The 1st West Virginia Cavalry Regiment served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Although it started slowly, it became one of the most active and effective of the West Virginia Civil War regiments—and had 14 Medal of Honor recipients, the most for any West Virginia regiment during the war. It was originally called the 1st Virginia Cavalry, not to be confused with the Confederate 1st Virginia Cavalry. Some reports added "Union," "Loyal" or "West" when identifying this regiment. After the Unionist state of West Virginia was officially admitted to the Union in 1863, the regiment became the 1st West Virginia Cavalry Regiment. The National Park Service identifies it as the 1st Regiment, West Virginia Cavalry.
The regiment was organized in Wheeling, Morgantown and Clarksburg in 1861 and consisted of 13 companies, plus an additional company that was attached for most of the war. Members were predominately recruited from Ohio and Pennsylvania and the western Virginia counties of Marshall, Monongalia, Harrison and Ohio. The regiment was often split during the first two years of the war, with detachments spending time guarding the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and hunting bushwhackers. During July 1863, ten companies of the regiment fought at the Battle of Gettysburg as part of a division.
The regiment began fighting in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley during the second half of 1864. At the beginning of 1865, it became part of the 3rd Brigade in General George Armstrong Custer's Third Division, Cavalry Corps—which, along with another division was under the command of General Philip Sheridan. Sheridan's two cavalry divisions were responsible for eliminating Confederate General Jubal Early's Army of the Valley from the war, and also played an important part in the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. After the war, the 1st West Virginia Cavalry participated in the Grand Review of the Armies, and was mustered out on July 8, 1865.
Formation and organization
Although Virginia seceded from the union and joined the Confederate States of America, many people in the northwestern portion of the state preferred to remain loyal to the United States. The first new cavalry regiment formed from this loyal region was originally known as the 1st Virginia Cavalry, and was sometimes noted as a loyal (to the union) regiment to differentiate it from the 1st Virginia Cavalry that was a rebel force for the Confederacy. The regiment eventually was identified as a West Virginia cavalry regiment after the new state was formed in the loyal section of Virginia. Recruiting for the new regiment began during July 1861, and a significant portion of the new recruits were from the cities of Wheeling, Morgantown, and Clarksburg. An analysis of the regiment by the George Tyler Moore Center showed that 32% of the men were from West Virginia, 23% were from Pennsylvania, 16% were from Ohio and the remainder were from Virginia and other states as well as immigrants. One company consisted mostly of men who spoke German.
The regiment's first company, known as the Kelley Lancers, rarely fought with the regiment and was usually attached to General Benjamin Franklin Kelley. Their original captain, John Lowry McGee, eventually became commander of the 3rd West Virginia Cavalry. Another company that was typically detached was called Gilmore's Company. The first regiment commander was Colonel Henry Anisansel, who was commissioned on September 7, 1861. Anisansel was a former lieutenant in the Ringgold Cavalry. His second-in-command was Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel P. Richmond. Richmond had been a lieutenant in the 13th Indiana Infantry Regiment and an aide-de-camp to General William Rosecrans. The regiment's first chief surgeon was Henry Capehart, who eventually became regiment commander and a general.
Early action The regiment's first action is listed as the Battle of Carnifex Ferry on September 10, 1861. However, the two companies present, Gilmore's Company and a company led by Captain William West that eventually became CompanyI, were held in reserve. The first fighting was done by the Kelley Lancers (CompanyA) in Romney in October 1861. As the regiment grew, it worked primarily in detachments to hunt bushwhackers. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (a.k.a. the B&O Railroad) was an important asset for the Union army, and detachments of the regiment were also used to guard it.
Although the regiment became West Virginia's "most active, and one of the most effective," it did not begin well. During 1862, General Frederick W. Lander brought court martial charges against Anisansel for "failing to obey an order to charge the enemy" at Bloomery Gap. Anisansel was exonerated because he claimed a battle injury made him unable to make the charge. After returning to duty, he resigned on August 6, 1862. He was succeeded by Richmond, his second-in-command. During December 1862, Richmond became involved in a dispute that resulted in his arrest for disobedience. Richmond remained under arrest until he resigned on March 18, 1863.
On May 3, 1863, an 80-man detachment of the regiment was surprise attacked at Warrenton Junction by the notorious guerilla warfare leader Major John S. Mosby and his Mosby's Rangers. They were rescued by the 5th New York Cavalry, but had 17 men killed or wounded, including Major Josiah Steele—who died about one month later from his wounds. During the spring after the Mosby encounter, the regiment was armed with Spencer repeating rifles. Officers from the regiment sent a petition to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton to have Richmond reinstated. Richmond was reinstated as regimental commander on June 12. On June 20, the new state of West Virginia joined the union, and the 1st Virginia Cavalry (loyal) became the 1st West Virginia Cavalry—although many still called it the 1st Virginia.
Gettysburg Campaign
On June 24, the 3rd Brigade, Third Division, Twenty-second Army Corps of the Army of the Potomac departed from its camp in Fairfax, Virginia. Their destination was Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Richmond commanded the 1st West Virginia Cavalry as it departed with 10 of the regiment's companies as part of this brigade with three other regiments. The brigade moved to Frederick, Maryland, where the entire division was reorganized into two brigades. Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick was assigned command of the division, and Brigadier General Elon J. Farnsworth was assigned command of the 1st Brigade. Brigadier General George Armstrong Custer was assigned command of the 2nd brigade. As the troops moved from Frederick toward Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the regiment in the rear was attacked by cavalry under the command of General James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart. Farnsworth's 1st Brigade counter-attacked, and with the help of Custer's 2nd Brigade drove off the Confederate cavalry. The 1st West Virginia had 2 killed, 5 wounded, and 18 men taken prisoner. This June 30 battle became known as the Battle of Hanover.
Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg began on the next day, lasting from July 1 through July 3. The Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by General George G. Meade, defeated the invading Confederate Army of Northern Virginia commanded by General Robert E. Lee. Over 150,000 men (both sides combined) fought in this battle, and casualties are estimated to be around 51,000.
Farnsworth's brigade did not encounter any enemy forces for the first two days (July 1 and 2) of the battle. Late in the afternoon on the third day of the battle, Kilpatrick ordered Farnsworth to make a mounted charge against a Confederate infantry position that was fortified and near ground difficult for horses. Although Farnsworth objected, he followed his orders. The 1st West Virginia Cavalry, led by Richmond, made the first charge. The West Virginians became nearly surrounded by the 1st Texas Infantry and had to retreat to safety using their sabers. They took some prisoners and suffered casualties of five killed and four wounded. Farnsworth led a second group of men in another charge and took significant casualties—and Farnsworth was killed. The charge became known as the infamous Farnsworth's Charge. After the death of Farnsworth, Richmond assumed command (officially July 4) of Farnsworth's 1st Brigade. Major Charles E. Capehart assumed command of the 1st West Virginia Cavalry. Both commands were temporary.
Pursuit of Lee's Army After the third day of fighting at Gettysburg, armies on both sides were exhausted. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia prepared to leave during the rainy night and return to the relative safety of Virginia. Their trip back would involve traveling through mountains to cross the Potomac River at Williamsport, Maryland. General John D. Imboden led a wagon train carrying wounded men on a northwest route, which was safer and easier to follow. Lee moved with the healthy part of his Army of Northern Virginia on a more southern route to Williamsport that was shorter but had more difficult terrain.
Kilpatrick's division, which was reinforced with cavalry stationed at Emmitsburg, Maryland, pursued Lee's retreating army. Late at night high in the mountains, near Monterey Pass, a dismounted advance guard company from Custer's 2nd Brigade confronted a small group of rebels guarding the pass. The rebels, using only one piece of artillery, prevented Custer's men from entering the pass while a wagon train belonging to Confederate General Richard S. Ewell moved from the north into the pass.
At 3am, the 1st West Virginia Cavalry were ordered to assist Custer. In pouring rain and total darkness, the 1st West Virginia Cavalry charged down the mountain, capturing the Confederate artillery piece and an entire wagon train in hand-to-hand combat. The captured wagon train consisted of 300 wagons and 15 ambulances, and the horses and mules pulling them. A total of 200 officers and 1,100 men were captured. Casualties for the 1st West Virginia were only 2 killed and 2 wounded. For this action, Charles Capehart was later awarded the Medal of Honor. He accomplished this while having a shattered ankle that was the result of being shot while fighting at Gettysburg.
Less than a week after the battle at Monterey Pass, Colonel Othniel De Forest (who had been ill) of the 5th New York Cavalry reported for duty, and Richmond was relieved from command of the 1st Brigade. Richmond and the 1st West Virginia Cavalry reported to Frederick, Maryland, for provost duty. Lee's army crossed the Potomac at Williamsport and Falling Waters on July 14.
Capehart becomes commander For the last half of July, the regiment fought in some minor skirmishes, and eventually reported to Stafford, Virginia, near Fredericksburg. On September 16, Richmond was injured when his horse was shot and fell on him at Raccoon Ford on the Rapidan River. He resigned in early November after an October promotion to colonel, and was discharged on a Surgeon's Certificate of Disability on November 11.
During November, the regiment (ten companies) was in the Battle of Mine Run as part of Custer's Third Division. Their brigade commander was General Henry Eugene Davies, and the regiment was under the temporary command of Major Harvey Farabee. Henry Capehart, the regiment's surgeon (and brother of Charles Capehart), was familiar with the territory, and provided valuable assistance to Davies in strategy and fighting—in addition to navigating the terrain. Davies was impressed, and along with Kilpatrick and Custer recommended Capehart to replace the injured Colonel Richmond as commander of the 1st West Virginia Cavalry. Henry Capehart was commissioned as colonel on December 23, becoming the regiment's commander.
Army of West Virginia