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The United States Cavalry was a horse-mounted cavalry force that existed in various forms between 1775 and 1942. The plains cavalry played an important role in extending American governance into western North America via the conquest of Native Americans and acquisition of their lands during the western Indian Wars, making way for settlers of American origin.
The U.S. 1st Cavalry Division is the only division of the U.S. Army that retains the "cavalry" name, and the division retains one detachment of horse cavalry for morale and ceremonial purposes. The division is otherwise divided into 4 armored brigades and one air cavalry brigade, both of which contain subordinate units that perform traditional cavalry tasks.
The last horse cavalry charge in the U.S. Army took place against Japanese forces during the fighting in the Bataan Peninsula, Philippines in the village of Morong in January 1942, by the 26th Cavalry Regiment of the Philippine Scouts. Shortly thereafter, the besieged U.S./Philippine forces were forced to slaughter their horses for food and the 26th fought on foot or in whatever scarce vehicles were available until the surrender of U.S./Philippine forces. For the remainder of World War II, U.S. Cavalry units were either mechanized with tanks and reconnissance vehicles or fought as infantry. The distinct Cavalry branch ceased to exist when it was absorbed into the Armor branch in 1951, during the Korean War. Other regiments of both armored and air cavalry exist in the U.S. Army.
Chief, the Cavalry's last horse of the original tactical horses, died in 1968 at the age of 36.
There is still one Army Military Occupational Specialty that is active and has been since the early Cavalry days: 19D Cavalry Scout
Cavalry Unit Distribution
American Revolution Era US Cavalry Regiments
- Philadelphia Light Horse {1774} (mustered into Federal Service} now the 1st Squadron, 104th Cavalry Regiment Pennsylvania National Guard
- 1st Continental Light Dragoons {See Henry Lee}.
- 2nd Continental Light Dragoons aka {Sheldon's Horse-see Lemuel Cook and Elijah Churchill}.
- 3rd Continental Light Dragoons {See Baylor's Massacre on River Vale, New Jersey}.
- 4th Continental Light Dragoons {See William Washington}.
- Pulaski's Legion {1778-1780}
- Armand's Legion {1778-1783}
- Lee's Partisan Corps-see Henry Lee
- Von Heer Provost Unit-see under Light Dragoons of the List of Continental Forces in the American Revolutionary War
1832/1833 and subsequent Cavalry Units
- Divisions
- Regular Army
- U.S. 1st Cavalry Division {Active}
- U.S. 2nd Cavalry Division {Inactive}
- 3rd Cavalry Division
- 15th Cavalry Division.
- National Guard
- 21st Cavalry Division; New York; New Jersey; Pennsylvania and Rhode Island Army National Guards.
- 22nd Cavalry Division; Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin Army National Guards.
- 23rd Cavalry Division; Alabama, Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin Army National Guards.
- 24th Cavalry Division; Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming Army National Guards.
- Army Reserve.
- 61st Cavalry Division; New York and New Jersey.
- 62nd Cavalry Division; Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania.
- 63rd Cavalry Division; Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado.
- 64th Cavalry Division; Kentucky, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire.
- 65th Cavalry Division; Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
- 66th Cavalry Division; Nebraska, Missouri, Utah, and North Dakota.
- Brigades
- Regular Army
- U.S. 1st Cavalry Brigade
- 2d Cavalry Brigade
- 3d Cavalry Brigade
- 4th Cavalry Brigade
- 5th Cavalry Brigade
- 6th Cavalry Brigade
- 21st Cavalry Brigade {Air Combat}
- National Guard
- 51st Cavalry Brigade; New York Army National Guard.
- 52nd Cavalry Brigade; Pennsylvania Army National Guard.
- 53rd Cavalry Brigade; Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin Army National Guards.
- 54th Cavalry Brigade; Kentucky and Ohio Army National Guards.
- 55th Cavalry Brigade; Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Tennessee Army National Guards.
- 56th Cavalry Brigade-Texas Army National Guard.
- 57th Cavalry Brigade; Iowa and Kansas Army National Guards.
- 58th Cavalry Brigade; Idaho and Wyoming Army National Guards.
- 59th Cavalry Brigade; Massachusetts and New Jersey Army National Guards.
- Regiments
- Regular Army
- "1st US Volunteer Cavalry Regiment" {Raised Spanish-American War; see Rough Riders}.
- "3rd US Volunteer Cavalry Regiment" (South Dakota National Guard-Raised Spanish AMerican War)aka "Grigsby's Cowboys".
- U.S. 1st Cavalry Regiment aka US Regiment of Dragoons founded 1832
- 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment aka 2nd Regiment of Dragoons founded 1836
- 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment aka Regiment of Mounted Riflemen founded 1846
- U.S. 4th Cavalry {Armored Cavalry} Regiment; also see Ranald S. Mackenzie.
- U.S. 5th Cavalry Regiment-formerly 2nd US Cavalry Regiment of 1855 to 1861
- U.S. 6th Cavalry Regiment
- U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment
- U.S. 8th Cavalry Regiment
- U.S. 9th Cavalry Regiment-see B Troop 9th Cavalry
- U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment see also Buffalo Soldiers.
- U.S.11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
- U.S. 12th Cavalry Regiment
- U.S. 13th Cavalry Regiment-see US 2nd Cavalry Division; also Pancho Villa.
- U.S. 14th Cavalry Regiment
- 24th Cavalry Regiment-see 1st/2nd/3rd Battalions 82nd Field Artillery of the 1st Cavalry Divsion
- 26th Cavalry Regiment (PS){Last Cavalry Charge of US Army in 1941}
- 27th Cavalry Regiment U.S. 2nd Cavalry Division-see Buffalo Soldiers
- 28th Cavalry Regiment U.S. 2nd Cavalry Divisioninactived 1951-see Buffalo Soldiers
- National Guard
- 101st Cavalry Regiment NYNG
- 124th Armored Cavalry {Texas National Guard-in 1940 last US Army Horse Cavalry Regiment}
- 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment
External links
"United States Cavalry"