12th Regiment, Missouri State Militia Cavalry (Union)

Brief History
This regiment was organized in Missouri at large December 5, 1861, to May 8, 1862. It was attached to Dept. of Missouri and participated in the following service: Expedition from Greenville February 23-25, 1862 (Co. "B"). Mingo Creek, near St. Francisville, February 24 (Co. "B"). Cherry Grove July 1. Greenville July 20 (Cos. "B" and "G"). Greenville July 26. Scout in Southeastern Missouri July 26-29 (Detachment). Bolinger's Mills July 28 (Detachment). Dallas August 24. Crooked Creek, near Dallas, August 24 (1st Battalion). Van Buren October 22. Near Pike Creek and Eleven Points October 25. Pittman's Ferry, Ark., October 27 (Detachment). Scouts about Mingo Swamp February 2-14, 1863. Mingo Swamp February 3. It was broken up February 4, 1863.

Another source gives the following. The 12th Regiment, Missouri State Militia Cavalry was enrolled between 12 December 1861 and 21 March 1862. They were mustered between 25 January 1862 and 11 April 1862. The Regiment was discharged between 31 August 1862 and 31 October 1862. The Colonel in charge was Albert Jackson.

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

*The Civil War Archive section, 12th Regiment State Militia Cavalry, (accessed 21 July 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.

Company A - Captain George W. Hammel - Many men from Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County

Company B - Captain William L. Leeper - Many men from Middle Brook, Iron County

Company C - Captain Anthony Arnold - Many men from Cape Girardeau

Company D - Captain William Flentze - Many men from Cape Girardeau

Company E - Captain Peter Hagan - Many men from Ironton, Iron County

Company F - Captain Levi E. Whybark (Wybark) - Many men from Ironton, Iron County

Company G - Captains William C. Bangs and Andrew R. Dill - Many men from Greenville, Clay County

Company H - Captain William T. Hunter - Many men from Union, Franklin County

The above information about the companies with partial rosters is found in Kenneth E. Weant's book, Civil War Records Union Troops Missouri Militia Cavalry, Volume 8

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in 'Missouri 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.


 * Missouri in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Missouri, 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.


 * Internet Archives.