The Second Missouri Volunteer Cavalry , also known officially as Merrill's Horse , was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment is one of only a few Missouri regiments that are officially "named" and also numbered.
The regiment was raised under the authority of Maj. Gen. John C. Frà © m, commander of the US Department of the Army, headquartered in St. Louis. Louis, Missouri. The regiment was organized by Captain Lewis Merrill, a regular Army officer and a veteran of Dragoon 2 before the war in the US. Acting as a Volunteer Colonel, Merrill organizes volunteer companies from Missouri and other western countries in St. Louis's Benton Barracks. Merrill upholds an unusual level of discipline for volunteer regiments, demanding a level of professionalism comparable to US Regulars.
To distinguish his regiment's forces, Merrill mandated a unique uniform. The front of the tunic displays a panel of "horse heads" trimmed in cavalry yellow. The mandated hat is equally unique: a sky blue forage hat, with orange welt (the color of the pre-war Dragoon regiment branch) in honor of Merrill's service in the 2nd Dragoons. Like any other field of military discipline, Merrill does not allow the deviation from his orders to his troops regarding their military appearance: "all these uniform additions or changes as prohibited are positively prohibited and will not be tolerated under any circumstances."
Through much of 1862, the Merrill Horse was assigned a difficult mission fighting insurgent and Confederate cavalry in northern Missouri. Often operating with the Illinois Federal State Militia cavalry, this regiment shapes the reputation of aggressiveness and extreme effectiveness in counter-guerrilla missions. Later in the war, the Merrill Horse will provide exceptional service in a more conventional cavalry mission to regular Confederate units. However, in Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama, the regiment was repeatedly asked to return to the difficult counter-insurgency specialist mission.
The regiment is unusual because it has two official designations. Officially raised as a "Merrill Horse", and is usually referred to in the US Army record. However, after General Fremont was replaced as Commander of the Western Department by Major General Henry Halleck received his second official title in 2nd Missouri Volunteer Cavalry. However, in almost all contemporary reports and records the regiment continues to be referred to as the Merrill Horse.
Video 2nd Missouri Volunteer Cavalry
Services
Set in Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri, by Capt. Lewis Merrill, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, US, under the authority of Major General (United States of America) | Major General]] John C. Frà © m, commander of the US Department of the Army of the West. Merrill arranged his regiment from September 3 to December 11, 1861. (Additional Co "L" was held in St. Louis, Mo., January 1, 1863, and Co. "M" was held in Warrenton, Mo. on June 30, 1863.) Prior to the organization The regiment was completed, ordered to march to Springfield, Mo., September, 1861. The Fremont campaign against Springfield, Mo., September-October. In Sedalia, Missouri, Mo., until January 1862. Scout through Saline County, Missouri 3-12 December 1861. Expedition to Milford, Missouri 15-19 December. Battle of Shawnee Mound or Milford, Blackwater River, December 18th. Roan Tan Yard, Silver Creek, January 8, 1862. Knob Noster, Missouri, January 22. Attached to the Missouri Department, September 1861, until January 1862. District Northeast Missouri, Dept. of Missouri, until June, 1863. District of Southeast Missouri, Dept of Missouri, until August, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Arkansas Expedition, until December 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Arkansas Army, until January, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, 7th Army Corps, Arkansas Department, until May 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 7th Army Corps , until September, 1864. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, 7th Army Corps, until February, 1865. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, West Tennessee District, to collect.
Maps 2nd Missouri Volunteer Cavalry
Detailed Service
Moving to North Missouri and assignments in Columbia, Glasgow, Sturgeon, Paris, Huntsville, Palmyra and Warrenton, were operating against rebel and separatist elements of the Missouri State Guard (MSG) January, 1862, through June, 1863. Expeditions to Schuyler and Scotland County , against the cavalry of MSG Porter and Poindexter, July 12-August 8, 1862. Near Memphis, Mo., July 18th. Brown Springs July 27th. Moore's Mills, near Fulton, July 28. Kirksville August 6 (Detachment). Pursuit of Poindexter August 8-15, with a small battle at Grand River, Ford Lee, Chariton River, and Walnut Creek, near Stockton, August 9th. Switzler's Mill August 10. Little Compton Ferry, Yellow Creek, August 11th. Roanoke 6 September (Detachment). Scotland and Boone Counties September 30 (Detachment). Joining Davidson's Cavalry Division in Jun Knot Pilot, 1863. Expedition to Little Rock, Ark., July 1-September 10th. Grand Prairie August 17th. Brownsville August 25th. Bayou Metoe or Reed Bridge August 27th. Reconnaissance from Brownsville August 29th. Bear Leather Lake, Ashby's Mills, September 7th. Bayou Fourche and the arrest of Little Rock September 10th. Chase Price 11-13 September. Near Little Rock September 11th. Duty at Little Rock until March, 1864. Steele's expedition to Camden March 23 - May 3rd. Benton Road 23-24 March. Okolona April 2-3. Prairie D'Ann April 9-12. Camden 15-18 April. Moro Under 25-26 April. Jenkins Ferry, Saline River, April 30th. Scatterville July 28th. Assignment in Arkansas until September. Operates on September and October Prices. Booneville, Mo., 9-12 October. Little Blue October 21st. Big Blue, State Line, October 22nd. Westport October 23rd. Battle of Charlot 25 October. Mine Creek, Osage River, Marias des Cygnes, 25 October. Grierson Expedition from Memphis against Mobile & amp; Ohio Railroad December 21, 1864, until January 15, 1865 (Co "E"). Near Memphis February 9 (Detachment). Moved to Chattanooga, Tenn., And the task of operating against the guerrillas in Georgia and Alabama and escorting the train from Chattanooga to Atlanta January to September, 1865. Enemy came out September 19, 1865.
Victim
The regiments disappeared during the service of 3 Officers and 53 enlisted men who were killed and severely wounded and 1 Officer and 205 persons registered by the disease. Total 262.
Commander
- Colonel Lewis Merrill
- Colonel John McNeil
- Lieutenant Colonel John Y. Clopper
See also
- Missouri Civil War Union units
- Missouri in the Civil War
References
- Dyer, Frederick H. A Summary of the Revolt War (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908.
- This article contains text from the present text in the public domain: Dyer, Frederick H. (1908). A Bribery War Summary . Des Moines, IA: Dyer Publishing Co.
- Additional information about "Kuda Merrill" aka, 2nd Missouri Cavalry.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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