Company B, 6th US Cavalry Roster, Part I

This company was featured here recently in a series of posts titled One Company’s War after I found a company history written the year after the war. This discovery inspired me to see if I could manage to find all of those who served in the company during the war. With a tremendous amount of research help from the indefatigable Patty Millich and some digital wrestling to get it formatted into something that would be reasonably coherent when posted on the blog over the last month and a half, I think it’s finally ready to go. This may or may not be of interest to anyone, but the worst case is that it will be available online for anyone out there researching ancestors until the regular cavalry website is eventually established. This list contains only wartime information, as that is the focus of the blog. Anyone interested in further information on individuals outside of the war can contact me through the comments page and I’ll be happy to pass along what I have.

Company B was recruited primarily in Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio by Lieutenant James F. Wade. Lieutenant Wade was never assigned to Company B, but the fact that his father was a prominent senator from Ohio at the time probably helped him in his recruiting duties.

The company was officially organized on August 16, 1861 at Camp Scott, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its captain was August V. Kautz, the first lieutenant Herbert M. Enos, and the second lieutenant Curwen B. McLellan. Since he later accepted a volunteer commission, Kautz remained the assigned commander throughout the war, but many lieutenants served in the company, including one from the 3rd US Cavalry for a period of five months. A total of 150 enlisted men served in the company during the war, 37 of whom joined from volunteer units in the fall of 1862. Unlike the original enlistees, the majority of these men were from Pennsylvania units.

The roster below lists all of the enlisted men assigned to the company during the war. The rank listed is the highest enlisted rank achieved. The date listed is the date the soldier enlisted into the 6th US Cavalry. There appears to have a been a good bit of movement up and down the ranks, probably due to troopers being taken prisoner. The officers are not posted, as they are treated individually in Fiddler’s Green installments.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated, as the number of man-hours required to put something like this together is nearly prohibitive when one looks at 12 companies each for 6 regiments of regular cavalry.

Cusack, Patrick, First Sergeant/ Sergeant Major, November 6, 1861. Transferred to Company B November 6, 1861 at Camp East of Capitol. Prior service as Sergeant, Battery K, 4th US Artillery. Initially company first sergeant, then promoted to regimental sergeant major. Appointed Captain, 6th US Colored Cavalry on March 1, 1865.

Nolan, Nicholas M., First Sergeant, September 5, 1861. Transferred from Co K, 2nd US Dragoons to 6 US Cavalry as a Sergeant. Joined regiment at Bladensburg, MD. Later first sergeant on the peninsula, then discharged due to appointment as 2nd LT at Sharpsburg, MD on September 12, 1862.

Oby, George W., First Sergeant, June 29, 1861. Enlisted in Cleveland by Lt Wade. Captured July 6, 1862 as a corporal. Captured at Funkstown, MD on July 7, 1863 as a first sergeant. Discharged July 29, 1864 at Lighthouse Point, VA, a sergeant.

Pike, William H., First Sergeant, January 18, 1862. Discharged from Company C at the expiration of his term of service at Camp Russell, VA on January 18, 1865, a first sergeant. Transferred from Co B to Co C date unknown.

Speed, Frederick, First Sergeant, July 10, 1861. Prior service in Co H, 12 US Infantry. Enlisted into Company H in Philadelphia by CPT Savage. Discharged at the expiration of his term of service at Lighthouse Point, VA on July 10, 1864, a first sergeant.

Beck, Frederick, Sergeant, July 19, 1861. Enlisted as sergeant. Captured at battle of Fairfield, PA on July 3, 1863 as a corporal. Discharged July 19, 1864 at the expiration of his term of service at Lighthouse Point, VA, a sergeant.

Cocker, John J., Sergeant, July 29, 1861. Captured at Funkstown, MD on July 7, 1863. Discharged at the expiration of his term of service at Lighthouse Point, VA on July 29, 1864, a sergeant.

Dodd, Thomas, Sergeant, July 24, 1861. Captured at battle of Fairfield, PA on July 3, 1863. Discharged at the expiration of his term of service at Lighthouse Point, VA on July 30, 1864.

Drake, George W., Sergeant, August 12, 1861. Sick at Washington December 1861. Discharged August 12, 1864 at the expiration of his term of service at Giesboro Point, DC.

Elliott, Daniel D., Sergeant, August 1, 1861. Re-enlisted in the field on July 8, 1864 as a corporal.

Lepper, William, Sergeant, August 7, 1861. Wounded in arm during skirmish between Uniontown and Upperville, VA on November 3, 1862. Discharged August 10, 1863 for disability at Baltimore, MD.

Marshal, John P., Sergeant, July 31, 1861. Discharged July 30, 1864, at expiration of term of service.

Murphy, John, Sergeant, September 5, 1861. Transferred from Co K, 2nd US Cavalry to 6 US Cavalry. Company QM Sergeant September 1861.

Palmer, Myron T., Sergeant, July 24, 1861. Promoted to sergeant when he re-enlisted on February 8, 1864. Deserted July 29, 1865.

Schwenk, Martin, Sergeant, January 6, 1862. AKA George Martin. Prior service in Battery E, 2nd Artillery. Awarded Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery at Millerstown, PA on July 10, 1863. Discharged at the expiration of his term of service on January 6, 1865, a sergeant.

Burroughs, Levi S., Corporal, August 1, 1861. Captured at battle of Fairfield, PA on July 3, 1863 as a private. Captured at Brandy Station on October 11, 1863. Discharged at the expiration of his term of service in the field on August 28, 1864, a corporal.

Callender, William C., Corporal, July 31, 1861. Enlisted as corporal. In charge of horses August 1861. Discharged for disability at Governor's Island, New York harbor on October 28, 1862 as a private. Subsequently served in the 9th Independent Battery, Ohio Light Artillery, according to his pension records.

Eckerman, Lewis H., Corporal, August 7, 1861. Transferred Company B to Company L date unknown. Discharged at the expiration of his term of service at Washington, DC on August 7, 1864, a corporal.

Gilbreath, Joseph S., Corporal, July 27, 1861. Company farrier Sept 1861. Discharged at the expiration of his term of service on July 27, 1864, a corporal.

Grinnell, George N., Corporal, October 26, 1862. Discharged in the field at the expiration of his term of service on April 26, 1864.

Hare, John W., Corporal, August 5, 1861. Enlisted as a private by Lt Wade in Cleveland or Columbus, OH. Sick at Washington, Nov 7, 1861 to December 1861. Captured at battle of Fairfield, PA on July 3, 1863 as a corporal. Discharged at the expiration of his term of service at Lighthouse Point, VA on August 5, 1864, a corporal.

Hatch, Samuel G., Corporal, August 1, 1861. Discharged August 1, 1864 at the expiration of his term of service at Charlestown, VA, a corporal.

Jones, Lyman, Corporal, 17 July 1861. Cook December 1861. Discharged July 17, 1864 at the expiration of his term of service at Lighthouse Point, VA.

Lauer, Benjamin, Corporal, July 24, 1861. Discharged July 26, 1864 at the expiration of his term of service, a corporal.

Lepper, John, Corporal, August 7, 1861. Captured during a night reconnaissance on August 6, 1862. Captured while on picket at Richards Ford, VA on February 15, 1863, one of nine. Paroled on February 20, 1863. Re-enlisted into service in the Adjutant General's Office October 6, 1864 at Washington, DC.

Oby, David E., Corporal, June 31, 1861. Enlisted in Cleveland by Lt Wade. Killed in action at Funkstown, MD on July 7, 1863, a corporal.

Schmith, William, Corporal, July 18, 1861. Enlisted in Columbus by Lt Wade. Wounded in right knee at Brandy Station on October 11, 1863. Discharged at the expiration of his term of service at Lighthouse Point, VA on July 19, 1864, a corporal.

Bartlett, Marcus B., Bugler, August 3, 1861. Discharged August 3, 1864 at expiration of his term of service at Lighthouse Point, VA, a bugler.

Beck, Conrad, Bugler, August 7, 1861. Discharged August 7, 1864 at the expiration of his term of service at Lighthouse Point, VA, a bugler.