Today in Wheeling History: July 10—The 1st West Virginia Cavalry Regiment is officially organized in Wheeling, marking the formation of one of the Union’s most decorated Civil War units (1861).
The 1st West Virginia Cavalry Regiment, originally known as the 1st Virginia Cavalry (Union), was organized in Wheeling, Morgantown, and Clarksburg beginning July 10, 1861. Formed from loyalist regions of western Virginia, the regiment drew heavily from Wheeling and surrounding counties, including Ohio, Marshall, and Monongalia. Its ranks included men from Pennsylvania and Ohio, and even a German-speaking company. The unit was known for its white horses and the silver cornet band that accompanied it into battle.
Initially tasked with guarding the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and suppressing bushwhackers, the regiment later saw extensive combat. It fought in major engagements such as Gettysburg, Cedar Creek, and Five Forks, and played a pivotal role in the Appomattox Campaign that led to General Robert E. Lee’s surrender. The regiment earned distinction as the most decorated West Virginia unit of the war, with 14 Medal of Honor recipients.
Commanders included Colonel Henry Anisansel, Colonel Nathaniel P. Richmond, and General Henry Capehart. The regiment was mustered out on July 8, 1865, after participating in the Grand Review of the Armies in Washington, D.C.
To learn more: 1st West Virginia Cavalry Regiment – Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/msdcknhn), Ohio Civil War Central – 1st Regiment West Virginia Cavalry (https://tinyurl.com/395te5yy), West Virginia in the Civil War – 1st West Virginia Cavalry (https://tinyurl.com/yfp7xr6m), Find a Grave – 1st West Virginia Cavalry Virtual Cemetery (https://tinyurl.com/p5xxyujj), Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV – Archives & Civil War Resources (https://tinyurl.com/f3uestzy); YouTube – 1st West Virginia Cavalry Memories (https://tinyurl.com/3mf5j2pj)
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons
The 1st West Virginia Cavalry Regiment, originally known as the 1st Virginia Cavalry (Union), was organized in Wheeling, Morgantown, and Clarksburg beginning July 10, 1861. Formed from loyalist regions of western Virginia, the regiment drew heavily from Wheeling and surrounding counties, including Ohio, Marshall, and Monongalia. Its ranks included men from Pennsylvania and Ohio, and even a German-speaking company. The unit was known for its white horses and the silver cornet band that accompanied it into battle.
Initially tasked with guarding the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and suppressing bushwhackers, the regiment later saw extensive combat. It fought in major engagements such as Gettysburg, Cedar Creek, and Five Forks, and played a pivotal role in the Appomattox Campaign that led to General Robert E. Lee’s surrender. The regiment earned distinction as the most decorated West Virginia unit of the war, with 14 Medal of Honor recipients.
Commanders included Colonel Henry Anisansel, Colonel Nathaniel P. Richmond, and General Henry Capehart. The regiment was mustered out on July 8, 1865, after participating in the Grand Review of the Armies in Washington, D.C.
To learn more: 1st West Virginia Cavalry Regiment – Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/msdcknhn), Ohio Civil War Central – 1st Regiment West Virginia Cavalry (https://tinyurl.com/395te5yy), West Virginia in the Civil War – 1st West Virginia Cavalry (https://tinyurl.com/yfp7xr6m), Find a Grave – 1st West Virginia Cavalry Virtual Cemetery (https://tinyurl.com/p5xxyujj), Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV – Archives & Civil War Resources (https://tinyurl.com/f3uestzy); YouTube – 1st West Virginia Cavalry Memories (https://tinyurl.com/3mf5j2pj)
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons
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