3rd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry

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Brief History
The 3rd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry was organized at Janesville, Wisconsin, on November 30, 1861, to January 31, 1862. It was mustered in January 28, 1862. Companies "G" and "L" were mustered out October 26, 1865 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 3rd Regiment Cavalry, (accessed 23 November 2012).
 * The Wikipedia Article, 3rd Wisconsin Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, (accessed 23 November 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.

The following counties of origin were taken from Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, found on the Internet Archives web site. The rosters show the men who served in each regiment, their residences, dates of enlistment and mustering out, and other remarks.

Company A - Many men from Monroe County, Winnebago County, Dane County and La Crosse County -- Roster, page 93. Company B - Many men from Winnebago County and Dane County - Roster, page 96. Company C - Many men from Green Lake County, Marquette County, Fond du lac County and Rock County - Roster, page 99. Company D - Many men from Waukesha County, Jefferson County, Richland County, Dane County and Milwaukee County - Roster, page 102. Company E - Most men from Rock County, many others from Columbia County and Jefferson County - Roster, page 105. Company F - Most men from Sauk County, many from Dane County and possibly Richland County as around 15 men were from the towns of Cazenovia and Excelsior, with no indication of whether their county was Sauk or Richland. Roster, page 108. Company G - Many men from Grant County, Walworth County, Monroe County and around 15 men from Van Buren, Arkansas, Roster, page 110. Company H - Many men from Portage County, Rock County, Dane County, Milwaukee County and Grant County, Roster, page 113. Company I - Many men from Outagamie County and Oconto County - Roster, page 117. Company K - Many men from Jefferson County, Dodge County and Milwaukee County - Roster, page 120 Company L -Many men from Dane County, Walworth County and Rock County, and about 15 men from Arkansas Roster, page 123. Company M - Many men from Grant County, Milwaukee County, Dane County and Crawford County, along with 5 men from Ft. Scott, Kansas - Roster, page 126. Unassigned Recruits - Roster, page 129.

There is a 3rd Regiment Wisconsin Cavalry Reorganized - Roster, page 131.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 3,823 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 or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in 'Wisconsin 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.


 * Wisconsin in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Wisconsin, 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.


 * Hetzel, Bev. Chicago and Northwest Railroad accident : Colonel Barstow’s Wisconsin 3rd Calvary traveling from Janesville to Chicago 3-26-1862. (West Bend, Wisconsin : B. Hetzel, [200-?],.


 * Hinkley, Julian Wisner. A narrative of service with the Third Wisconsin Infantry. (Madison : Wisconsin History Commission, 1912), and.