22nd Regiment, Pennsylvania Cavalry (185th Volunteers)

Brief History
The Twenty-second Cavalry was formed by the consolidation of a battalion known as the Ringgold Cavalry, with a battalion re-organized from a force of five companies, which had been called out for a period of six months, upon the occasion of the rebel advance into Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1863. Two companies of the Ringgold Cavalry, A and G, of the new regiment, were recruited in the summer of 1861, in Washington county; four other Companies, B, C, E and F, also from Washington county, in the summer of 1862; and one company, D, from the same county, in the spring of 1863

This regiment was reorganized at Chambersburg February, 1864. There was no information regarding a muster out date on the Soldiers and Sailors website. Members of this regiment enlisted for 3 years.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section,22nd Regiment Cavalry (3 years), (accessed 12 September 2012).
 * The Wikipedia Article, 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry, (accessed 28 November 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 3 year - See Roster

Company A - also known as Ringgold Cavalry- Many men enrolled in Washington County and some men were from Mifflin County, Beaver County, and Cumberland County - See Roster

Company B - also known as Washington Cavalry- Many men enrolled in Washington County, Cumberland County and Mifflin County - See Roster

Company C - also known as Keystone Cavalry- Many men enrolled in Washington County - See Roster

Company D - also known as Bealsville Cavalry - Many men enrolled in Washington County - See Roster

Company E - also known as Independent Cavalry - Many men enrolled at Manongahela City, Washington County - See Roster

Company F - also known as the Patton Cavalry- Many men enrolled in Washington County - See Roster

Company G - also known as Lafayette Cavalry - Many men enrolled in Washington County, Fayette County and Allegheny County - See Roster

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

Company I - Many men enrolled in Philadelphia County, Huntingdon County, and Franklin County - See Roster

Company K - Many men enrolled in Franklin County and Blair County - See Roster

Company L - Many men enrolled in Franklin County - See Roster

Company M - Many men enrolled in Franklin County and Blair County - See Roster

Unassigned men - See Roster

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,779 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Regimental History and Roster

 * Elwood's stories of the old Ringgold Cavalry, 1847-1865 : the first three year cavalry of the Civil War . By John Williams Elwood. Coal Center, Pa.: Published by the author, Sergeant John W. Elwood, 1914. 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 ‘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 and battles. It lists a roster for each company.  It also has a list of additional references.


 * Elwood, John W. "Elwood's Stories of the Old Ringgold Cavalry, 1847-1865 The First Three Year Cavalry of the Civil War". (Coal Center, Pa: J.W. Elwood, 1914). . University of Pittsburg digital Library. Other Libraries.


 * Farrar, Samuel Clarke. "The Twenty-Second Pennsylvania Cavalry and the Ringgold Battalion, 1861-1865". (Akron, O. and Pittsburgh: New Werner Co.], 1911). and (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992, . Google Books. Internet Archives. Other Libraries.


 * Haas, Ralph. The Ringgold cavalry, the rest of the story. (Apollo, Pennsylvania : Closson Press, c1988),


 * Pennsylvania. Adjutant General's Office. Descriptive books of Pennsylvania regiments, 1861-1864. (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1979),