The
United States Cavalry, or
U.S. Cavalry, is the designation of the mounted force of the
United States ArmyThe United States Army is the branch of the United States Military responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military and is one of seven uniformed services...
. The role of the U.S. Cavalry is
reconnaissanceReconnaissance is a military and medical term denoting exploration conducted to gain information. Militarily, its shorthand Canadian and British form is recce , its American usage form is recon...
, security and mounted assault. Cavalry has served as a part of the Army force in every war the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
has participated in. Originally designated as
United States Dragoons, the forces were patterned after cavalry units employed during the Revolutionary War. The traditions of the U.S. Cavalry originated with the
horseThe horse is a hoofed mammal, a subspecies of one of seven extant species of the family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
-mounted force which played an important role in extending United States governance into the
Western United StatesThe Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
after the
American Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
.
Immediately preceding
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the U.S. Cavalry began transitioning to a mechanized, mounted force. During World War II, the Army's cavalry units operated as either horse-mounted, mechanized, or dismounted forces (infantry). The last horse-mounted cavalry charge by a U.S. Cavalry unit took place on the
Bataan PeninsulaThe Bataan Peninsula is a rocky extension of the Zambales Mountains, on Luzon in the Philippines. It separates the Manila Bay from the South China Sea...
, in the
PhilippinesThe Philippines officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
. The 26th Cavalry Regiment of the
Philippine ScoutsThe Philippine Scouts was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 to World War II. Made up of native Filipinos assigned to the US Army's Philippine Department, these troops were generally enlisted and under the command of American officers, however, a handful of Filipinos...
executed the charge against Japanese forces near the village of Morong on 16 January 1942. The mounted reconnaissance company of the 10th Mountain Division, while not designated as U.S. Cavalry, conducted the last horse-mounted charge of any Army organization in 1945, in
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
.
The U.S. Cavalry branch was absorbed into the Armor branch as part of the Army Reorganization Act of 1950. The
Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
saw the introduction of helicopters and operations as an airborne force with the designation of
Air Cavalry, while mechanized cavalry received the designation of
Armored Cavalry. Today, cavalry designations and traditions continue with regiments of both armor and aviation units that perform the cavalry mission. The 1st Cavalry Division is the only active
divisionA division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between ten to thirty thousand soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions make up a corps...
in the United States Army with a cavalry designation. The division maintains a detachment of horse-mounted cavalry for ceremonies and morale purposes.
History
Washington saw the intimidating effect of the small force of
British 17th Light DragoonsThe 17th Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, most famous for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War...
that panicked his militia infantry at
White PlainsThe Battle of White Plains was a battle in the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on October 28, 1776, in the area surrounding White Plains, New York.-Prelude:...
, and he appreciated the ability of the 5th Regiment of Connecticut Light Horse Militia under Major Elisha Sheldon to gather intelligence during the subsequent retreat of Continental forces into New Jersey. He asked the Continental Congress for a light cavalry force in the Continental army, and in late 1776 Congress authorized Washington to establish a mounted force of 3000 men.
American Revolutionary War
On 12 December, 1776, Congress converted Elisha Sheldon's militia regiment into the
Regiment of Light DragoonsThe 2nd Continental Light Dragoons, also known as Sheldon's Horse after Colonel Elisha Sheldon, was commissioned by the Continental Congress on December 12, 1776 and was first mustered at Wethersfield, Connecticut in March 1777 for service with the Continental Army...
. In March 1777, Washington established the Corps of Continental Light Dragoons consisting of four regiments of six troops and 280 men each. Many problems faced the light dragoon regiments, including the inability of recruiting to bring the units to authorized strength, shortage of suitable cavalry weapons and horses, and lack of uniformity among troopers in dress and discipline. Congress appointed the Polish revolutionary and professional soldier Count
Casimir PulaskiKazimierz Pułaski of Clan Ślepowron, often written Casimir Pulaski in English in the USA , was a Polish soldier, member of the Polish-Lithuanian nobility and politician who has been called "the father of American cavalry".A member of the Polish landed nobility, he was a military commander...
to train them as an offensive strike force during winter quarters of 1777-78 at Trenton, New Jersey.
Pulaski's efforts led to friction with the American officers, resulting in his resignation, but Congress authorized Pulaski to form his own independent corps in 1778. Pulaski's Legion consisted of dragoons, riflemen, grenadiers, and infantry. Another independent corps of dragoons joined Pulaski's in the Continental Line during 1778 when a former captain in Bland's Horse, "Light Horse Harry" Lee, formed
Lee's Corps of Partisan Light DragoonsLee's Legion was a military unit within the Continental Army during the American Revolution. It primarily served in the Southern Theater of Operations, and gained a reputation for efficiency and bravery on the battlefield.The original unit was raised June 8, 1776, at Williamsburg, Virginia, under...
, which specialized in raiding British supply lines. Colonel
Charles Armand Tuffin, marquis de la RouerieCharles Armand Tuffin, marquis de la Rouërie , also known in the United States as Colonel Armand, was a Breton cavalry officer who served under the American flag during the American War of Independence where he was promoted to brigadier general after the Battle of Yorktown...
("Col. Armand"), a French nobleman, raised a third corps of infantry in Boston, called the Free and Independent Chasseurs, which later added a troop of dragoons, becoming
Armand's LegionArmand's Legion was formed on June 25, 1778 at Boston, Massachusetts under the command of Colonel Charles Armand Tuffin for service with the Continental Army. The Legion was recruited primarily from foreign volunteers to the American Revolution. It was reorganized and renamed the 1st Partisan Corps...
. Although a reorganization in 1778 authorized expansion of the four regiments to 415 men each, forage difficulties, expiration of enlistments, desertions, and other problems made this impossible, and no regiment ever carried more than 200 men on its roles, and they averaged 120 to 180 men between 1778 and 1780.
In 1779, Washington ordered the 2nd and
4th Continental Light DragoonsThe 4th Continental Light Dragoons also known as Moylan's Horse was raised on January 5, 1777 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for service with the Continental Army under Colonel Stephen Moylan...
equipped temporarily as infantry, and deployed the
1stThe 1st Continental Light Dragoons, also known as Bland's Horse, was a mounted regiment of the Continental Army organized between 13 June and 10 September, 1776 in Williamsburg, Virginia from eastern and northern Virginia for service with the Continental Army.The regiment was first authorized 8...
and
3rd Continental Light DragoonsThe 3rd Continental Light Dragoons, also known as Baylor's Horse or Lady Washington's Horse, was a mounted regiment of the Continental Army raised on January 1, 1777 at Morristown, New Jersey...
and
Pulaski's LegionPulaski's Legion was raised on March 28, 1778 at Baltimore, Maryland under the command of Kazimierz Pułaski for service with the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The Legion consisted of one troop of lancers, two troops of dragoons and 200 light infantry soldiers...
to the South to join local militia cavalry and to oppose the new British strategy for controlling that area. Battle engagements in South Carolina largely seriously attrited the 1st and 3rd Regiments in the spring of 1780, who almagamated into a single unit. Following the capture of
Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County. The city was founded as Charlestown or Charles Towne, Carolina in 1670, and moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of...
on May 12, 1780, the remnants tried to regroup and reconstitute in Virginia and North Carolina. In August, 1780, Armand's Legion was with
General GatesHoratio Lloyd Gates was a British soldier turned American general during the Revolutionary War. He took credit for the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga and was blamed for the defeat at the Battle of Camden.-Early career:Gates was born in...
at the disastrous
Battle of CamdenThe Battle of Camden was a major victory for the British in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War. On August 16, 1780, British forces under Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis routed the American forces of Major General Horatio Gates about 10 km north of Camden, South...
.
The most significant engagement of the war involving Continental light dragoons was the
Battle of CowpensThe Battle of Cowpens was a decisive victory by American Revolutionary forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, in the Southern campaign of the American Revolutionary War...
in January 1781. Southern theater commander General
Nathanael GreeneNathaniel Greene was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible; he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washington's most gifted and dependable officer...
reorganized part of Lee's Legion and elements of the amalgamated 1st and 3rd Light Dragoons in Charlotte and dispatched them on a series of raids against Loyalist forces in western Carolina. The British responded by organizing a large force of dragoons and infantry under British Lt-Col
Banastre TarletonGeneral Sir Banastre Tarleton, 1st Baronet, GCB was a British soldier and politician.He is today probably best remembered for his military service during the American War of Independence. He became the focal point of a propaganda campaign claiming that he had fired upon surrendering Continental...
to stop the raids and put down the mobile forces. The dragoons joined the "flying corps" commanded by General
Daniel MorganDaniel Morgan was an American pioneer, soldier, and United States Representative from Virginia. One of the most gifted battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War, he later commanded the troops that suppressed the Whiskey Rebellion.-Early years:Most authorities believe that Morgan...
at
CowpensThe Battle of Cowpens was a decisive victory by American Revolutionary forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, in the Southern campaign of the American Revolutionary War...
, charged the advancing lines of Tarlton's infantry at a calculated moment, broke their ranks, and secured a crucial victory. Later, the 3rd Legionary Corps participated in Greene's maneuvers across North Carolina and fought Cornwallis's army well at Guilford Courthouse.
In January, 1781, the practice of the dragoons in employing both mounted and dismounted troops resulted in their official reconfiguration as Legionary Corps, the mounted dragoons supported by dismounted dragoons armed as infantry, an organization that persisted until war's end. In 1783, the Continental Army was discharged and the dragoons were released.
War of 1812
The first cavalry unit formed by the Congress of the United States of America was a squadron of four troops commanded by Major
Michael RudolphMichael Rudolph was an officer in the United States Army who served as acting Adjutant General and acting Inspector General of the U.S. Army in 1793....
on 5 March 1792. In 1799, Congress established a provision for mobilization of three cavalry regiments in the event of a war. Equipment for 3,000 men and horses was procured and stored. The Congressional act of 12 April 1808 authorized a standing regiment of light dragoons consisting of eight troops. As war loomed, Congress authorized another regiment of light dragoons on 11 January 1812. These regiments were respectively known afterwards as the First and Second United States Dragoons.
Secretary of War
John Armstrong, Jr.John Armstrong, Jr. was an American soldier and statesman who was a delegate to the Continental Congress, U.S. Senator from New York, and Secretary of War.-Early life and Revolutionary War:...
granted Colonel
Richard Mentor JohnsonRichard Mentor Johnson was the ninth Vice President of the United States, serving in the administration of Martin Van Buren. He was the only vice-president ever elected by the United States Senate under the provisions of the Twelfth Amendment. Johnson also represented Kentucky in the U.S...
permission to raise two battalions of volunteer cavalry in 1813. Johnson recruited 1,200 men, divided into 14 companies. In autumn, after much training, Johnson's Volunteers, as they had come to be called, clashed with the British 45th Foot along the Thames River, 90 miles east of Detroit. The training and the tactical leadership of Col. Johnson resulted in the surrender of the British.
Congress combined the First and Second United States Dragoons into one Regiment of Light Dragoons on 30 March 1814. This was a result of cutting the costs of sustaining two organizations when neither could maintain a full complement of riders. At the end of the year, the war ended with the signing of the
Treaty of GhentThe Treaty of Ghent , signed on December 24, 1814, in Ghent, Netherlands , was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The treaty largely restored relations between the two countries to status quo ante...
. The regiment was disbanded on 3 March 1815, with the explanation that cavalry forces were too expensive to maintain as part of a standing army. The retained officers and men were folded into the Corps of Artillery by 15 June 1815, all others were discharged.
Westward expansion
In 1832, Congress formed the United States Mounted Ranger Battalion to protect settlers along the east bank of the Mississippi River and to keep the Santa Fe trail open. The battalion comprised volunteers organized into six companies of 100 men. To correct what was perceived as a lack of discipline, organization and reliability, Congress formed the United States Regiment of Dragoons as a regular force in 1833, consisting of 10 companies (designated A through K) with a total of 750 men. The Regiment fought against the Seminole nation in 1835, when
Chief OsceolaOsceola was an influential leader with the Seminole in Florida. Osceola led a small band of warriors in the Seminole resistance during the Second Seminole War when the United States tried to remove the Seminoles from their lands...
led warriors from his tribe in the
Second Seminole WarThe Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between various groups of Native Americans collectively known as Seminoles and the United States, part of a series of conflicts called the Seminole Wars...
in protest to the
Treaty of Payne's LandingThe Treaty of Payne's Landing was an agreement signed on 9 May 1832 between the government of the United States and several chiefs of the Seminole Indians in the present-day state of Florida...
. For a year, the established units had difficulty containing the Indians. Congress responded by establishing the 2nd United States Regiment of Dragoons in 1836.
War with Mexico
The First Dragoons served in the Black Hawk Wars and the Mexican War, and
Charles A. MayCharles Augustus May was an American officer of the United States Army who served in the Mexican War and other campaigns over a 25-year career...
's squadron of the Second Dragoons helped decide the
Battle of Resaca de la PalmaAt the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, one of the early engagements of the Mexican-American War,United States General Zachary Taylor engaged the retreating forces of the Mexican Ejército del Norte under General Mariano Arista on May 9, 1846.-Background:During the night of May 8, following...
.
Civil War
Shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War the Army's dragoon regiments were designated as "Cavalry", losing their previous distinctions. The change was an unpopular one and the former dragoons retained their orange braided blue jackets until they wore out and had to be replaced with cavalry yellow. The 1st United States Cavalry fought in virtually every campaign in the east during the American Civil War.
World War II
Starting before
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the Army commenced experimenting with mechanization, and had partially mechanized some cavalry regiments, such as the Wyoming National Guard's 115th Cavalry Horse-Mechanized. During
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, many of the Army's cavalry units were mechanized with tanks and
reconnaissanceReconnaissance is a military and medical term denoting exploration conducted to gain information. Militarily, its shorthand Canadian and British form is recce , its American usage form is recon...
vehicles while other's fought dismounted as infantry. Some units were converted into other types of units entirely, some of which made use of the cavalry's experience with horses. The Mars Men of the China Burma theatre give such an example.
The last horse cavalry charge by an Army cavalry unit took place against Japanese forces during the fighting in the
Bataan PeninsulaThe Bataan Peninsula is a rocky extension of the Zambales Mountains, on Luzon in the Philippines. It separates the Manila Bay from the South China Sea...
,
PhilippinesThe Philippines officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
, in the village of Morong on January 16, 1942, by the 26th Cavalry Regiment of the
Philippine ScoutsThe Philippine Scouts was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 to World War II. Made up of native Filipinos assigned to the US Army's Philippine Department, these troops were generally enlisted and under the command of American officers, however, a handful of Filipinos...
. Shortly thereafter, the besieged combined United States-Philippine forces were forced to slaughter their horses for food and the 26th Regiment fought on foot or in whatever scarce vehicles were available until their surrender. The mounted reconnaissance unit of the
10th Mountain DivisionThe 10th Mountain Division is a light infantry division of the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. It is a subordinate unit of the XVIII Airborne Corps and the only division-sized element of the US Army to specialize in fighting under harsh terrain and weather conditions...
is reported to have conducted a mounted charge as late as 1945 in Austria.
Vietnam
The Vietnam War saw the first combat use of air cavalry warfare; and twenty armored and air cavalry units were deployed in Vietnam, during the war. Armored cavalry units in Vietnam were initially equipped with the
M48 Patton tankThe M46, M47, M48 and M60 Patton were the United States Army's principal battle tanks of the Cold War, with models in service from the late 1940s to the 1990s. The many models were named after General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. Third Army during World War II and one of the earliest...
, armed with a 90 mm main gun, and the
M113 Armored Cavalry Assault VehicleThe M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that formed the backbone of the U.S. Army's mobile infantry units from the time of its introduction in the 1960s. It was partly replaced by the M2 Bradley which was one of many later vehicles designed from the outset to be a more heavily armed...
(ACAV). In January 1969, the cavalry began transitioning from the Patton tank to the
M551 SheridanThe M551 Sheridan was an Armored Airborne Reconnaissance Assault Vehicle developed by the United States, named after Civil War General Philip Sheridan. It was designed to have both an air drop and swimming capability. It was armed with the MGM-51 Shillelagh gun-launched missile system. Production...
Armored Airborne Reconnaissance Assault Vehicle. By 1970, all armored cavalry units in Vietnam were operating the Sheridan except for the tank companies of the 11th ACR, which continued to use Patton tanks.
Recent and Contemporary Development of Dragoons in the U.S. Army
The distinct Cavalry branch ceased to exist when it was absorbed into the Armor branch in 1951, during the
Korean WarThe Korean War is a war that started between North Korea and South Korea on 25 June 1950 and paused with an armistice signed 27 July, 1953...
. Other regiments of both armored and air cavalry exist in the Army. The patches on 1st Cavalry Division helicopters that served in
VietnamThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
retained the symbol of a horse, symbolizing the mobility that characterized the original horse cavalry. In spite of the formal abolishment of the branch, however, the recognition of it continues on within the Army's armor branch.
The 1st Dragoons was reformed in the Vietnam era as 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry, and continues to this day in the Iraqi War as the oldest cavalry unit, as well as the most decorated unit, in the U.S. Army. Today's modern 1-1st Cavalry is a scout/attack unit, equipped with
M1A1 Abrams tanksThe M1 Abrams is a main battle tank produced in the United States. The M1 is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of US military forces in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972. It is a well armed, heavily armored, and highly mobile tank designed for modern armored...
and
M3 Bradley CFVsThe M2 Bradley IFV and M3 Bradley CFV are American infantry fighting vehicles manufactured by BAE Systems Land and Armaments, formerly United Defense....
.
Another modern
United States ArmyThe United States Army is the branch of the United States Military responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military and is one of seven uniformed services...
unit informally known as the 2nd Dragoons is the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (Stryker). This unit was originally organized as the Second Dragoon Regiment in 1836 until it was renamed the Second Cavalry Regiment in 1860, morphing into the 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment in the 1960s. The regiment is currently equipped with the Stryker family of wheeled fighting vehicles. As equipped with the Stryker, the 2nd Cavalry once again can be accurately referred to as a "Dragoon" force - mounted infantry.
Traditions
The cavalry, like any other military force, has its own unique traditions and history. Among these traditions include the
Order of the SpurThe Order of the Spur is a Cavalry tradition within the United States Army. Soldiers serving with Cavalry units are inducted into the Order of the Spur after successfully completing a "Spur Ride" or for having served during combat as a member of a Cavalry unit...
commonly called "
Spur Ride", cavalry
StetsonStetson hats or Stetsons refers to the brand of hat manufactered by the John B. Stetson Company of St. Joseph, Missouri. The word 'Stetson' is sometimes used as a genericized term for a cowboy hat...
,
Saber ArchA Saber Arch is a UK and US military tradition sometimes performed at the weddings of service members, wherein the newly married bride and groom pass under an honorary arch of sabers. It originated with the Royal Navy....
,
Fiddler's GreenFiddler's Green is a legendary afterlife imagined by servicemen, where there is perpetual mirth, a fiddle that never stops playing, and dancers who never tire. Its origins are obscure, although some point to the Greek myth of the "Elysian Fields" as a potential inspiration.- Adoption among US...
poem, the song or rallying cry
GarryowenGarryowen, also known as Garyowen, Garry Owen and Gary Owens, is an Irish tune for a quickstep dance. - History :The origins of Garryowen are unclear, but it emerged in the late eighteenth century, when it was a drinking song of rich young roisters in Limerick...
, and the Order of the Yellow Rose. Units in the modern Army with cavalry lineage often adopt a Black Stetson hat as unofficial semi dress headgear, recalling the black felt campaign hats of the American frontier era.
Cavalry designation
The distinct cavalry branch ceased to exist when it was absorbed into the Armor branch in 1951, during the
Korean WarThe Korean War is a war that started between North Korea and South Korea on 25 June 1950 and paused with an armistice signed 27 July, 1953...
. Other regiments of both armored and air cavalry exist in the Army. The patches on 1st Cavalry Division helicopters that served in
VietnamThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
retained the symbol of a horse, symbolizing the mobility that characterized the original horse cavalry. In spite of the formal abolishment of the branch, however, the recognition of it continues on within the Army's armor branch, where some officers choose cavalry branch insignia over the very similar armor branch insignia.
Chief, the last surviving tactical horse of the United States Cavalry, died in 1968, at the age of 36.
There is still one Army
Military Occupational SpecialtyA Military Occupational Specialty code is used in the United States Army and United States Marines. In the U.S. Air Force, a system of Air Force Specialty Codes is used. In the United States Navy, a system of naval ratings and designators is used along with Navy Enlisted Classification ...
that is active and has been since the early cavalry days: 19D, Armored Cavalry Reconnaissance Specialist, or
Cavalry ScoutThe Cavalry Scout, is a job title in the United States Army. Cavalry Scouts work to obtain, distribute and share vital combat and battlefield information on the enemy and on combat circumstances and environmental conditions...
.
The 1st Cavalry Division is the only presently existing division of the
United States ArmyThe United States Army is the branch of the United States Military responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military and is one of seven uniformed services...
that retains the "cavalry" name and the division retains one detachment of ceremonial horse cavalry for morale and ceremonial purposes. The division is otherwise divided into four armored brigades and one air cavalry brigade, both of which contain subordinate units that perform traditional cavalry tasks.
Heraldry
- Branch Insignia:
- Two crossed sabers in scabbards, cutting edge up, 11/16-inch in height, of gold color metal. The cavalry insignia was adopted in 1851. Officers and enlisted personnel assigned to cavalry regiments, cavalry squadrons or separate cavalry troops are authorized to wear the cavalry collar insignia in lieu of their insignia of branch when approved by the MACOM commander. Some of the armor and aviation units are designated cavalry units.
- Branch Plaque:
- The plaque design has the Cavalry insignia and rim in gold. The background is white and the letters are scarlet.
- Regimental Insignia:
- Personnel assigned to cavalry units affiliate with a specific regiment of their branch or cavalry unit and wear the insignia of the affiliated regiment.
- Regimental Coat of Arms:
- There is no standard cavalry regimental flag to represent all of the cavalry regiments. Each cavalry regiment has its own coat of arms that is displayed on the breast of a displayed eagle. The background of all cavalry regimental flags is yellow, and they have yellow fringes.
- Branch Colors:
- Yellow is used as a branch color for personnel assigned to cavalry units. In March 1855, two regiments of cavalry were created and their trimmings were to be "yellow." In 1861, the designation of dragoon and mounted rifleman disappeared, all becoming cavalry with "yellow" as their colors. Yellow was continued as the color for cavalry units subsequent to abolishment as a branch. Although the regimental flags for cavalry units are yellow, the troop guidons are red and white without an insignia on the guidon.
U.S. Army Cavalrymen
- Adna Chaffee, Jr.
- Adna R. Chaffee
- Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic Mars adventurer John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.-Biography:...
- Elijah Churchill
Elijah Churchill, was a soldier for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Born in Enfield, Connecticut, a carpenter, he entered the 8th Connecticut Regiment as a private on 7 July, 1775...
- Forrest Tucker
Forrest Tucker was an American actor in both movies and television from the 1940s to the 1980s. Tucker, who stood and weighed , appeared in nearly 100 action films in the 1940s and 1950s.-Early life:...
- Francis Marion
Francis Marion was a military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. Acting with Continental Army and South Carolina militia commissions, he was a persistent adversary of the British in their occupation of South Carolina in 1780 and 1781, even after the Continental Army was driven...
- George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars who today is most remembered for a disastrous military engagement known as the Battle of the Little Bighorn...
- George S. Patton
George Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer most famous for his leadership commanding corps and armies as a general in World War II...
- Hal Moore
Harold Gregory "Hal" Moore, Jr. is a retired Lieutenant General in the United States Army. Moore is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, which is the second highest military decoration of the United States Army...
- Harry A. "Paddy" Flint
- Henry Lee III
- H.R. McMaster
- John J. Pershing
General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing, Honorary GCB; September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948, was a general officer in the United States Army. Pershing is the only person to be promoted in his own lifetime to the highest rank ever held in the United States Army—General of the Armies General of the...
- John P. Lucas
John Porter Lucas was an American Major General and one of the commanders of VI Corps during the Italian Campaign of World War II.-Early Career:...
- Lemuel Cook
Lemuel Cook was one of the last verifiable surviving veterans of the American Revolutionary War. He was born in Litchfield County, Connecticut...
- Lucian Truscott
Lucian King Truscott, Jr. was a US Army General, who successively commanded the 3rd Infantry Division, VI Corps, U.S. Fifteenth Army and U.S. Fifth Army during World War II.-Early life:...
- Luke Short
Western frontiersman Luke L. Short was a noted gunfighter, who had worked as a farmer, cowboy, whiskey peddler, army scout, dispatch rider, gambler and saloon keeper at various times during the four decades of his life.- Early life :...
- Phillip Sheridan
- Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career United States Army officer, an engineer, and among the most celebrated generals in American history. Lee was the son of Major General Henry Lee III "Light Horse Harry" , Governor of Virginia, and his second wife, Anne Hill Carter...
- Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States and the 33rd Governor of California .Born in Tampico, Illinois, Reagan moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1930s...
- Samuel P. Carter
Samuel Perry "Powhatan" Carter was a United States naval officer who served in the Union Army as a brevet major general during the American Civil War and became a rear admiral in the postbellum United States Navy...
- Stephen W. Kearny
Stephen Watts Kearny was one of the foremost antebellum frontier officers of the United States Army, and is remembered for his significant role in the Mexican-American War, especially the conquest of California...
- Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States. He is well remembered for his energetic persona, his range of interests and achievements, his model of masculinity, and his "cowboy" image. He was a leader of the Republican Party and founder of the short-lived Bull Moose Party...
- Thomas Custer
Thomas Ward Custer was a United States Army officer and two-time recipient of the Medal of Honor for bravery during the American Civil War...
- Wesley Merritt
Wesley Merritt was a general in the United States Army during the American Civil War and the Spanish-American War. He is noted for distinguished service in the cavalry.-Early life:...
- Wild Bill Hickok
James Butler Hickok , better known as Wild Bill Hickok, was a figure in the American Old West. His skills as a gunfighter and scout, along with his reputation as a lawman, provided the basis for his fame, although some of his exploits are fictionalized...
- William Cody
- William Washington
William Washington , was an officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, who held a final rank of Brigadier General in the newly created United States after the war...
- Will Cook
Historical units
- First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry
thumb|right|300px|Captain Joseph Lapsley Wilson of the First City Troop circa 1894The First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry is a unit of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and is the oldest continuously serving unit in the United States military. Also known as the First City Troop, it was one of...
also called Philadelphia Light Horse, mustered into Federal Service. now Troop A, 1st Squadron, 104th Cavalry Regiment Pennsylvania National Guard
Dragoons
- 1st Continental Light Dragoons
The 1st Continental Light Dragoons, also known as Bland's Horse, was a mounted regiment of the Continental Army organized between 13 June and 10 September, 1776 in Williamsburg, Virginia from eastern and northern Virginia for service with the Continental Army.The regiment was first authorized 8...
- 2nd Continental Light Dragoons
The 2nd Continental Light Dragoons, also known as Sheldon's Horse after Colonel Elisha Sheldon, was commissioned by the Continental Congress on December 12, 1776 and was first mustered at Wethersfield, Connecticut in March 1777 for service with the Continental Army...
also (Sheldon's Horse)
- 3rd Continental Light Dragoons
The 3rd Continental Light Dragoons, also known as Baylor's Horse or Lady Washington's Horse, was a mounted regiment of the Continental Army raised on January 1, 1777 at Morristown, New Jersey...
- 4th Continental Light Dragoons
The 4th Continental Light Dragoons also known as Moylan's Horse was raised on January 5, 1777 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for service with the Continental Army under Colonel Stephen Moylan...
- Pulaski's Legion
Pulaski's Legion was raised on March 28, 1778 at Baltimore, Maryland under the command of Kazimierz Pułaski for service with the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The Legion consisted of one troop of lancers, two troops of dragoons and 200 light infantry soldiers...
(1778-1780)
- Armand's Legion
Armand's Legion was formed on June 25, 1778 at Boston, Massachusetts under the command of Colonel Charles Armand Tuffin for service with the Continental Army. The Legion was recruited primarily from foreign volunteers to the American Revolution. It was reorganized and renamed the 1st Partisan Corps...
(1778-1783)
- Lee's Legion
Lee's Legion was a military unit within the Continental Army during the American Revolution. It primarily served in the Southern Theater of Operations, and gained a reputation for efficiency and bravery on the battlefield.The original unit was raised June 8, 1776, at Williamsburg, Virginia, under...
, also Lee's Partisan Corps
- Ottendorf's Corps
Ottendorf's Corps was raised on December 5, 1776 in eastern Pennsylvania for service with the Continental Army. As Congress directed the corps would be composed of 150 privates, sergeants and corporals included and that it be divided as follows:...
Cavalry
- 106th Cavalry Group (United States)
- 2nd Cavalry Division
-Heraldry:SHOULDER SLEEVE INSIGNIA*Description: On a yellow Norman shield with a green border,*a blue chevron below two eight-pointed blue stars.*Blazon: Or, a chevron azure, in chief 2 mullets of eight points of the second, a bordure vert....
(Inactive)
- 3rd Cavalry Division
The United States Army's 3rd Cavalry Division was created from the perceived need for additional cavalry units in the interwar period.The 3rd Cavalry Division was largely a "paper" formation existing from 1927 to 1940. Its units were never assembled in a single location. The 3rd Cavalry Division...
(Inactive)
- 15th Cavalry Division
The 15th Cavalry Division was created with the 1st & 2nd Cavalry Brigades. It numbered in succession of the 1st-14th Divisions, which were not all active at its creation....
(Inactivated with assets used to form 1st & 2nd Cavalry Divisions)
- 21st Cavalry Division
The National Guard's 21st Cavalry Division was created from the perceived need for additional cavalry units. It numbered in succession of the Regular Army Divisions, which were not all active at its creation...
; New York; New Jersey; Pennsylvania and Rhode Island Army National Guards.
- 22nd Cavalry Division
The National Guards 22nd Cavalry Division was created from the perceived need for additional cavalry units. It numbered in succession of the Regular Army Divisions, which were not all active at its creation...
; Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin Army National Guards.
- 23rd Cavalry Division
The National Guard's 23rd Cavalry Division was created from the perceived need for additional cavalry units. It numbered in succession of the Regular Army Divisions, which were not all active at its creation...
; Alabama, Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin Army National Guards.
- 24th Cavalry Division
The United States Army National Guard's 24th Cavalry Division was created from the perceived need for additional cavalry units. It numbered in succession of the Regular Army Divisions, which were not all active at its creation...
; Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming Army National Guards.
- 61st Cavalry Division
The Army Reserve's 61st Cavalry Division was created from the perceived need for additional cavalry units. It numbered in succession of the Regular Army Divisions, which were not all active at its creation...
; New York and New Jersey.
- 62nd Cavalry Division
The Army Reserve's 62nd Cavalry Division was created from the perceived need for additional cavalry units. It numbered in succession of the Regular Army Divisions, which were not all active at its creation...
; Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania.
- 63rd Cavalry Division
The US Army's 63rd Cavalry Division, Organized Reserve, was created from the perceived need for additional cavalry units. It numbered in succession of the Regular Army Divisions, which were not all active at its creation....
; Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado.
- 64th Cavalry Division
The 64th Cavalry Division of the United States Army Organized Reserve was created from the perceived need for additional cavalry units. It numbered in succession of the Regular Army Divisions, which were not all active at its creation....
; Kentucky, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire.
- 65th Cavalry Division
The Army Reserve's 65th Cavalry Division was created due to the perceived need for additional cavalry units. It was numbered in succession with the Regular Army Divisions, not all of which were active at its creation....
; Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
- 66th Cavalry Division
The Army Reserve's 66th Cavalry Division was created from the perceived need for additional cavalry units. It numbered in succession of the Regular Army Divisions, which were not all active at its creation. Going into World War II, the U.S...
; Nebraska, Missouri, Utah, and North Dakota.
- 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (United States)
- 2nd Cavalry Brigade
- 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (United States)
- 26th Cavalry Regiment (United States), Philippine Scouts
The Philippine Scouts was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 to World War II. Made up of native Filipinos assigned to the US Army's Philippine Department, these troops were generally enlisted and under the command of American officers, however, a handful of Filipinos...
- 27th Cavalry Regiment
Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas...
- 28th Cavalry Regiment
Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas...
, Established and Organized at Camp LockettCamp Lockett was a United States Army military base located in Campo, California, east of San Diego, and north of the Mexican border. Camp Lockett has historical connections to the Buffalo Soldiers due the 10th and 28th Cavalry Regiments being garrisoned there during World War II. It was named in...
out of the 10th Cavalry Regiment
- 31st Cavalry Regiment (United States)
The 31st Cavalry is a historical organization within the United States Army and the Alabama Army National Guard that began as a Troop of Cavalry under the "The Alabama Militia Law of 1820"...
Deactivated 2005
Current units
- 1st Cavalry Division (Active)
- 1st Cavalry Regiment (United States) US Regiment of Dragoons founded 1832. Changed to the 1st Cavalry Regiment in 1861.
- 2nd Cavalry Regiment (United States) 2nd Regiment of Dragoons founded 1836. Changed from 2nd Dragoons to the 2nd Cavalry in 1861.
- 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (United States) Regiment of Mounted Riflemen founded 1846
- 4th Cavalry Regiment (United States) Founded 1855
- 5th Cavalry Regiment (United States) formerly 2nd Cavalry Regiment formed 1855. Changed to 5th Cavalry in 1861
- 6th Cavalry Regiment (United States) Founded 1861
- 7th Cavalry Regiment (United States) Founded 1866
- 8th Cavalry Regiment (United States) Founded 1866
- 9th Cavalry Regiment (United States) Founded 1866
- 10th Cavalry Regiment (United States) see also Buffalo Soldiers. Founded July 28, 1866
- 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Founded February 2, 1901
- 12th Cavalry Regiment (United States) Founded February 2, 1901
- 13th Cavalry Regiment (United States
- 14th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
- 15th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
The 15th Cavalry Regiment is a cavalry regiment of the United States Army. It was one of the Expansion Units originally established for the Spanish American War, but has been a general workhorse unit ever since.-Origins:...
- 16th Cavalry Remiment
The United States Army Armor School is a training school located at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Its primary focus is the training of United States Army soldiers, NCOs, and commissioned officers in the operation, tactics, and maintenance of Armor forces and equipment, including the M1 Abrams main battle...
- 17th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
The 17th Cavalry is a historical organization within the United States Army that began as a regiment of cavalry after the Pancho Villa Expedition. The unit was constituted on 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as the 17th Cavalry at Fort Bliss, Texas and originally inactivated 26 September 1921 at the...
founded 1916.
- 18th Cavalry Regiment (United States), CA ARNG
The California Army National Guard is a component of the California National Guard, the United States Army and the United States National Guard. The California Army National Guard is composed of about 20,000 soldiers. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US...
- 71st Cavalry Regiment (united states) reestablished in 2004
- 73rd Cavalry Regiment (United States)
The 4 squadrons of the 73rd Cavalry Regiment provide reconnaissance, surveillance, & target acquisition to the Brigade Combat Teams of the 82nd Airborne Division. 3rd Squadron is assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Squadron is assigned to 2nd Brigade, 5th Squadron is assigned to 3rd Brigade, and 4th...
- 106th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
The 106th Cavalry Group was a mechanized cavalry unit of the United States Army in World War II. The 106th Cavalry Group had previously been known as the 1st Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry during the Spanish American War and World War I and was constituted in 1921 as part of the Illinois...
, Reestablished in 2006
- 108th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
- Lineage :The 108th Cavalry was constituted June 1, 1921, assigned to the 23rd Cavalry Division, allotted to the National Guard of the States of Georgia and Louisiana, and organized from new and existing units as follows:...
- 113th Cavalry Regiment (United States), IA ARNG
The Iowa Army National Guard is the Army component of the Iowa National Guard, a military reserve force with dual federal and state missions...
- 116th Cavalry Brigade, ID ARNG
- 158th Cavalry Regiment (United States), MD ARNG
- 163rd Cavalry Regiment (United States), MT ARNG
- 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, TN ARNG
- 299th Cavalry Regiment, HI ARNG
- 303rd Cavalry Regiment, WA ARNG
External links