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THE CAVALRY

Organization

In 1861, the primary unit was the regiment.  It consisted of 8 companies, or about 800 men, and was commanded by a colonel.  The basic unit, or the one most familiar to the men, was the company.  It consisted of 96 men and was commanded by a captain.  Two companies operating together formed a squadron.  Two squadrons formed a battalion, and two battalions formed the regiment.

From the start, the Southern cavalry was more effective than that of the Federal Army.  This was because of its organization.  Regiments were grouped together into brigades and divisions, so that they could operate independent of the infantry and, therefore, were able to use their speed and mobility to the greatest advantage.  The Federal regiments, on the other hand, were attached individually to infantry divisions, which slowed them down and took away most of their maneuverability.  While the Confederate cavalry raided deep into the Federal Army’s rear, the Federal horsemen were frittered away guarding bridges & supply trains and carrying dispatches.

A second reason for the Confederate cavalry’s early superiority lay in their Army’s ineffective supply system.  The Army could not meet the demand of both the artillery and cavalry for horses, so many Southern recruits brought their own horses with them to the war.  These horses were already trained, and the riders were familiar with them.  This meant that once the horsemen learned the duties and formations of the cavalry, they were ready to fight.  At the same time, the Federal Army supplied its cavalry regiments with its horses.  These animals were usually untrained and required a period of time before they were "saddle-broke".  The men, too, were raw and untrained.  Many came from the cities or small towns and were inexperienced when it came to horsemanship.  Both men and animals would require long months of hard training before they were prepared to take to the field against the Southern horsemen.

There was a downside to the Confederate method of supplying its horses.  When a horse was killed or otherwise put out of action, there was no means of obtaining new mounts, except for those whose riders had been killed or wounded.  If a rider could not obtain a mount, he was transferred from the unit, usually to an infantry regiment.  At a time when the Federal cavalry was gaining experience and confidence, the Confederates’ loss of veteran troopers proved crucial.

Last updated on: October 11, 2003
Written by: Interpretation Staff
http://www.nps.gov/peri/cav2

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