United States Cavalry

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United States Cavalry
Cavalry branch plaque
Active	1775–1950
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Army
Type	Cavalry
Role	Reconnaissance, security (e.g., flank screening, advance guard, rear guard, combat out post, etc.), and economy of force missions
Patron	Saint George
Insignia
Branch insignia

The United States Cavalry, or U.S. Cavalry, was the designation of the mounted force of the United States Army. The United States Cavalry was formally created by an act of Congress on 3 August 1861 and ceased as a distinct Army branch in 1942.^[1] The name "cavalry" continues to be used as a designation for various specific United States Army formations and functions.

This branch, alongside the Infantry and Artillery branches, was formerly considered to be one of the "classic" combat arms branches (defined as those branches of the army with the primary mission of engaging in armed combat with an enemy force).

From the

The United States Cavalry in various forms from 1775 to 1942, was historically a horse-mounted cavalry force that played a significant role in a number of chapters of US history to the present day. These include the American Revolutionary War, and every major subsequent war in which the United States was involved. Washington personally witnessed the effect of a small force of the 17th Light Dragoons had on his troops, panicking his militia infantry at the Battle of White Plains. Appreciating the ability of the 5th Regiment of Connecticut Light Horse Militia, under Major Elisha Sheldon, to gather intelligence during the subsequent retreat of Continental forces into New Jersey, he asked the Continental Congress for a light cavalry force in the Continental army. In late 1776, Congress authorized Washington to establish a mounted force of 3,000 men.

American Revolutionary War

On 12 December 1776, Congress converted Elisha Sheldon's militia regiment into the

Pulaski's efforts led to friction with the American officers, resulting in his resignation, but Congress authorized Pulaski to form his own independent corps in 1778. Pulaski's Legion consisted of dragoons, riflemen, grenadiers, and infantry. Another independent corps of dragoons joined Pulaski's in the Continental Line during 1778 when a former captain in Bland's Horse, "Light Horse Harry" Lee, formed Lee's Corps of Partisan Light Dragoons, which specialized in raiding and harassing supply lines. Colonel Charles Armand Tuffin, marquis de la Rouërie ("Col. Armand"), a French nobleman, raised a third corps of infantry in Boston, called the Free and Independent Chasseurs, which later added a troop of dragoons, becoming Armand's Legion. Although a reorganization in 1778 authorized expansion of the four regiments to 415 men each, forage difficulties, expiration of enlistments, desertions, and other problems made this impossible, and no regiment ever carried more than 200 men on its rolls, and they averaged 120 to 180 men between 1778 and 1780.

In 1779, Washington ordered the 2nd and 4th Continental Light Dragoons equipped temporarily as infantry, and deployed the 1st and 3rd Continental Light Dragoons and Pulaski's Legion to the South to join local militia cavalry and to ensure the area remained American during an unexpected counter-offensive. Battle engagements in South Carolina largely seriously attrited the 1st and 3rd Regiments in the spring of 1780, who amalgamated into a single unit. Following the capture of Charleston, South Carolina on 12 May 1780, the remnants tried to regroup and reconstitute in Virginia and North Carolina. In August 1780, Armand's Legion was with General Gates at the disastrous Battle of Camden.

The most significant engagement of the war involving Continental light dragoons was the

In January 1781, the practice of the dragoons employing both mounted and dismounted troops resulted in their official reconfiguration as Legionary Corps, the mounted dragoons supported by dismounted dragoons armed as infantry, an organization that persisted until the war's end. In 1783, the Continental Army was discharged and the dragoons were released.

War of 1812

The first cavalry unit formed by the

In 1798, during the Quasi-War with France, Congress established a three-year "Provisional Army" of 10,000 men, consisting of twelve regiments of infantry and six troops of light dragoons. By March 1799 Congress created an "Eventual Army" of 30,000 men, including three regiments of cavalry. Both "armies" existed only on paper, but equipment for 3,000 men and horses was procured and stored.^[9]

The Congressional act of 12 April 1808 authorized a standing regiment of light dragoons consisting of eight troops. As war loomed, Congress authorized another regiment of light dragoons on 11 January 1812. These regiments were respectively known afterwards as the First and Second United States Dragoons.

In 1813, Secretary of War John Armstrong Jr. granted Colonel Richard Mentor Johnson permission to raise two battalions of volunteer cavalry. Johnson recruited 1,200 men, divided into 14 companies.

Congress combined the First and Second United States Dragoons into one Regiment of Light Dragoons on 30 March 1814. This was a cost-cutting measure; it was cheaper and easier to maintain one unit at full strength than two organizations that could not maintain a full complement of riders. The signing of the Treaty of Ghent at the end of the year ended the war. The regiment was disbanded on 3 March 1815, with the explanation that cavalry forces were too expensive to maintain as part of a standing army. The retained officers and men were folded into the Corps of Artillery by 15 June 1815, all others were discharged.

Westward expansion

The "plains cavalry" played an important role in extending American hegemony into western North America by forcefully subduing and displacing Native Americans from their lands during the western Indian Wars, thereby making way for colonists of primarily European descent. In 1832, Congress formed the Battalion of Mounted Rangers to protect settlers along the east bank of the Mississippi River and to keep the Santa Fe trail open. The battalion comprised volunteers organized into six companies of 100 men. To correct what was perceived as a lack of discipline, organization and reliability, Congress formed the United States Regiment of Dragoons as a regular force in 1833, consisting of 10 companies (designated A through K) with a total of 750 men. The Regiment fought against the Seminole nation in 1835, when Chief Osceola led warriors from his tribe in the Second Seminole War in protest to the Treaty of Payne's Landing. For a year, the established units had difficulty containing the Indians. Congress responded by establishing the 2nd United States Regiment of Dragoons in 1836.

War with Mexico

The First Dragoons served in the Mexican War, and

Shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War, the Army's dragoon regiments were designated as "Cavalry", losing their previous distinctions. The change was an unpopular one and the former dragoons retained their orange braided blue jackets until they wore out and had to be replaced with cavalry yellow. The 1st United States Cavalry fought in virtually every campaign in the north during the American Civil War.

Indian wars

The U.S. Cavalry played a prominent role in the American Indian Wars, particularly in the American Old West. Particularly notable were the 7th Cavalry, associated with General George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and the 9th and 10th Cavalry, the Buffalo Soldiers. Infantry units, called by the Indians "walkaheaps", were also involved and in some cases were the main force deployed. Infantry, when mounted, were called "mounted infantry"; they lacked training and skill in horsemanship and cavalry tactics.

• 
  A US Civil war soldier Cavalry [North] with sabre and Lefaucheux pistol; he wears shoulder scales as part of his dress uniform.
• 
  Company "A" 1st US Cavalry Sgt wearing Hardee hat, 1866
• 
  U.S. Army poster illustrating field uniforms circa 1876
• 
  Roasting the Christmas Beef, Frederic Remington, Harper's Weekly, 24 December 1892

Spanish–American War

Several Cavalry regiments served in Cuba, the 1st, 2d, 3rd Cavalry Regiments along with the African-American 9th and 10th Cavalry and also the 1st US Volunteer Cavalry, the

World War I

The

Post-World War I

Proponents of horse cavalry argued that the lack of success of cavalry on World War I's static defensive lines had been an exception, and that cavalry still had a role to play in warfare, even as the U.S. Army's mechanization continued.^[10]

The American Expeditionary Forces convened a Cavalry Board to consider the future of horse cavalry; this panel concluded that the employment of large cavalry units was probably obsolete, but that horse cavalry units of regiment size and below could be attached to infantry and armor units for reconnaissance and similar missions on an as needed basis.^[11] The Army accepted this recommendation, and continued to field horse cavalry units in the 1920s and 1930s.^[11]

As part of the National Defense Act of 1920, the Army created the Office of the Chief of Cavalry; the chief would be a temporary major general, and would be empowered to supervise cavalry activities, including personnel management, equipment development and fielding, and creation and implementation of tactics, doctrine, and training.^[11] Willard Ames Holbrook was appointed as the first Chief of Cavalry, and he served until 1924.^[11]

In 1921 the formation of the National Guard 21st through 24th Cavalry Divisions began with the

In 1927, the adjutant general constituted one regular army, one cavalry corps, and three army corps headquarters. In addition, the 3rd Cavalry Division, a new Regular Army formation, was added to the rolls to complete the cavalry corps.^[13] No army corps, cavalry corps, or army headquarters was organized at that time, but moving these units in the mobilization plans from the Organized Reserve to the Regular Army theoretically made it easier to organize the units in an emergency.

In the midst of the

World War II

During the Second World War, the Cavalry consisted of three Regular, four National Guard, and six

On 25 February 1943 the 2nd Cavalry Division was (re)activated. The 27th Cavalry Regiment was attached to the 5th Cavalry Brigade (Colored) on 25 February 1943. It was deactivated 27 March 1944 and personnel later reorganized into the 6400th Ordnance Battalion (Ammo) (Provisional) 12 June 1944.[15] The

The last horse

The 10th Mountain Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop of the 10th Mountain Division, while not designated as U.S. Cavalry, conducted the last horse-mounted charge of any Army organization while engaged in Austria in 1945.^[17] An impromptu pistol charge by the Third Platoon was carried out when the Troop encountered a machine gun nest in an Italian village/town sometime between 14 and 23 April 1945.

Mechanized cavalry

Prior to World War II, the Army commenced experimenting with mechanization and had partially mechanized some cavalry regiments, such as the Wyoming National Guard's 115th Cavalry Horse-Mechanized. During the war, many of the Army's cavalry units were mechanized with tanks and reconnaissance vehicles, while others fought dismounted as infantry. Some units were converted into other types of units entirely, some of which made use of the cavalry's experience with horses. The Mars Men of the

The principal reconnaissance element of an Infantry Division was a mechanized cavalry troop, whilst an armored division was provided with a full cavalry squadron. Several cavalry groups, each of two squadrons, were formed to serve as the reconnaissance elements for U.S. corps headquarters in the European Theater of Operations during 1944–45.

Besides HQ and service elements, each cavalry troop comprised three cavalry platoons, each of which was equipped with six Bantam jeeps and three M8 Greyhound armored cars.^[18]

Three of the jeeps were mounted with a

U. S. Armored Cavalry (Ground Cavalry Units)[21] in the Vietnam War

• 1st Squadron,
  Americal
  ), but remained assigned to the 1st Armored Division
• Troop E, 1st Cavalry; assigned to 11th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division
• 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry; attached to the 4th Infantry Division (Ivy Division), but remained assigned to the 2nd Armored Division
• 1st Squadron,
  Big Red One
  )
• 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry; assigned to the 25th Infantry Division (Tropical Lightning)
• 3rd Squadron,
  DMZ
• 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry; assigned to the 4th Infantry Division
• General Patton
  's son Colonel George S. Patton Jr.
• Troop A, 4th Squadron, 12th Cavalry; assigned to 1st Brigade 5th (Mech) Infantry Division
• Troop B, 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry; assigned to 82nd Airborne Division (All American)
• 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry; assigned to
  Airmobile units.^[22]
• Troop D, 17th Cavalry; assigned to 199th Infantry Brigade (Light Brigade). Deactivated Oct 1970/reactivated Apr 1972 as an Air Cavalry Troop.^[22]
• Troop E, 17th Cavalry; assigned to 173rd Airborne Brigade
• Troop F, 17th Cavalry; assigned to 196th Infantry Brigade (Light Brigade), Americal Division
• Troop H, 17th Cavalry; assigned to 198th Infantry Brigade (Light Brigade), Americal Division. Deactivated Oct 1971/reactivated Apr 1972 as an Air Cavalry Troop.^[23]

During the Vietnam War U.S. Cavalry squadrons were normally assigned or attached to army divisions. Army brigades were only authorized one cavalry Troop, as was the case with "A" Troop, 4/12 Cavalry. When only the 1st Brigade of the 5th (Mechanized) Infantry Division deployed to the

Contemporary cavalry and dragoons

Recent developments

The 1st Dragoons was reformed in the Vietnam era as 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry. Today's modern 1–1st Cavalry is a scout/attack unit, equipped with M1A1 Abrams tanks and M3 Bradley CFVs.

Another modern U.S. Army unit informally known as the 2nd Dragoons is the

The cavalry, like any other military force, has its own unique traditions and history. These traditions include the Order of the Spur; Spurs are issued to cavalry soldiers in Gold, for the completion of a tour of combat service and in Silver for the completion of what is commonly called the "Spur Ride". The Cavalry traditions also include: the Stetson, Stetson Cords, Fiddler's Green poem, and the Order of the Yellow Rose.^{[citation needed]} Units in the modern Army with the armor and cavalry designation have adopted the black Stetson hat as unofficial semi dress headgear, recalling the black felt campaign hats of the American frontier era. Where as the Quarter-Cav still wears the brown felt Stetsons.

Cavalry designation

The distinct cavalry branch ceased to exist when it was absorbed into the Armor branch in 1951, during the Korean War. Other regiments of both armored and air cavalry exist in the Army. The patches on 1st Cavalry Division helicopters that served in Vietnam retained the symbol of a horse, symbolizing the mobility that characterized the original horse cavalry. In spite of the formal disbanding of the branch, however, the recognition of it continues on within the Army's armor and aviation branches, where some officers choose cavalry branch insignia over the very similar armor branch insignia or aviation "prop and wing" insignia.

Chief, the last surviving tactical horse of the United States Cavalry, died in 1968, at the age of 36.^[25]

There is one enlisted Army

• 1st U.S. Cavalry 1861.^[1]
• 2nd U.S. Dragoons organized 1836.
  2nd U.S. Cavalry 1861^[1]
• 3rd U.S. Cavalry 1861^[1]
• 4th U.S. Cavalry 1861.^[1]
• 5th U.S. Cavalry 1861.^[1]
• 6th U.S. Cavalry 29 July 1861.^[27]
• 4th Cavalry Regiment (5), organized 1861
• 5th Cavalry Regiment
  (2), organized 1861
• 6th Cavalry Regiment
  (4), organized 1861
• 7th Cavalry Regiment
  (5), organized 1866
• 8th Cavalry Regiment
  (4), organized 1866
• 9th Cavalry Regiment (3), organized 1866
• Buffalo Soldiers
  ) Colored Regiment, organized 28 July 1866
• 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (2), organized 2 February 1901
• 12th Cavalry Regiment
  (2), organized February 1901
• 13th Cavalry Regiment (2), organized 1901
• 14th Cavalry Regiment
  (2), organized 1901
• 15th Cavalry Regiment, organized 1901 US Army Training and Doctrine Command
  unit
• 16th Cavalry Regiment, organized 1916 US Army Armor School
• 17th Cavalry Regiment
  (5), organized 1916.
• 32nd Cavalry Regiment
  (1)
• 33rd Cavalry Regiment
  (1) E.T.H.O.G.A. Civilian G-Code regulators
• 38th Cavalry Regiment
  (3) part of Battlefield Surveillance Brigades
• 40th Cavalry Regiment (1) cryptographic data team
• 61st Cavalry Regiment (2)
• 71st Cavalry Regiment
  (2), reestablished in 2004
• 73rd Cavalry Regiment
  (4)
• 75th Cavalry Regiment
  (1)
• 89th Cavalry Regiment
  (2)
• 91st Cavalry Regiment
  (1)
• 1st Cavalry Division organized 1921^[28][29]

Army National Guard:

• 18th Cavalry Regiment, CA ARNG
• 2nd Squadron,
  27th IBCT, NY ARNG
• 102nd Cavalry Regiment, NJ ARNG
  (1)
• 104th Cavalry Regiment, PA ARNG
• 105th Cavalry Regiment, WI ARNG
• 106th Cavalry Regiment
  , reestablished in 2006
• 107th Cavalry Regiment, OH ARNG
• 108th Cavalry Regiment, GA ARNG
• 112th Cavalry Regiment, TX ARNG
• 113th Cavalry Regiment, IA ARNG
• 116th Cavalry Brigade, ID ARNG
• 124th Cavalry Regiment, TX ARNG
• 1st Battalion/Squadron -142nd Cavalry Regiment BFSB, AL ARNG
• 67th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Nebraska Army National Guard
  (NEARNG)
• 152nd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Squadron in 76th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Squadron in 219th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, IN ARNG
• 1–153rd Cavalry Squadron
  , FL ARNG
• 158th Cavalry Regiment, MD ARNG
• 163rd Cavalry Regiment, MT ARNG
• 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, TN ARNG
• 1–297th BFSB, AK ARNG
• 299th Cavalry Regiment, HI ARNG
• 303rd Cavalry Regiment, WA ARNG
• 1/221 Cavalry Squadron, 11th ACR reconnaissance squadron, NV ARNG
• 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment, 116th IBCT, VA ARNG

United States Army Chief of Cavalry

In 1920, the position of United States Army Chief of Cavalry was created. The Chief of Cavalry was responsible for supervising Army cavalry activities, including personnel management, equipment development and fielding, and creation and implementation of tactics, doctrine, and training. The individuals appointed to serve in this position were:^[30]

• Willard Ames Holbrook, 1920–1924
• Malin Craig, 1924–1926
• Herbert B. Crosby, 1926–1930
• Guy V. Henry Jr., 1930–1934
• Leon Kromer, 1934–1938
• John Knowles Herr, 1938–1942

Heraldry

Cavalry in United States military heraldry is represented in a number of ways:

• Branch insignia:

  Two crossed sabers in scabbards, cutting edge up, 11/16-inch in height, of gold color metal. The cavalry insignia was adopted in 1851. Officers and enlisted personnel assigned to cavalry regiments, cavalry squadrons or separate cavalry troops are authorized to wear the cavalry collar insignia in lieu of their insignia of branch when approved by the MACOM commander. Some of the armor and aviation units are designated cavalry units.

• Branch plaque:

  The plaque design has the Cavalry insignia and rim in gold. The background is white and the letters are scarlet.

• Regimental insignia:

  Personnel assigned to cavalry units affiliate with a specific regiment of their branch or cavalry unit and wear the insignia of the affiliated regiment.

• Regimental coat of arms:

  There is no standard cavalry regimental flag to represent all of the cavalry regiments. Each cavalry regiment has its own coat of arms that is displayed on the breast of a displayed eagle. The background of all cavalry regimental flags is yellow, and they have yellow fringes.

• Branch colors:

  Yellow is the Cavalry branch color. In March 1855, two regiments of cavalry were created and their trimmings were to be "yellow". In 1861, the designation of dragoon and mounted rifleman disappeared, all becoming troopers with "yellow" as their colors. Yellow was continued as the color for armor and cavalry units subsequent to disbanding as a branch. Although the regimental flags for cavalry units are yellow, the troop guidons are red and white without an insignia on the guidon.

Notable U.S. Army cavalrymen

Historical Units

• 104th Cavalry Regiment, Pennsylvania Army National Guard
  . (Founded in 1774.)

• 1st Continental Light Dragoons
• 2nd Continental Light Dragoons also (Sheldon's Horse)
• 3rd Continental Light Dragoons
• 4th Continental Light Dragoons
• Pulaski's Legion (1778–1780)
• Armand's Legion (1778–1783)
• Lee's Legion, also Lee's Partisan Corps
• Ottendorf's Corps

Cavalry

• 106th Cavalry Group (United States)

• 5th Cavalry Brigade HHT (Colored), 2nd Cavalry Division, activated 25 February 1943 and reorganized as 6400th Ordnance Battalion (Ammo)(Provisional) 12 June 1944.^[15]
• 31st Cavalry Regiment (United States), deactivated 2005

See also

• United States Army branch insignia
• List of armored and cavalry regiments of the United States Army
• Buffalo Soldier, segregated African American cavalrymen
• U.S. Army Remount Service
• United States Army Cavalry School

References

Works cited

• Grant, Ulysses S. (2009) The Complete Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant. Seven Treasures Publications
  ISBN 978 1438 2970 71
• Johnson, Swafford. (1985) History of the U.S. Cavalry. Bison Books ISBN 0-517-460831
• Price, George F., compiled by Captain Fifth Cavalry, U.S. Army. (1883) Across The Continent with the Fifth Cavalry. New York, D. Van Nostrand, Publisher, 23 Murray Street and 27 Warpen Street
• Smith, Gustavus, Woodson. (2001) Company "A" Corps of Engineers, U.S.A., 1846–1848, in the Mexican War. Edited by Leonne M. Hudson, The Kent State University Press
  ISBN 0-87338-707-4
• Department of the Army
  ; First printing 1978

Further reading

• Carleton, James Henry, author, Pelzer, Louis, editor, The Prairie Logbooks: Dragoon Campaigns to the Pawnee Villages in 1844, and to the Rocky Mountains in 1845, University of Nebraska Press (1 June 1983), trade paperback,
  ISBN 978-0803214224
• Franklin, William, B., Lieutenant. (1979) March to South Pass: Lieutenant William B. Franklin's Journal of the Kearny Expedition of 1845. Edited and Introduction by Frank N. Schubert; Engineer Historical Studies, Number 1 (EP 870-1-2); Historical Division, Office of Administrative Services, Office of the Chief of Engineers
• Hildreth, James, Dragoon Campaigns To The Rocky Mountains: A History Of The Enlistment, Organization And First Campaigns Of The Regiment Of U. S. Dragoons 1836, Kessinger Publishing, LLC (17 May 2005), hardcover, 288 pages
  ISBN 978-1162797113
• Brackett, Albert G. (1968) [1865]. History of the United States Cavalry: From the Formation of the Federal Government to the 1st of June 1863, ... New York City: Greenwood. p. 337.
• Connecticut Adjutant General's Office (1889). Record of service of Connecticut men in the I. War of the Revolution, II. War of 1812, III. Mexican War. Hartford, Connecticut: Case, Lockwood & Brainard. p. 959.
• Heitman, Francis Bernard (1968) [1903]. Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, From Its Organization, September 29, 1789, to 2 March 1903. Vol. I. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co. p. 890.
• Subbs, Mary Lee; Connor, Stanley Russell (1969). ARMOR-CAVALRY Part I: Regular Army and Army Reserve. 69-60002: United States Army Center of Military History. Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2010.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)

External links

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

ARMOR-CAVALRY: Part 1; Regular Army and Army Reserve

• Society of the Military Horse
• 5th and 2/12th US Cavalry, Vietnam
• CavHooah.com
• 117th Cavalry Association