15th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union)

Brief History
The 15th Kentucky Cavalry was organized in the fall of 1862, and mustered into the United States service at Paducah, Kentucky, on October 6, 1862. Their leader Lieut. Col. Gabriel Netter was killed at Owensboro, Kentucky; the command went to A. P. Henry in 1863 until he was captured at Spring Creek, Tenn., June 29th, 1863; at which time Major Wiley Waller took command. The Company mustered out at Paducah, Kentucky.

The 15th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry was organized at Owensborough, Kentucky, October, 1862. It had an expedition from Paducah, Kentucky, to McLemoresville, Tennessee, September 20-30. The regiment mustered out October 6 to 29, 1863.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 15th Regiment Cavalry, (accessed 29 June 2012).
 * The Wikipedia article, 15th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry, (accessed 29 June 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.


 * Company A - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky.
 * Company B - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky.
 * Company C - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky.
 * Company D - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County and Fort Heiman, Calloway County, Kentucky.
 * Company E - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County and Columbus, Hickman County, Kentucky.
 * Company F - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken 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 863 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Regimental History and Roster

 * Civil War Government Orders, by United States, Publisher [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.