20th Regiment, Pennsylvania Cavalry (6 months, 1863-1864)

Brief History
This regiment was organized at Harrisburg June to August, 1863, for six months. It mustered out January 7, 1864.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 20th Regiment Cavalry (181st Volunteers) Six Months, (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.

This Regiment is also listed as the 181st Regiment- 6 Months

Field and Staff Officers - See Roster

Company A - Many men recruited in Blair County, Chester County, Dauphin County and Perry County - See Roster

Company B - Many men recruited in Philadelphia County - See Roster

Company C - Many men recruited in Philadelphia County - Roster

Company D - Many men recruited in Cumberland County and Dauphin County - See Roster

Company E - Many men recruited at Mt. Union, Huntingdon County - SeeRoster

Company F - Many men recruited at Harrisburg, Dauphin County - SeeRoster

Company G - Many men recruited at Philadelphia, Philadelphia County - See Roster

Company H - Many men recruited at Lancaster, Lancaster County - See Roster

Company I - Many men recruited at Lancaster, Lancaster County - See Roster

Company K - Many men recruited at Philadelphia, Philadelphia County - See Roster

Company L - Many men recruited in Bucks County and Centre County - See Roster

Company M- Many men recruited in Huntingdon County and Philadelphia County - SeeRoster

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,489 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 and a roster for individual companies.


 * Pennsylvania Volunteers of the Civil War outlines a history of this regiment. Website has some additional books and diaries related to the Pennsylvania units.