14th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment

rdf:langString 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment

rdf:langString 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment

rdf:langString Pennsylvania

rdf:langString Union

rdf:langString blue flag with two white horses surrounded by white stars

rdf:langString American Civil War

rdf:langString State flag of Pennsylvania, c. 1863

rdf:langString John M. Daily

rdf:langString Thomas Gibson

rdf:langString William Blakeley

rdf:langString Colonel

rdf:langString Lt. Col

rdf:langString Major

rdf:langString Major

rdf:langString The 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment (also known as the 159th Pennsylvania Volunteers) was a cavalry regiment of the Union Army during the American Civil War. Most of its fighting happened in the last half of 1863 and full year 1864. The regiment fought mainly in West Virginia and Virginia, often as part of a brigade or division commanded by Brigadier General William W. Averell and later Brigadier General William Powell. The regiment was organized near Pittsburgh between August and November 1862. With the exception of one company from the Philadelphia area, its recruits were from western Pennsylvania. The regiment's original commander, Colonel James M. Schoonmaker, was one of the youngest regimental commanders in the Union Army at 20 years old. Pittsburgh attorney William Blakeley was the regiment's original lieutenant colonel. Among battles where the regiment saw significant action were the Battle of White Sulphur Springs, Battle of Droop Mountain, Battle of Moorefield, and the Third Battle of Winchester. It had two officers and 97 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded. Disease killed 296 enlisted men. The three original Majors were Thomas Gibson, Shadrack Foley, and John M. Daily. Captain Thomas R. Kerr won the Medal of Honor for capturing a regimental flag at Moorefield where he was an advance scout, while Schoonmaker received the same award for action at the Third Battle of Winchester.