Union Light Guard, Ohio Cavalry

Brief History
The Union Light Guard, Ohio Cavalry was organized at Columbus, Ohio, December 17, 1863, for duty as body guard to President Lincoln. They had duty as guards at the White House and at the War Department and other public buildings until September, 1865. They were mustered out September 9, 1865.

This unit was also known as the 7th Independent Company of Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.

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


 * Larry Stevens' Ohio in the Civil War, Union Light Guard, Ohio

Counties of Origin for this Unit
Originally the Union Light Guard was to have one man from each county in Ohio. However since some counties were slow to send a man, other counties were allowed to send additional men. See Roster.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 138 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * Union Light Guard Soldier Roster, (Primary unit duty was to protect President Lincoln), Civil War Index, includes history, and roster with names, rank, date entered service, period of service and remarks.


 * 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 ‘Ohio 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.


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