| 1st Battalion Nevada Volunteer Cavalry | |
|---|---|
| Active | 17 June 1863 – 21 July 1866 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Allegiance | Union |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | cavalry |
| Size | 854[1] |
The 1st Battalion of Nevada Volunteer Cavalry, or the Nevada Territory Cavalry Volunteers, was a unit raised for the Union army during the American Civil War. It remained in the west, garrisoning frontier posts, protecting emigrant routes, and engaged in scouting duties. The unit was disbanded in July 1866.
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In the spring of 1862, recruiting for the army in the Nevada Territory began in Virginia City. These early volunteers were mustered into the 3rd California Cavalry, and occupied military posts within the territory. The following spring, Nevada was authorized to raise their own battalion of cavalry for three-years service. Recruitment offices were first opened at Gold Hill and Silver City[2], and the first men began mustering in on 17 June 1863[3]. Other recruiting stations were later opened in Aurora, Carson City and Genoa[4] and the battalion of six companies would be completed in April 1864.
The companies, or detachments of, would be engaged in various scouting missions and fort garrisoning during their service. Companies A and B left for the Utah Territory in 1864, where they encamped at Fort Bridger, Companies C and F manned Camp Douglas in Utah[5], while the other two were engaged in numerous skirmishes with hostiles throughout Nevada.
The Expedition to the Humboldt River would take Captain Wells and Company D on a 1,200 mile scouting operation, from their camp at Fort Churchill north and west to the California border and back. In the 84 days, they never engaged or saw any hostile Indians[6].
The Pyramid Lake, Walker Lake and Mud Lake operations in March 1865 involved Companies D and E investigating the murders of miners and the theft of cattle from settlers. The 10 March incident at Walker Lake with Capt Wallace and Company E was settled quickly, with the suspected murderers being handed over by the Paiute band. For Capt Wells and Company E, however, encountering the Smoke Creek Paiutes at Mud Lake (now Winnemucca Lake) on 14 March became a battle. Though only one man was wounded, twenty-nine Indians were killed in the action. Reports from both sides offer largely different versions of the incident.[7]
Table (or Godfrey's) Mountain, 20 May 1865. Capt Littlefield, with 35 men of Company D, while on a scouting run near Paradise Valley, encountered a large band of Paiute's. Largely outnumbered, he returned to camp to notify Captain Wells, who gathered up Co. E, and returned to the scene with a force of 65 soldiers. Chief Zeluawick, with 500 Paiute, Shoshone and Bannock warriors, held a position on top of a butte. Wells, Littlefield and 40 men (the remainder of the force keeping the horses) charge up the hill, and fought until night fall, when a retreat was ordered. Two soldiers were killed, and four wounded in the attempted assault.[8]
Skirmishes with these bands of Paiutes continued throughout the summer, with additional troops of the 1st Nevada Infantry and 2nd California Cavalry taking part. Companies D and E, along with a detachment from Company F, would be mustered out on 18 November 1865. Companies A, B and C would be mustered out of service on 12 July 1866, while the remainder of Company F stayed on until 21 July.