21st Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union)

Brief History
The 21st Regiment of Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, formed by the consolidation of the men raised under E. L. Dudley and B.A. Wheat, was raised in the fall and winter of 1861, and organized with E. L. Dudley as Colonel; a portion of the regiment being mustered in at Camp Ward, Kentucky, December 1861, the remainder at Camp Hobson, Kentucky, January 2nd, 1862. It mustered out at Huntsville, Alabama, January 23rd, 1865; veterans and recruits being transferred to the 21 Kentucky Veteran Infantry.

"Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer contains no history for this unit.

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 - Many men mustered in from Camp Hobson, Taylor County, Kentucky. Company B - Many men mustered in from Camp Ward, Green County, Kentucky. Company C - Many men mustered in from Camp Ward, Green County, Kentucky. Company D - Many men mustered in from Camp Hobson, Taylor County, Kentucky. Company E - Many men mustered in from Camp Hobson, Taylor County, Kentucky. Company F - Many men mustered in from Camp Ward, Green County, Kentucky. Company G - Many men mustered in from Camp Hobson, Taylor County, Kentucky. Company H - Many men mustered in from Camp Ward, Green County, Kentucky. Company I - Many men mustered in from Camp Hobson, Taylor County, Kentucky. Company K - Many men mustered in from Camp Ward, Green County, Kentucky.>

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

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 19 men on its roster for this unit. Possibly this unit did not complete its organization, and the men went to other units. Roster.

Regimental History and Roster

 * Civil War government orders. By United States. Adjutant-General's Office. Fort Wayne, Indiana: Lincoln National Life Foundation, 1861. 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.