1st Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union)

Brief History
The First Kentucky Cavalry, commonly known as “Wolford’s Cavalry, was organized at Camp Dick Robinson, under Colonel Frank Wolford, and mustered into the United States service on the 28th day of October, 1861, The regiment was placed upon active duty and participated in many skirmishes and all the early battles in Kentucky. Acquiring great efficiency as scouts, they were constantly kept at the front.

The 1st Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry was organized at Liberty, Burkeville and Monticello, Kentucky, October, 1861, and mustered in October 28, 1861. Veterans and recruits consolidated to a Battalion of 3 Companies and on duty at various points in Kentucky, operating against guerrillas and quieting country, until September, 1865. The regiment mustered out September 20, 1865.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 1st Regiment Cavalry, (accessed 28 June 2012).
 * The Wikipedia article, 1st Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry, (accessed 28 June 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.

The 1st Kentucky volunteer Cavalry -  Compiled Service Records has cards for each soldier in alphabetical order. May give age and place of birth.

Company A - Many men mustered in at Camp Dick Robinson, Garrard County; Liberty, Casey County; Knoxville, Pendleton County; Danville, Boyle County; Bardstown, Nelson County; Russell County, Kentucky.

Company B - Many men mustered in at Lexington, Fayette County; Knoxville, Pendleton County; Casey County, Bardstown, Nelson County; Somerset,Pulaski County, Kentucky.

Company C - Many men mustered in at Lexington, Fayette County; Camp Dick Robinson, Garrard County; Danville, Boyle County; Somerset, Pulaski County; Jamestown, Russell County; Creelsboro, Russell County; Glasgow, Barren County, Kentucky

Company D - Many men mustered in from Camp Dick Robinson, Garrard County; Somerset, Pulaski County; Fort Boyle, Marion County; Fort Williams, Glasgow, Barren County and Munfordville, Hart County, Kentucky.

Company E - Many men mustered in from Camp Dick Robinson, Garrard County; Somerset,Pulaski County; Camp Nielson, Glasgow, Barren County; Bardstown, Nelson County and Oak Forest, Allen County, Kentucky.

Company F - Many men mustered in from Camp Dick Robinson, Garrard County; Bardstown, Garrard, County; Columbia, Adair County; Somerset, Pulaski County; Danville, Boyle County; Louisville, Jefferson County and Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky

Company G - Many men mustered in from Camp Dick Robinson, Garrard County and Columbia,Adair County, Kentucky.

Company H - Many men mustered in from Camp Dick Robinson, Garrard County; Lexington, Fayette County; Lebanon, Marion County; Danville, Boyle County; Somerset, Pulaski County and Monticello, Wayne County., Kentucky.

Company I - Many men mustered in from Camp Dick Robinson, Garrard County; Fort Williams, Glasgow, Barren County; Lexington, Fayette County; Bardstown, Nelson County; Lebanon, Marion County; Knoxville, Pendleton County; Bardstown, Nelson County and Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky.

Company J - Many men mustered in from Camp Dick Robinson, Garrard County; Camp Boyle, Columbia, Adair County; and Mt. Sterling, Montgomery County; Somerset, Pulaski County; Danville, Boyle County, Kentucky.

Company K - Many men mustered in from Camp Dick Robinson, Garrard County; Somerset, Pulaski County; Stanford, Lincoln County, Kentucky.

The records for this Regiment's Companies are from the book, Report of theAdjutant General of the State of Kentucky, Vol. 1-1861-1866.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,660 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Regimental History and Roster

 * The wild riders of the first Kentucky cavalry. By Tarrant, Sergeant E. n.p.: Committee of the Regiment, 1894. Online at: Internet Archive

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 ‘Kentucky 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.


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


 * Dyer, John Will. Reminiscences, or, Four years in the Confederate Army : a history of the experiences of the private soldier in camp, hospital, prison, on the march, and on the battlefield, 1861 to 1865 (1st Kentucky Cavalry Regiment). (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1990),
 * Lee, Dan. Wolford's Cavalry, The Colonel, the War in the West and the Emancipation Question in Kentucky. Colonel Frank Wolford, Colonel of the First Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry.


 * Tarrant, Eastham. The Wild Riders of the First Kentucky Cavalry: A History of the Regiment in the Great War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 Telling of Its Origin and Organization: A Description of the Material of which it was Composed; Its Rapid and Severe Marches, Hard Service, and Fierce Conflicts on Many a Bloody Field. Pathetic Scenes, Amusing Incidents, and Thrilling Episodes. A Regimental Roster, Prison Life, Adventures and Escapes. Louisville, Ky.: Press of R.H. Carothers, 1894. Digital version at Internet Archive; and (Lexington, Kentucky : Henry Clay Press, 1969),