15th Pennsylvania Cavalry

The 15th Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry was a volunteer cavalry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

History

The regiment was recruited from July to October 1862, with mustering in taking place at Carlisle. It was first assigned to the Army of the Potomac for the 1862 Maryland Campaign, skirmishing with Confederates near Hagerstown, and participating at Battle of Antietam. It was then transferred to Kentucky, where it was remounted and assigned to the Army of the Cumberland in Tennessee and was present at the battles of Stones River and Chickamauga. Among those troopers later honored for gallantry at Stones River were John Tweedale and John Gregory Bourke, who were among six men who eventually received the Medal of Honor.

For the remainder of the war, the 15th remained in the Department of the Cumberland, performing garrison duties and occasionally participating in minor skirmishes and raids. It fought in the Knoxville Campaign. In April 1865, the regiment helped capture General Braxton Bragg and his staff and pursued Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

The 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry was mustered out in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 21, 1865 (although Company A was kept in the service until July 18).

Casualties

Total losses during the war:

• Killed and mortally wounded: 3 officers, 22 enlisted men
• Died of disease: 0 officers, 103 enlisted men
• Total casualties: 3 officers, 125 enlisted men

Commanders

Col. William J. Palmer

See Also

• "List of the field and staff officers and members of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry (or more familiarly known as the "Anderson Cavalry"), who went to the front and were engaged in the battle of Murfreesborough." Accessed 3/5th/2015.
• Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiments, History, Service and Muster Rolls. Accessed 3/5th/2015

References

• The American Civil War website's history of the unit
• Pennsylvania in the Civil War (Archived 2009-05-02)