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161st Pennsylvania Regiment, 16th PA Cavalry

Online Books
161st Pennsylvania Regiment, 16th PA Cavalry Soldier Roster - History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5, Volume 4 by Samuel P Bates, 1869     View Entire Book

Regimental History
Sixteenth Cavalry. — Col., John Irvin Gregg; Lieut. -Cols., Lorenzo D. Rodgers, John K. Robison; Majs., John K. Robison, William A. West, William H. Fry, John Stroup, Seth T. Kennedy, Andrew F. Swan, James C. Robinson, Adam J. Snyder, R. W. McDowell. The 16th cavalry, the 161st regiment of the line, was recruited from the state at large, rendezvoused at Camp Simmons, near Harrisburg, afterwards at Camp McClellan, and was mustered into the U. S. service during September, October and the first half of November, 1862, for three years. Col. Gregg was an experienced officer, having served in the Mexican war, afterwards in the 11th U. S. infantry, where he rose to the grade of captain, and later in the state militia. On the outbreak of the rebellion, he was made colonel of the 5th regiment of the reserve corps, but accepted a commission in the 6th U. S. cavalry instead and served with that regiment during the Peninsular and Maryland campaigns. On Nov. 30 the regiment proceeded to Camp Casey, near Bladensburg, Md., and on Jan. 3, 1863, it joined the army of the Potomac at Falmouth, where it was assigned to Averell's division of the cavalry corps. During the winter it was engaged in severe picket and guard duty and first met the enemy at Kelly's ford in March, 1863, where it met with a slight loss. It shared in the various movements of its division prior to and during the battle of Chancellorsville, but was not actively engaged. At Brandy Station in May it guarded the trains and had no part in the fighting. On June 11 it was assigned to the 2nd brigade, 2nd division, cavalry corps, Col. J. Irvin Gregg commanding the brigade, Gen. David McM. Gregg the division, and Gen. Pleasonton the corps. On May 16, 1863, Capt. Robison was commissioned lieutenant-colonel and was in command of the regiment during the Gettysburg campaign. On the march northward into Pennsylvania it was engaged at Middleburg and Upperville. At Gettysburg it was only lightly engaged, losing 2 killed and 4 wounded. After the battle it followed in pursuit and was engaged at Halltown and Shepherdstown. In the latter action it made several gallant charges and met with a loss of 24 killed, wounded and missing. In the fall campaign it skirmished at Culpeper and was active at Jeffersonton, Auburn, and Bristoe Station, on the retreat to Centerville. In the Mine Run campaign it was active on the Fredericksburg plank road and at Parker's store. During the winter of 1863-64 it participated in raids to Luray and Front Royal, and a detachment of the command shared in Kilpatrick's raid from Stevensburg to Richmond. On the opening of the spring campaign of 1864 it was active at the Wilderness and Todd's tavern; shared in Sheridan's cavalry raid to Richmond in May; and near the close of that month was heavily engaged at Haw's shop, losing 4 killed and 20 wounded, Lieut.-Col. Robison being among the latter. In June it moved with Sheridan in the expedition towards Lynchburg; was heavily engaged at Trevilian Station in June; and at Samaria Church, where it repelled repeated charges. During the rest of the year it was engaged at Malvern hill, Strawberry Plains, losing 7 killed, 2 officers and 22 men wounded, out of less than 200 engaged, at Six-mile house, Weldon railroad, at Reams' station, Poplar Spring Church, Belcher's mills, Hatcher's run, where it lost 3 killed and 28 wounded, and on Dec. 1 it assisted in the capture of a fort, 3 guns and a number of prisoners, at Stony Creek station on the Weldon railroad. It shared in the Weldon railroad expedition without loss and then went into winter quarters at Hancock's station. Early in Feb., 1865, it was heavily engaged at Dabney's mill and on the opening of the final campaign it met with severe loss at Dinwiddle Court House. The regiment was incessantly active throughout the closing days of the war, being engaged at Five Forks, Amelia springs, Sailor's creek and Farmville. Upon the close of hostilities it was posted at Lynchburg to preserve order and guard property and in August it moved to Richmond, Va., where it was mustered out on the 11th.

Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 1

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