21st Regiment, Pennsylvania Cavalry (182nd Volunteers)

Brief History
This regiment was organized at Harrisburg February, 1864. It mustered out July 8, 1865.

For more information on the history of this unit, see:


 * The Civil War Archive section, 21st Regiment Cavalry (3 Years), (accessed 12 September 2012).

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

Field and Staff Officers - See 3 year Roster

Company A - Many men enrolled in Dauphin County, Franklin County, and York County -  See 3 year Roster

Company B - Many Men enrolled in Franklin County - See 3 yearRoster

Company C - Many men enrolled in Daupin County and Berks County - See 3 year Roster

Company D - Many men enrolled in Franklin County - See 3 year Roster

Company E - Many men enrolled in Franklin County - See 3 year Roster

Company F - Many men enrolled in Franklin County, Dauphin County, and Blair County - See 3 year Roster

Company G - Many men enrolled in Lancaster County, Daupin County, and Franklin County - See 3 year Roster

Company H - Many men enrolled in Berks County and Franklin County - See 3 yearRoster

Company I - Many men enrolled in Dauphin County and Lackawanna County - See 3 year Roster

Company K - Many men enrolled in Franklin County and Schuykill County - See 3 year Roster

Company L - Many men enrolled in Franklin County and Lackawanna County - See 3 year Roster

Company - M - Many men enrolled in Franklin County and Philadelphia County - See 3 year Roster

Unassigned men - See 3 year Roster

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,586 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘Pennsylvania in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Pennsylvania in the Civil War describes many sources, specifically for Pennsylvania, and how to find them. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * PaRoots gives a history of the 21st Regiment. The History is for both the 6 month enlistment and the 3 year enlistment. The site also has rosters for each company and additional references.


 * Bates, Samuel P. "Memoir of Oliver Blachly Knowles Late Colonel of the 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry and Brevet-Brigadier General" (Philadelphia: [s.n.], 1875.) . Other Libraries.


 * Bonnell, John C. Sabres in the Shenandoah : the 21st New York Cavalry, 1863-1866. (Shippensburg, Pennsylvania : Burd Street Press, c1996),


 * United States. Army. Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment, 21st (1863-1865). Organization and annual reunions of the 21st Penn'a Cavalry Association. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992),