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13th PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY
( 117TH REGIMENT )
"THE IRISH DRAGOONS"
HISTORY OF….
FORMATION OF…
IN SEPTEMBER OF 1861, SECRETARY OF WAR, HON. SIMOM CAMERON, GAVE JAMES A. GALLIGHER OF PHILADELPHIA, THE AUTHORITY TO FORM A SQUADRON OF CAVALRY, TO BE KNOWN AS THE "IRISH DRAGOONS". THE "IRISH DRAGOONS" WERE TO BE A SQUADRON ATTACHED TO THE IRISH BRIGADE, THEN BEING RECRUITED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, UNDER COMMAND OF GENERAL THOMAS FRANCIS MEAGHER. A CAMP WAS ESTABLISHED AT FRANKFORD, NEAR THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA. RECRUITING BEGAN AND COMPANIES A, B, C AND D WERE ORGANIZED AT THIS CAMP. AUTHORITY WAS GIVEN TO INCREASE THIS COMMAND TO A REGIMENT. COMPANY E WAS RECRUITED FROM THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH AND WENT TO THIS CAMP. FROM HARRISBURG RECRUITMENT COMPANY F FROM CUMBERLAND COUNTY AND COMPANY G, FROM LYCOMING COUNTY, WENT TO CAMP CURTAIN . COMPANIES H, I, AND K WERE RECRUITED FROM THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA AND WENT TO CAMP GALLAGHER, ON THE SITE OF THE FORMER CAMP OF THE 88TH REGIMENT, FALLS OF THE SCHUYLKILL ( NEAR TODAY'S ART MUSEUM ).
IN JULY, 1862, THE ORIGINAL SQUADRON WAS ORDERED TO BALTIMORE, WHERE IT WAS JOINED BY COMPANIES H, I, AND K AT CAMP FAIRGROUNDS. SUBSEQUENTLY THE REMAINING COMPANIES E, F, AND G, ARRIVED AT CAMP CARROLL, THE REGIMENT WAS MOUNTED. THE FOLLOWING REGIMENTAL ORGANIZATION WAS EFFECTED, WITH THE FOLLOWING FIELD OFFICERS :
COLONEL - JAMES A. GALLAGHER
LIEUTENANT COLONEL - PETER C. SHANNON
MAJORS - HENRY A. WHITE, MARTIN J. BYRNE, AND MICHAEL KERWIN
WHILE IN CAMP CARROLL, THE REGIMENT TRAINED, DRILLED AND PERFORMED PATROL DUTIES. COMPANY L, RECRUITED IN PIKE AND WAYNE COUNTIES, JOINED THE REGIMENT HERE.
FIRST SERVICE BY MEMBERS OF THE REGIMENT WAS ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, ONE HUNDRED MEN WERE SENT TO PERRYVILLE AND ELKTON, MARYLAND AND RETURNED TO CAMP CARROLL ONE WEEK LATER.
ATTACHED TO DEFENSES OF BALTIMORE, 8TH CORPS, MIDDLE DEPARTMENT, TO SEPTEMBER, 1862
THE REGIMENT WAS ORDERED TO POINT OF ROCKS ON DECEMBER 13TH FOR SCOUTING IN LOUDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES IN VIRGINIA. THREE COMPANIES WERE EMPLOYED IN GUARDING THE POTOMAC, BETWEEN BERLIN AND EDWARD'S FERRY. THE REMAINING COMPANIES MOVED OUT TO SCOUT THE COUNTIES. THE REGIMENT BEGAN OPERATIONS AGAINST STUART'S CAVALRY, THEY INTERCEPTED NUMEROUS GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS TRADING WITH THE ENEMY ALONG THIS LINE OF THE POTOMAC. MANY SPIES AND INFORMERS WERE BUSY PASSING
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