17th Regiment, Pennsylvania Cavalry (162nd Volunteers)

Brief History
This regiment was organized at Harrisburg September to November, 1862. Soldiers and Sailors did not mention a muster date. The regiment was present at Lee's surrender at Appomattox Courthouse.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 17th Regiment Cavalry (162nd 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.

Field and Staff Officers - See Roster

Company A - Many men recruited in Beaver County - See Roster

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

Company C - Many men recruited in Lancaster County - SeeRoster

Company D - Many men recruited in Bradford County - SeeRoster

Company E - Many men recruited in Lebanon County - See Roster

Company F - Many men recruited in Cumberland County - See Roster

Company G - Many men recruited in Franklin County - See Roster

Company H - Many men recruited in Schuylkill County - SeeRoster

Company I - Many men recruited in Perry County and Philadelphia County - SeeRoster

Company K - Many men recruited in Luzerne County - SeeRoster

Company L - Many men recruited in Montgomery County and Chester County - SeeRoster

Company M - Many men recruited in Wayne County - SeeRoster

Unassigned men - See Roster

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 3,083 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Regimental History and Roster

 * History of the Seventeenth Regiment, Pa. Volunteer Cavalry or One Hundred and Sixty-Second in Line of Pa. Volunteer Regiments, War to Subline the Rebellion, 1861-1865, by Pennsylvania cavalry. 17th regt., Publisher Lebanon, Pa., Sowers printing company, 1911, 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.


 * Bean, Theo. W. "The Roll of Honor of the Seventeenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, or, One Hundred and Sixty-Second of the Line, Pennsylvania Volunteers". (Philadelphia: J.S. Claxton, 1865). . Other Libraries


 * PaRoots gives a history of this regiment including its organization and battles. It also has a Roster for each company and additional references.


 * Moore, James B. Two years in the service. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992),


 * Moyer, H. P. "History of the Seventeenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry Or One Hundred and Sixty-Second in the Line of Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiments, War to Suppress the Rebellion, 1861-1865". (Lebanon, Pa: Sowers Print. Co, 1911). and (Washington [District of Columbia] : Library of Congress, Photoduplication Service, 1988), . Other Libraries. Internet Archives.


 * White, Henry H. "Diaries, 1863, 1865" (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Bureau of Archives and History.)


 * United States. Army. Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment, 17th (1862-1865). History of the Seventeenth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry : or, One hundred and sixty-second in the line of Pennsylvania volunteer regiments, war to suppress the rebellion, 1861-1865. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992),