20th Regiment, Pennsylvania Cavalry

Brief History
This regiment was organized at Harrisburg and Philadelphia February, 1864.It was consolidated with 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry June 17, 1865, to form 1st Provisional Cavalry.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 20th Regiment Cavalry (3 Years), (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.

Field and Staff Officers- Many men enrolled in Dauphin County and Philadelphia County - See 3 year Roster

Company A - Many men enrolled in Dauphin County, Cumberland County, and Berks County - See 3 year  Roster

Company B - Many men enrolled in Harrisburg, Dauphin County - See 3 year Roster

Company C - Many men enrolled in Philadelphia County and Dauphin County - See3 year Roster

Company D - Many men enrolled in Philadelphia County and Lancaster County - See 3 year Roster

Company E - Many men enrolled in Dauphin County, Philadelphia County and Mifflin County - See 3 year Roster

Company F - Many men enrolled in Philadelphia County - See 3 year Roster

Company G - Many men enrolled in Philadelphia County and Dauphin County - See 3 year Roster

Company H - Many men enrolled in Philadelphia County, Dauphin County, and Lancaster County - See 3 year Roster

Company I - Many men enrolled in Philadelphia County and Lancaster County - See Roster

Company K - Many men enrolled in Dauphin County and Lancaster County - See Roster

Company L - Many men enrolled in Philadelphia County - See 3 year Roster

Company M - Many men enrolled in Philadelphia County and Chester County - See 3 year Roster

Unassigned men - See 3 year Roster

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,641 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 events for those enlisted for six months and those enlisted for three years. It describes battles, organization, and lists rosters for each company.


 * Saylor, Livingstone. "My Experience While a Prisoner of War. 1909" in Publications of the Historical Society of Schuylkill County. . Other Libraries.


 * United States. Army. Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, 91st (1861). Philadelphia Civil War muster rolls. (Southampton, Pennsylvania : Bare Roots Pub., c1998),