R1: (7) 36th Volunteer Infantry over (26) 1st Cavalry
Despite an impressive resume that includes the capture of Confederate States of America President Jefferon Davis, the 1st Cavalry is the third of three cavalry regiments to fall during the tournament. Because of the nature of cavalry units - skirmishing, hit and miss engagements in far-flung places - it is difficult to justify putting them through to the next round, especially when they face a formidable opponent like the 36th Wisconsin.
The 36th only served in the Civil War for sixteen months, but lost 157 men in the field, slightly 15% of their enrollment, which ranks 17th nationally among Fox’s “Fighting 300.” The 36th was thrown immediately into the fire, reaching Grant’s Army on May 18, 1864 and taking the battlefield at Spotsylvania the very next day. The 36th saw action in some of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, including the Wilderness, Petersburg, and Cold Harbor, where four regimental companies lost 49 men in the field, over 20% of their engaged force. The unit as a whole suffered a 69% casualty rate during that battle, and lost one of its colonels, Frank Haskell, during combat. In his memoirs, General Grant expressed remorse over the last assault at Cold Harbor in which 50,000 men charged at the Confederate lines, because of the incredible loss of life - over 1,800 killed and over 9,000 wounded for the Union forces. From June to July 1864, two of the 36th’s three colonels died in battle or from wounds, with many other officers wounded or killed on the road to Petersburg. Here is a National Park Service site about several of the major battles the 36th particpated in.
The 1st Cavalry organized at Ripon in 1861 and left for the front in March 1862, heading first to Missouri and Arkansas. Transferred to middle Tennesee in May 1863, the unit served with the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Cumberland, taking part in the advance on Chattanooga and the battle of Chickamauga. During the Atlanta Campaign, the 1st served under General Sherman. Shortly therafer, the 1st was sent in pursuit of Confederate forces in or near Nashville . During early 1865, the 1st Cavalry skirmished in Alabama, pursuing retreating Rebel forces, but they were soon to receive a plumb assignment: capture escaped CSA President Jefferson Davis. Presumed to be in southern Georgia, 15o men under the direction of Lt. Col. Henry Harnden (whose horse saddle is on display here at the Veterans Museum) set out for President Davis. The unit located Davis and his wife on a train heading for Irwinville and set out to make their move. Harnden happened upon Colonel Prichard of the 4th Michigan Cavalry, whom he informed of their pursuit and declined any assistance. Ten miles outside of Irwinville, Harnden’s men discovered the camping ground of the train; they waited until dark to attack. At 3am on May 10th, Harnden gave the order to move forward. After about a mile of marching, one of his sergeants spotted a party of men in a thicket of trees. Assuming them to be Rebels, he attempted to flee, when a hail of bullets came down on his party, wounding three of seven men. Harnden sent out a squad of ten additional men, and later his entire force when they were met with fire. The group captured one prisoner - a member of Colonel Prichard’s 4th Michigan Cavalry, whose help Harnden had refused back in Abbeville. As it turned out, Prichard sent a squad of his men forward, arriving at Irwinville before the train arrived. As his principle force moved on the train from the front, the dismounted force encountered Harnden’s men, resulting in the unfortunate events described above. The reward for President Davis was divided among the two regiments. For a complete unit history on the 1st Cavalry, click here.
This past Wednesday, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum came into possession of the 1st Cavalry’s regimental flag, previously located at the Ripon (WI) Historical Society. The Museum has had the unit’s guidons in the collection since after the war, but never the flag, which as you can see from the picture, is in dire need of restoration. Much of the 1st Cavalry came from the Ripon area, so it is no coincidence the flag ended up there. We are very happy to have the flag in our collection and thank the Ripon Historical Society for giving it to us! 1st Wisconsin Cavalry Regimental Flag
