United States Regiments & Batteries > Pennsylvania > Artillery, Cavalry & Engineers


1861
August to October Organized at Philadelphia by Colonel Joseph Harlan of Philadelphia as an independent regiment under authority of the Secretary of War, known as “Harlan’s Light Cavalry.”Most companies were from Pennsylvania, but Company A was from Iowa, parts of E and F from New York, part of I from New Jersey, and Company M was from Ohio.
October 5 Colonel Joseph Harlan, Lieutenant Colonel Samuel P. Spear and Majors George Stetzell, Samuel Wetherill and Noah Runyan were mustered in as field officers.
October 14 Moved to Washington, D.C.
October 16-November 17 At Camp Palmer, near Ball’s Cross Roads, assigned to Briagdier General Innis Palmer’s Brigade.
November 13 Congress desided there would be no independent regiments, only those raised by states, so the designation of the regiment was changed to 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
November 17 Ordered to Fortress Monroe, Va. via Annapolis.
November Duty at Camp Hamilton, Va. attached to Department of Virginia
1862
January 3 Reconnaissance to Big Bethel
March Companies C and M detatched to Newport News under Major Runyan
May 15 Lieutenant Colonel Spear and companies A, E, G, & L were detached to Portsmouth, Virginia
May 30 Action at Blackwater, near Zuni
June Lieutenant Colonel Spear and Companies A, E, G, H & L ordered from Portsmouth to Suffolk, Va. for picket and outpost duty there and toward the Blackwater.Company M ordered to Portsmouth under Captain Reynolds.

Companies B, C, D, F, I & K under Colonel Harlan ordered to Join the Army of the Potomac at White House.

June 13-15 Companies B, C, D, F, I & K participating in operations against Stuart
June 16 Companies B, C, D, F, I & K on picket duty at White House and in rear of army
June 23 Companies B, C, D, F, I & K – Operations about New Kent C. H.
June 26-July 2 Companies B, C, D, F, I & K – Operations about White House
July 2 Companies B, C, D, F, I & K – Evacuation of White House and moved to Williamsburg
July Companies A, E, G, H & L assigned to Division at Suffolk, 7th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia. Company M to Portsmouth, Va., and duty there until March 20, 1863
July 15 Major Stetzel takes command of Companies B, C, D, F, I & K from Colonel Harlan
August 19 Colonel Harlan mustered out . Lieutenant Colonel Spear was promoted to colonel, Major Stetzel to lieutenant colonel, and Captain Frank A. Stratton to major.
August 20 Regiment except for Company M reunited at Suffolk
August 31 Action at Franklin
October 3 Reconnaissance from Franklin to Blackwater
October 15 Suffolk
December 1-3 Reconnaissance from Suffolk
December 1 Beaver Dam Creek
December 2
Beaver Dam Church

Near Franklin and Blackwater. A battalion under Major Stratton made a saber charge, routing the enemy and capturing 25 prisoners and part of the rocket battery the Confederates had captured from General McClellan.

December 12 Suffolk
1863
January 8-10 Expedition toward Blackwater
January 30 Action at Deserted House
February 10 Norfolk (Company M)
March 17
Franklin and Blackwater

Two battalions under Majors Stratton and Cornoq tried to carry Confederate breastworks with a mounted charge, losing Lieutenant Mowday

March 20 Company M rejoins the regiment
April 12-May 4 Siege of Suffolk
April 15 Somerton Road
April 24 Edenton Road
June 5-7 Reconnaissance through Gates County, N. C., and down Chowan River
June 11 Near Suffolk (Detachment)
June 23-28 Expedition to South Anna Bridge (Detachment)
June 24-July 8 Dix’s Peninsula Campaign
June 26 South Anna Bridge
June 26 Hanover C. H. Capture of Gen. W. H. F. Lee.
July 1-7 Expedition from White House to South Anna River. Assigned to U.S. Forces, Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va. Dept. Virginia and North Carolina
July 4 South Anna Bridge
July Moved to Portsmouth, Va., and duty there
July 25-August 3 Expedition from Portsmouth to Jackson, N. C. Company L detached on eastern shore of Virginia for remainder of the war.
July 28 Jackson
August 5-12 Expedition to Camden and Currituck Counties, N. C.
August 11-19 Expedition to Edenton, N. C. (Companies G, I & K)
August 18 Near Pasquotank
September 12 South Mills
September 14-17 Reconnaissance to Blackwater River
October Attached to Cavalry Brigade, Portsmouth, Va., Dept. Virginia and North Carolina
October 4-9 Expedition from Yorktown to Matthews County (Detachment)
December 5-24 Expedition to South Mills and Camden, N. C.
1864
January 23 Moved to Williamsburg, Va.
February 6-8 Wistar’s Expedition against Richmond
February 28 Scout in Gloucester County
March 1-4 Expedition in support of Kilpatrick
March 9-12 Expedition into King and Queen County
March 10 Carlton’s Store
March 17-21 Expedition into Matthews and Middlesex Counties
April Attached to 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Dept. Virginia and North Carolina
April 13-15 Reconnaissance to Blackwater
May 4-28 Butler’s operations on south side of the James and against Petersburg and Richmond
May 4 Companies B and H to Headquarters 18th Corps.
May 5-11 Kautz’s Raid on Petersburg & Weldon Railroad and to City Point, Va.
May 5 Birch Island Bridges
May 6 Bird Island Bridges, Blackwater River
May 7 Stony Creek Station, Weldon Railroad
May 8 White’s Bridge, Nottaway Creek
May 9 Jarrett’s Station and White’s Bridge
May 12-17 Kautz’s Raid on Richmond & Danville Railroad
May 14 Flat Creek Bridge, near Chula Depot
May 16 Belcher’s Mills
June 2 Bermuda Hundred (Detachment)
June 9 Petersburg
June 15-18 Before Petersburg
June 16 Beginning of siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond
June 20 Company B rejoined Regiment from 18th Corps HQ
June 22-30 Wilson’s Raid on South Side & Danville Railroad
June 25 Staunton River Bridge and Roanoke Station
June 28-29 Sappony Church or Stony Creek
June 29 Ream’s Station
July 27-29 Demonstration on north side of the James at Deep Bottom
July 27-28 Deep Bottom
August 18-21 Ream’s Station
August 22 Vaughan Road
August 23 Dinwiddie Road, near Ream’s Station
August 24 Near Ream’s Station
August 25 Ream’s Station
September 15 Jerusalem Plank Road
September 16 Sycamore Church
September 28 Company H returns from 18th Corps HQ
September 28-30 Chaffin’s Farm, New Market Heights
October 7 and 13 Darbytown Road
October 27-28 Fair Oaks
October 29 Johnson’s Farm
December 10 Darbytown Road
1865
January Assigned to 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Dept. of Virginia
February 11-15 Expedition to Fearnsville and Smithfield
March 28-April 9 Appomattox Campaign
April 1 Five Forks
April 2 Gravelly Ford, Hatcher’s Run
April 4 Deep Creek
April 4-5 Amelia C. H.
April 7 Prince Edward Court House
April 8 Appomattox Station
April 9 Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.

April 12-16 March to Lynchburg, Va.
April 16-24 To Richmond
May 5-11 Expedition to Staunton
May 9 Colonel Spear resigned. Lieutenant Colonel Franklin A. Stratton was promoted to colonel.
May-July Duty in the Sub-District of Albemarle
August 13 Mustered out at Richmond under Colonel Stratton.