(I) 20th Pennsylvania Cavalry

== Regimental History and Service Record ==
* Also referred to as the 181st Pennsylvania Volunteers
 
 
 In Brief
Organized at Harrisburg June to August, 1863, for six months. March to Greencastle July 7, 1863. Scouting into Maryland and pursuit of Lee July 8-24. Moved to Falling Water and picket shores of the Potomac until August. Ordered to Sir John's Run, W. Va,, and assigned to guard duty on Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Companies "F" and "I" at Berkeley Springs. Companies "D" and "E" at Bloomery Gap. Skirmish at Bloomery Gap September 1. Companies "A" and "H" at Great Cacapon Bridge. Skirmish at Bath September 1. Company "C" at Hancock, The five Emergency Companies on duty at Philadelphia, Reading and Pottsville, Pa. Regiment concentrated at Sir John's Run, W. Va., September, 1863. Duty there and at Springfield until December. Scout in Hampshire, Hardy, Frederick and Shenandoah Counties December 7-11 (Detachment). Regiment moved to Harrisburg, Pa., December 24 and mustered out January 7, 1864.
 
 
 1863
This regiment was recruited in the months of June and July, 1863, in compliance with an order of the War Department, of the 9th of the former month. It was composed of seven companies, recruited for six months' service, and five companies of emergency militia, and was principally from the counties of Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, Dauphin, Cumberland, Union, and from the city of Philadelphia. Previous to its organization, and while the rebel army was making its triumphal march in the State, the several companies-acting independently-were employed in scout and picket duty along the fords of the Susquehanna, in the vicinity of Harrisburg, and on the various roads leading towards Carlisle, York, and Marysville. The regiment was organized in July, with the following field officers: John E. Wynkoop, Colonel; William Rotch Wister, Lieutenant Colonel; Samuel W. Comly, Major. On the 7th of July, the regiment left camp Couch, near Harrisburg, where it had rendezvoused and had been drilled, and marched up the Cumberland Valley to Greencastle, whence it was sent upon scout duty into Maryland, and in conjunction with three companies of the First New York Cavalry, followed upon the footsteps of Lee's army to Hagerstown, near which. place, a portion of the command, under Captain Singiser, engaged the rebel rear-guard, capturing a few prisoners and horses. From Greencastle, the regiment marched to Falling Waters, where it bivouacked, and picketed the shores of the Potomac, then much swollen by recent rains. The roads were in a horrible condition, and for nearly three weeks it was kept upon the march, the trains being moved with the greatest difficulty. At the end of this time, it went into camp near Clear Spring, Maryland.
Early in August, and after the emergency companies had returned to Harrisburg, and their places had been partially supplied by six months' men, the regiment was ordered to Sir John's Run, West Virginia, to guard a portion of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and to cover the country in the direction of Winchester. Accordingly, companies F and I, under Major Comly, were stationed at Berkeley Springs, D and E, under Major Thorp, at Bloomery Gap, A and H, at Great Cacapon Station, and C at Hancock. The remaining five companies were on detached service, under Major Douglass, at Philadelphia, Reading, and Pottsville, and did not re-join the rest of the regiment until the final muster-out. About a hundred dismounted men remained at headquarters.
The command at Berkeley Springs was attacked, in the early part of September, by a body of the enemy's cavalry, who penetrated the picket lines by a mountain defile. After a sharp struggle, they were driven, with a loss to the regiment of twenty taken prisoners. A number of horses and some camp equipage were also lost. Major Comly, with the company at Hancock, pursued the party for twenty miles, but failed to overtake it. Soon after this, the companies were all concentrated at headquarters, whence scouting parties were sent out, by night and by day, which frequently met roving bands of the enemy, and were fired upon by parties lying in wait for them in concealment,but failed to encounter any organized forces.
In November, the regiment was brigaded with the Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania, Fifteenth Virginia, First Pennsylvania Battalion, and the Third Virginia Artillery, which it joined at Springfield. The weather soon after became intensely cold, and the enemy was wily and active, requiring ceaseless vigilance, and subjecting the troops to great hardship and suffering. From Springfield, two companies were sent on a reconnoissance to the south of Romney. They proceeded nearly a hundred miles into the heart of the State, engaged the enemy-a part of Imboden's command-defeated him, captured and destroyed a piece of artillery, and a number of small arms, and took several prisoners. They also burned the Columbian Furnace, then operated by the rebel authorities for the manufacture of war material. They returned to Springfield, after an absence of four days, without having sustained any loss. On the 24th of December, the regiment was ordered to Harrisburg, where, on the 7th of January, 1864, its term of service having expired, it was mustered out.
Previous to its disbandment, measures were taken for its re-organization for three years' service, and during the month of February, the men were mustered into service, in camps at Harrisburg and Philadelphia, and the following field officers were commissioned:
* John E. Wynkoop, Colonel
* Gabriel Middleton, Lieutenant Colonel
* J. Harry Thorp, Major
* Robert W. Douglass, Major
* W.W. Anderson, Major
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== Regimental Roster ==
 
 
 Field and Staff Officers
 
 
 Company A
 
 
 Company B
 
 
 Company C
 
 
 Company D
 
 
 Company E
 
 
 Company F
 
 
 Company G
 
 
 Company H
 
 
 Company I
 
 
 Company K
 
 
 Company L
 
 
 Company M
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== Regiment Statistical Information ==
== Legacy ==
* The following pertinent personal papers are in the Institute's Manuscript Archive:
** Landis, William J. - CWMiscColl (Enlisted man's diary, Jul l863-Oct l865)
** Leonard, Benjamin C. - CWMiscColl (Enlisted man's summary of service, discharge, and pension records, Dec 29, l863-Jul l865)
** Michael, Cyrus M. and George Smith Papers - CWMiscColl(Enlisted men's newspaper
** Morrow, Isaac & Joseph - HCWRTColl (Enlisted men's transcribed letters, Aug l8, l862-Mar 8, l865)
== Notes ==
== Sources == 
* (Pages 32-76)
* (Pages 1567-1568)
* Sauers, Richard A. Advance the Colors!: Pennsylvania CivilWar Battle Flags. Vol. 2. Hbg, PA:Capitol Preservation Comm, 1991. pp. 479-81 (3 photocopied pages). E527.4S38.1991v2.(Brief unit history with emphasis on the regimental flags).16th Pennsylvania Cavalry (p. 2)
* Taylor, Frank H. Philadelphia in the Civil War. Phila: By the City, 1913. pp. 183-84 (2 photocopied pages). E527.97P54T39. (Brief history ofthe unit).
* The Institute's Archive includes images of individuals of this unit.
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