Formed in March 1919, the division became part of the famed 1st Cavalry Army in the fall of that year, and fought in the Red Army's successful counteroffensive against the Armed Forces of South Russia. After Denikin's defeat in the spring of 1920, the division and the 1st Cavalry Army were transferred northwestwards to fight in the Polish–Soviet War, where they recaptured Kiev. During the summer of 1920 the division and the army became bogged down in the Battle of Lwów, which resulted in Soviet defeat to the north in the Battle of Warsaw, and the reinforcing 1st Cavalry Army was defeated when it attempted to intervene in the latter. This began a disorganized Soviet retreat, which the army participated in. The division and its army were transferred to Crimea, where Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel led the remnants of the White Army. After the evacuation of remaining White forces from Crimea, the division was moved to Belarus, where it remained for the interwar period. In 1939 and 1940, the 6th Division participated in the Soviet invasion of Poland and the Soviet occupation of Lithuania. After returning to Belarus at the conclusion of the Lithuanian occupation, the division was destroyed in the June 1941 German invasion of the Soviet Union and officially disbanded in September.