The National tribune., 1893-06-08
The 2lst Pa. Cav.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: It grieves
me to think that am the only survivor of tho
2ist Pa. Cav. 1--WE were called by the doughboys
fat-footed cavalry.) / have failed to see any
thing in your paper to indicate that there Is
one left. The 10 companies composing the 2lst
Pa. Cav. were organized during the months OF
June, July, and August, 1853; companies B
and F, in June; A, G, ID, E. II, and NJ, in July
G., ], K, and L, in August. The term of en-
listment was six months, and expired ON Feb.
90 1864 Before the expiration of this term,
an order was issued by the War Department
authorizing its re-enlistment for three years.
Under this order about one-third of the reg-
ment nearly 400 men, re- enlisted, and before
Feb. 20 the different companies were recruited
to the maximum number, and with most of the
old officers were continued as the same organza-
ton. About half had seen service varying
in length of time from six months to one year.
Quite number of the men had been in the
nine mont tbs service.
find by an examination of the records that
the number of names borne on the rolls of the
regiment over 1900. OF course this in
cudes six months. three years, and one year en-
listments. as we received about 400 one year
recruits in the Spring of 1865, Of whom not
more than so saw any active service. / find on
examination of the rolls that the total of killed,
missing in action, accidentally killed, and
mortaly wounded were 90 men. and as this
gives an average loss of a little more than eight
to each company.
The highest loss in killed was in Company /
IS. The number of wounded is more difficult
to arrive at as the muster-out rolls were not
carefully made up as they should have been
but the general average is that there were
three men wounded to one killed, which would
give 270 men as the number wounded during
the term of service. The killed. wounded,
dead deserted and DISCHARGED on Surgeons
certificates form an aggregate Of about 60G or
One-half the regiment III about II months, or
10 months of active service at the front An
other year of such work would have wiped out
the regiment.
In the examination of all the rolls of all the
Pennsylvania cavalry regiments ! find that
only one cavalry regiment from Pennsylvania
exceeded the 2lst in killed, mortally wounded,
and missing in action, viz: The 18th Pa. 1l6
killed. and the 9th 70. We stand with the old
LIST Regiment or at least second in the record,
and our losses give us the credit of fight
ing regiment, and that, too, in less than half the
time of some Of the older regiments. l am moi
comparing our losses with the infantry. There
were great many more doughboys killed than
cavalry; you see there were so many more of
them. The first year and half of the war there
was standing reward for the body of dead
cavalryman. | suppose that is the reason we
went out as cavalry, as we knew this. There
is one fact in connection with the regiment that
wish every one who belonged to it to take
pride in and instill it in the minds of his chill
dren and that is the historical fact that the 21st
Pa. Cav. made the last charge of any regiment
of the Army of the Potomac and another is
that the first man killed on the battlefield of
Gettysburg was George w. Sandoe, private of
Co. b, 2lst Pa. Cav. two days after he was mus
tered in.-BENJ. f. STEINER, Co. B, 2Ist Pa
Cav, West Fairview, Pa.