The 16th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry

Cavalry

Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...

 regiment

Regiment

A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...

 that served in the Union Army

Union Army

The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...

 during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

.

Service

The 16th Kansas Cavalry was organized at Leavenworth, Kansas

Leavenworth, Kansas

Leavenworth is the largest city and county seat of Leavenworth County, in the U.S. state of Kansas and within the Kansas City, Missouri Metropolitan Area. Located in the northeast portion of the state, it is on the west bank of the Missouri River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...

 from November 1863 through May 1864. It mustered in for three years under the command of Colonel

Colonel (United States)

In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...

 Werter R. Davis.

The regiment was attached to District of Kansas, Department of Missouri, to April 1865. District of the Plains, Department of Missouri, to December 1865.

The 16th Kansas Cavalry mustered out of service on December 6, 1865.

Detailed service

Duty in the District of North Kansas at Fort Leavenworth until September 1864. Company D at Fort Scott, 1st Brigade, District South Kansas. Companies A and L at Paola, 2nd Brigade, District South Kansas. Company B at Shawnee Mission and Company C at Olathe, 2nd Brigade, District of South Kansas. Companies F and G at Lawrence August 1864. Action at Ridgley, Mo., June 11, 1864 (Company E). Scout from Leavenworth to Weston, Mo., June 13–16, and from Kansas into Missouri June 16–29. Camden Point July 13 (Company F). Near Lexington October 17 (Company H). Lexington October 19. Operations against Price's Raid. Battle of Little Blue October 21. Pursuit of Price October 21–28. Independence and State Line October 22. Big Blue and Westport October 23. Mine Creek, Little Osage River and Marias Des Cygnes October 25. Battle of Charlot October 25. Mound City and Fort Lincoln October 25 (Companies A and D). Newtonia October 28. Operations on Upper Arkansas January 28-February 9, 1865. Protecting country against Indians until June. Powder River Expedition, march to Powder River and Fort Connor, July 11-September 20. Actions with Indians September 2–5. Powder River, Mouth of Dry Ford, September 8.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 110 men during service; 1 officer and 10 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 98 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

• Colonel Werter R. Davis
• Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Walker
• Major James A. Price
• Major James Ketner
• Major Clarkson Reynolds
• Major W. F. Woodworth

See also

• List of Kansas Civil War Units
• Kansas in the Civil War
  Kansas in the Civil War
  Even before the outbreak of the American Civil War, the territory of Kansas had been the scene of fighting between anti-slavery and pro-slavery forces...
  
  

External links

• History of the 16th Kansas Cavalry by the Museum of the Kansas National Guard