THE SIXTH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY
“RUSH’S LANCERS”
The men of the Sixth Pennsylvania were the cream of Philadelphia society. Most of the officers came from the leading families of the City of Brotherly Love. Many of them served in the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, a militia unit that was originally formed to serve as George Washington’s personal body guard during the Revolutionary War. These bright, talented young men left their mark on many battlefield of the Civil War, earning them the proud title of “the Seventh Regulars.”
This regiment, raised mostly in Philadelphia was one of the finest volunteer cavalry regiments of the American Civil War, the Lancers had a storied history marked by hard combat and long marches.
“A superb regiment, noted for intelligence, bravery and stalwart service, the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry was an elite outfit, in the truest sense. That they were accepted and admired by the Regulars, alongside whom they served on many a hard-fought field, speaks volumes of the gallantry and dash of these sons of the Keystone State.” Historian Brian C. Pohanka, February, 2000.
Matthew Brady took this photograph in May 1863. It depicts Company I of the Lancers, then serving as headquarters escort for Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker, the commander of the Army of the Potomac. If you click on the photo, you can get a larger view. Note the stacked lances in the background. The man in civilian garb on the left side of the photograph is the famous war time artist Alfred Waud. (photo courtesy of Library of Congress)
CAMPAIGNS OF THE SIXTH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY
The Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry was also known by its nickname or local designation of Rush’s Lancers. In addition to this name, the regiment, like almost all Civil War units, was frequently known by an alternate designation derived from the name of its commanding officer. Names of this type used by or for the regiment are shown below.
Richard H. Rush’s Cavalry
Charles L. Leiper’s Cavalry
John H. McArthur’s Cavalry
C. Ross Smith’s Cavalry
Albert P. Morrow’s Cavalry
Robert Morris, Jr.’s Cavalry
John H. Gardner’s Cavalry
George H. Clymer’s Cavalry
Henry C. Whelan’s Cavalry
J. Henry Hazeltine’s Cavalry
William P.C. Treichel’s Cavalry
James Starr’s Cavalry
Abraham D. Price’s Cavalry
Charles B. Coxe’s Cavalry
Bernard H. Harkness’s Cavalry
On December 10, 1861, the Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry was ordered to Washington, D.C. There it joined the Army of the Potomac. It served on provost duty with that Army until the following May, remaining with the Army of the Potomac until August 1864. It then joined the Army of the Shenandoah. In November 1864, the regiment returned to service in that Army for the remainder of its career. Listed below are the specific higher command assignments of the regiment.
| Emory’s Brigade, Cooke’s Cavalry Division, Cavalry Reserve, Army of the Potomac | Dec. 1861-July 1862 |
| Emory’s Second Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army of the Potomac | July 1862-Aug. 1862 |
| Third Brigade, Pleasonton’s Cavalry Division, Army of the Potomac | July 1862-Nov. 1862 |
| Headquarters, Left Grand Division, Army of the Potomac | Nov. 1862-Feb. 1863 |
| Reserve Brigade, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac | Feb. 1863-June 1863 |
| Reserve Brigade, First Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac | June 1863-Aug. 1864 |
| Third (Reserve) Brigade, First Cavalry Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Shenandoah | Aug. 1864-Nov. 1864 |
| Third (Reserve) Brigade, First Cavalry Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac | Nov. 1864-June 1865 |
The Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry participated in a large number of various engagements during its career. These are identified below.
| Scout to Hunter’s Mills, VA | March 19, 1862 |
| Advance from Fortress Monroe to Yorktown, VA | May 3-5, 1862 |
| Reconnaissance to New Castle and Hanovertown Ferry, VA | May 22, 1862 |
| Reconnaissance to Hanover Court House, VA | May 24, 1862 |
| Skirmish, Hanover Court House, VA (Company C) | May 25, 1862 |
| Operations about Hanover Court House, VA | May 27-29, 1862 |
| Skirmish, Hanover Court House, VA (Company A) | May 27, 1862 |
| Occupation, Ashland, VA | May 30, 1862 |
| Reconnaissance to Hanover Court House, VA | June 10-12, 1862 |
| Operations against Stuart’s Raid about White House, VA | June 12-15, 1862 |
| Skirmish, Garlick’s Landing, Pamunkey River, VA | June 13, 1862 |
| Seven Days Battles, VA | June 25-July 1, 1862 |
| Affair, Beaver Dam Station, VA (Companies B, C, G, and H) | June 26, 1862 |
| Battles, Gaines Mill, Cold Harbor, Chickahominy, VA | June 27, 1862 |
| Battle, Glendale, Frazier’s Farm, Charles City Crossroads, New Market Crossroads, Willis Church, VA | June 30, 1862 |
| Battle, Malvern Hill, Crew’s Farm, VA (Company F) | July 1, 1862 |
| Skirmishes, Falls Church, VA | Sept. 2-4, 1862 |
| Maryland Campaign | Sept. 6-22, 1862 |
| Skirmish, South Mountain, MD | Sept. 13, 1862 |
| Skirmish, Jefferson, MD | Sept. 13, 1862 |
| Battle, Crampton’s Gap, South Mountain, MD (Companies B, G, and I) | Sept. 14, 1862 |
| Battle, Antietam, Sharpsburg, MD (Companies, B, G, and I) | Sept. 16-17, 1862 |
| Action, Sharpsburg, Shepherdstown, and Blackford’s Ford (Boteler’s Ford) and Williamsport, MD | Sept. 19, 1862 |
| Operations in Loudoun, Fauquier, and Rappahannock Counties, VA | Oct. 26-Nov. 10, 1862 |
| Actions, Bloomfield and Upperville, VA | Nov. 2-3, 1862 |
| Battle, Fredericksburg, VA | Dec. 12-15, 1862 |
| Skirmish, Occoquan River, VA (Companies B and G) | Dec. 19, 1862 |
| Burnside’s “Mud March”, VA (Companies A, D and E) | Jan. 20-24, 1863 |
| Chancellorsville Campaign | April 27-May 6, 1863 |
| Stoneman’s Raid, VA (Company L) | April 29-May 8, 1863 |
| Skirmish, Raccoon Ford, VA (detachment) | April 30, 1863 |
| Engagement, Brandy Station and Beverly Ford, VA | June 9, 1863 |
| Reconnaissance to Ashby’s Gap, VA (Company A) | June 14, 1863 |
| Gettysburg Campaign | June 9-July 24, 1863 |
| Skirmish, Greencastle, PA | June 20, 1863 |
| Battle, Gettysburg, PA | July 1-3, 1863 |
| Action, Williamsport, MD | July 6, 1863 |
| Action, Boonsborough, MD | July 8, 1863 |
| Skrimishes at and near Funkstown, MD | July 10-13, 1863 |
| Skirmish, Aldie, VA (detachment) | July 11, 1863 |
| Skirmishes, Kelly’s Ford, VA | July 31-Aug. 1, 1863 |
| Action, Brandy Station, VA | Aug. 1, 1863 |
| Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan, VA | Sept. 13-17, 1863 |
| Bristoe Campaign | Oct. 9-22, 1863 |
| Skirmish, Manassas Junction, VA | Oct. 17, 1863 |
| Skirmish, Bristoe Station, Kettle Run, VA | Oct. 18, 1863 |
| Advance to the line of the Rappahannock, VA | Nov. 7-8, 1863 |
| Mine Run Campaign, VA | Nov. 26-Dec. 2, 1863 |
| Demonstration on the Rapidan, VA | Feb. 5-7, 1864 |
| Custer’s Raid in Albemarle County, VA | Feb. 26-Mar. 1, 1864 |
| Skirmish near Charlottesville, VA | Feb. 29, 1864 |
| Skirmish, Burton’s Ford, Rapidan River, VA | March 1, 1864 |
| Skirmish, Stannardsville, VA | March 1, 1864 |
| Wilderness Campaign | May 4-June 12, 1864 |
| Engagement, Todd’s Tavern, VA | May 7-8, 1864 |
| Sheridan’s Raid from Todd’s Tavern to the James River, VA | May 9-24, 1864 |
| Engagement, Ground Squirrel Church, South Anna River, and Yellow Tavern, Richmond, VA (separate detachments involved in separate actions) | May 11, 1864 |
| Engagement, Meadow Bridge, Chickahominy River, VA | May 12, 1864 |
| Combat, Mechanicsville, VA | May 12, 1864 |
| Operations on the line of the Pamunkey River, VA | May 26-28, 1864 |
| Action, Hanovertown, Pamunkey River, VA | May 27, 1864 |
| Skirmish, Hanovertown Ferry, VA | May 27, 1864 |
| Operations on the line of the Totopotomoy River, VA | May 28-31, 1864 |
| Engagement, Old Church, VA | May 30, 1864 |
| Action, Mattadequin Creek, VA | May 30, 1864 |
| Combat, Bethesda Church, VA | May 31-June 1, 1864 |
| Engagement, Cold Harbor, VA | May 31-June 1, 1864 |
| Skirmish, McClellan’s Bridge, VA | June 2, 1864 |
| Skirmishes, Haw’s Shop, VA | June 4-5, 1864 |
| Sheridan’s Trevillian Raid, VA | June 7-24, 1864 |
| Battle, Trevillian Station, Central R.R., VA | June 11-12, 1864 |
| Action, Newark (Mallory’s Cross Roads), VA | June 12, 1864 |
| Action, Black River (Tunstall’s Station) and White House (St. Peter’s Church), VA | June 21, 1864 |
| Action, Jones’ Bridge, VA | June 23, 1864 |
| Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond, VA | July 4-30, 1864 |
| Demonstration on the North Side of the James River and Engagements at Deep Bottom (Darbytown), Strawberry Plains, and New Market Road, VA | July 27-29, 1864 |
| Engagement, Charles City Cross Roads, VA | July 27-28, 1864 |
| Engagement, Malvern Hill, VA | July 28, 1864 |
| Sheridan’s Campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, VA | Aug. 7-Nov. 28, 1864 |
| Action near Stone Chapel, VA | Aug. 10, 1864 |
| Action, Toll Gate near White Post, VA | Aug. 11, 1864 |
| Action near Newtown, VA | Aug. 11, 1864 |
| Skirmish near Strasburg, VA | Aug. 14, 1864 |
| Skirmish, Summit Point, WV | Aug. 21, 1864 |
| Skirmish, Summit Point, WV | Aug. 23-24, 1864 |
| Action near Keraneysville, WV | Aug. 25, 1864 |
| Skirmishes, Leetown and Smithfield, WV | Aug. 28, 1864 |
| Engagement, Smithfield, Crossing of the Opequon, WV | Aug. 29, 1864 |
| Sheridan’s Expedition from Winchester, VA | Feb. 27-March 25, 1865 |
| Engagement, Waynesborough, VA | March 2, 1865 |
| Appomattox Campaign, VA | March 28-April 9, 1865 |
| Skirmishes on the line of Hatcher’s and Gravelly Runs, VA | March 30, 1865 |
| Engagement, Dinwiddie Court House, VA | March 30-31, 1865 |
| Battle, Five Forks, VA | April 1, 1865 |
| Action, Scott’s Cross Roads, VA | April 2, 1865 |
| Skirmish, Tabernacle Church (Beaver Dam Creek), VA | April 4, 1865 |
| Engagement, Sailor’s Creek, VA | April 6, 1865 |
| Engagement, Appomattox Station, VA | April 8, 1865 |
| Engagement, Clover Hill, Appomattox Court House, VA | April 9, 1865 |
| Surrender, Appomattox Court House, VA | April 9, 1865 |
| Expedition from Burkesville and Petersburg to Danville and South Boston, VA | April 23-29, 1865 |
On May 2, 1865 the regiment was ordered from Danville to Washington. On May 23, 1865, it took part in the Grand Review of Eastern Armies held there. The regiment was consolidated with the First and Seventeenth Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiments on June 17, 1865 to form the Second Pennsylvania Provisional Cavalry. This regiment was moved to Louisville and Lebanon, Kentucky, a short time later. It was mustered out of Federal service at Lebanon on August 7, 1865.
During its career, the Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry sustained the loss of seven officers and seventy-one enlisted men killed or mortally wounded. An additional three officers and eighty-six enlisted men died from disease or other non-battlefield causes.
The Congressional Medal of Honor was awarded to Capt. Frank Furness for his actions at Trevillian Station, Virginia, June 12, 1864. A quote from his citation is indicated below:
…voluntarily carried a box of ammunition across an open field swept by the enemy’s fire to the relief of an outpost whose ammunition had been almost exhausted, but which was thus able to hold its important position…
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