16th Regiment, Pennsylvania Cavalry (161st Volunteers)

Brief History
This regiment was organized at Harrisburg September to November, 1862. It mustered out August 11, 1865.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 16th Regiment Cavalry (161st Volunteers), (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.

The troops comprising this regiment were recruited in the city of Philadelphia, and in the counties of Venango, Erie, Juniata, Franklin, Washington, Fayette, Centre, Wyoming, Susquehanna, Bradford, Tioga, Columbia, Delaware, Northumberland, Union, Mifflin, Perry, and Dauphin which represented almost the entire state of Pennsylvania. In order to find the County for the soldier you are searching for, you may need to check the Roster for the individual soldier to find the place he enrolled and was mustered in to duty.

Company A - Many men enrolled in Venango County, Fayette County, and Schuylkill County - See Roster

Company B - Many men enrolled in Fayette County, Dauphin County, and Schuylkill County - See Roster

Company C - Many men enrolled in Erie County, Venango County, and Wyoming County - See Roster

Company D - Many men enrolled in Philadelphia County, Tioga County and Bradford County - See Roster

Company E - Many men enrolled in Venango County, Philadelphia County, and Dauphin County - See Roster

Company F- Many men enrolled in Juniata County and Montour County - See Roster

Company G - Many men enrolled in Mifflin County, Huntingdon County, and Fayette County - SeeRoster

Company H - Many men enrolled in Franklin County, Dauphin County, and Beaver County - See Roster

Company I - Many men enrolled in Philadelphia County, Erie County, and Venango County - See Roster

Company K - Many men enrolled in Philadelphia County, Lycoming County, and Washington County - See Roster

Company L - Many men enrolled in Philadelphic County, Erie County, Warren County, and Crawford County- See Roster

Company M- Many men enrolled in Mifflin County, Crawford County, and Lycoming County - See Roster

Unassigned men - Many men enrolled in Erie County - SeeRoster

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 4,259 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 this regiment, including its organization, battles, and rostersfor each company. It also lists additional references.


 * History of the 16th Regiment Pennsylvania Cavalry, for the Year Ending October 31st, 1863 Commanded by Colonel John Irvin Gregg, of Centre County, Pa. Philadelphia: King &amp; Baird, Printers, 1864. . Other Libraries.