55th Regiment Mounted Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 55th Kentucky Volunteer Mounted Infantry Regiment was a mounted infantry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
and mustered in September 1864 under the command of Colonel
Weden O'Neal.
The regiment was attached to Military District of Kentucky and Department of Kentucky, to September 1865.
The 55th Kentucky Mounted Infantry mustered out of service on September 19, 1865.
Mounted infantry
Mounted infantry were soldiers who rode horses instead of marching, but actually fought on foot . The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry...
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 55th Kentucky Mounted Infantry was organized at Covington, KentuckyCovington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
and mustered in September 1864 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...
Weden O'Neal.
The regiment was attached to Military District of Kentucky and Department of Kentucky, to September 1865.
The 55th Kentucky Mounted Infantry mustered out of service on September 19, 1865.
Detailed service
Regiment mounted and assigned to duty in counties bordering on the Kentucky Central Railroad until December 1864. Stoneman's Raid into southwest Virginia December 10–29. Near Marion December 17–18. Saltville December 20–21. Capture and destruction of salt works. Operating against guerrillas in counties west of the Kentucky Central Railroad and the counties of Campbell, Bracken, Mason, Fleming, Nicholas, Harrison and Pendleton, east of the Kentucky Central Railroad until September 1865.Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 38 men during service; 7 enlisted men killed, 2 officers and 29 enlisted men died of disease.See also
- List of Kentucky Civil War Units
- Kentucky in the Civil WarKentucky in the Civil WarKentucky was a border state of key importance in the American Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln recognized the importance of the Commonwealth when he declared "I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky." In a September 1861 letter to Orville Browning, Lincoln wrote "I think to lose...