGOONS-ORANGE, Mounted Rifles-green, and Cavalry-yellow.
Rodenbough, in his own comments says, "By this the "Second Dragoons" became the Second Regiment of Cavalry, under which name it will hereafter be referred to in this book. Alas! for the cherished "orange", it must give place to the gaudy yellow; "but the troops", so read the order, "will be permitted to wear out the clothing now on hand." The marvelous durability of orange facings, or the prodigious quantity of similar clothing "on hand" in the "Second", enabled that regiment to postpone for more than two years the thorough execution of that order; and when eventually forced to "change their stripes", the depressing effect might have caused an ignorant civilian to look upon yellow cloth as military mourning".
Getting everybody together
As the far flung companies came together with their regiments, the 3rd and 4th regiments would stay almost exclusively in the Western, or Trans-Mississippi theater till the war's end. The 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 6th regiments would form, in the east along with an occasional volunteer regiment, the "Reserve Brigade", under the 2nd's old commander, Phillip St. George Cooke (also father in-law to J.E.B. Stuart).
As an example, our own Company A reports the following in the muster roll for the period ending December 31, 1861: "The Company commanded by Capt. B[rockholst]. Livingston, 3d Cavalry, marched from Fort Kearny N.T. enroute for Washington Nov 8t, 1861 in compliance with S[pecial].. O[rder]. No. 176 dated H[ea]d. Q[uarte]rs. of the Army Washington D.C. Oct 26t, 1861, and arrived at Fort Leavenworth K. Nov 21s 1861, a distance of 296 miles. Left Ft. Leavenworth Nov 22d, 1861, under command of Capt. J. T. Ray 2d Infty. and arrived this City Nov 29t, 1861". The company Captain was absent with leave for sixty days from Dec 3rd, and the only other officer, 1st Lieutenant Chas. McKee Loesser has been recently assigned to the company but on detached service. The following men were listed present for duty:
James Riley, 1st Sgt.
Joseph D. O'Brien, Sgt.
Thomas Maloney, Sgt.
Richard H. Chinn, Sgt.
Charles Prossig, Cpl.
David Lee, Cpl.
James Timmons, Cpl.
Michael Cullen, Bugler
William E. Stratten, Bugler
James Rhien, Farrier
27 Privates
Not present were 4 privates on extra or daily duty, 2 privates sick, and 6 privates in arrest or confinement. Three privates had deserted with all their equipment in November. Of the men listed above, only James Timmons remained with the company in April 1865, listed as 2nd Sergeant and then just starting his third enlistment.
1861: CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF BATTLES/ENGAGEMENTS THAT SECOND CAVALRY TROOPS PARTICIPATED
DATE EVENT/LOCATION COMPANY
July 21 Bull Run/ VA K (2nd Dragoons)
- Manassas
Aug 10 Wilson’s Creek/ MO C (2nd Cavalry)
- near Springfield
*Note: Excerpts on Company C and the Chronology were taken from:
Lambert, Joseph I., Major USA, One Hundred Years with the Second Cavalry, Newton Publishing Company, San Antonio TX 1999