The Cavalry of the United States Army has its origins and traditions as a horse-mounted cavalry force that existed in various forms, in its horse mounted form, between 1775 and 1943, although the Regular Army did not maintain cavalry between the Revolution and shortly before the Mexican War. The U.S. Cavalry played an important role in extending American governance into western North America.

The 1st Cavalry Division is the only presently existing division of the United States Army 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.

The last horse cavalry charge by a horse Army cavalry unit took place against Japanese forces during the fighting in the Bataan Peninsula, Philippines, in the village of Morong on January 16, 1942, by the 26th Cavalry Regiment of the Philippine Scouts. 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. Having said that, the mounted reconnaissance unit of the 10th Mountain Division, which was often referred to within that unit as being cavalry, which it technically was not, is reported to have conducted a mounted charge as late as 1945 in Austria.

Starting before World War II 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 II, many of the Army's cavalry units were mechanized with tanks and reconnaissance 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 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 Army. The patches on 1st Cavalry Division helicopters that served in Vietnam 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 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.

Culture

The cavalry is classically employed in Western movies as a force that comes to save the day, typically against hostile Indians. They are often accompanied by a bugle call, and the cry "Charge". The cry "Charge" is today also commonly used at United States sporting events with the same bugle call. It is one of the most instantly recognizable tunes in American culture, film and television, especially 1950s and 1960s Western shows.

Tradition

Cavalry unit distribution

American Revolution Era US Cavalry Regiments

• Philadelphia Light Horse (1774)(mustered into Federal Service} now Troop A, 1st Squadron, 104th Cavalry Regiment Pennsylvania National Guard
• 1st Continental Light Dragoons (See Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee)
• 2nd Continental Light Dragoons aka (Sheldon's Horse-see Lemuel Cook and Elijah Churchill)
• 3rd Continental Light Dragoons (See Baylor's Massacre)
• 4th Continental Light Dragoons (See William Washington)
• Pulaski's Legion (1778-1780)
• Armand's Legion (1778-1783)
• Lee's Legion aka Lee's Partisan Corps
• Ottendorf's Corps part of which became 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

• Cavalry in the American Civil War
• Divisions
• Regular Army
• 1st Cavalry Division (Active)
• 2nd Cavalry Division (Inactive)
• 3rd Cavalry Division (Inactive)
• 15th Cavalry Division (Inactivated with assets used to form 1st & 2nd Cavalry Divisions)
• 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
• 1st Cavalry Brigade; Currently designated as 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
• 2nd Cavalry Brigade; Currently designated as 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
• 3rd Cavalry Brigade; Currently designated as 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
• 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
• 4th Cavalry Brigade (inactive?) Note: There is no historical link between the 4th Cavalry Brigade and the 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
• 5th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (inactive)
• 6th Cavalry Brigade (inactive) Note: There is no historical link between the 6th Cavalry Brigade and the 6th Cavalry Regiment.
• 21st Cavalry Brigade {Air Combat Training}
• 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.
• 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
• Volunteers
• 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"
• Regular Army
• 1st Cavalry Regiment US Regiment of Dragoons founded 1832. Changed to the 1st Cavalry Regiment in 1861.
• 2nd Cavalry Regiment 2nd Regiment of Dragoons founded 1836. Changed from 2nd Dragoons to the 2nd Cavalry in 1861.
• 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment Regiment of Mounted Riflemen founded 1846
• 4th Cavarly Regiment Regiment; founded 1855; also see Ranald S. Mackenzie.
• 5th Cavalry Regiment formerly 2nd Cavalry Regiment formed 1855. Changed to 5th Cavalry in 1861
• 6th Cavalry Regiment Founded 1861
• 7th Cavalry Regiment Founded 1866
• 8th Cavalry Regiment Founded 1866
• 9th Cavalry Regiment Founded 1866-see B Troop 9th Cavalry
• 10th Cavalry Regiment see also Buffalo Soldiers. Founded July 28, 1866
• 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Founded February 2, 1901
• 12th Cavalry Regiment Founded February 2, 1901
• U.S. 13th Cavalry Regiment-see 2nd Cavalry Division (United States); also Pancho Villa. Founded February 2, 1901. Later changed to the 1st Battalion/13th Armor.
• U.S. 14th Cavalry Regiment-founded February 2, 1901
• -founded 1901; refounded 1987.
• 17th Cavalry Regiment founded 1916.
• 24th Cavalry Regiment later changed to 82nd Field Artillery Regiment (United States) of the 1st Cavalry Division
• 26th Cavalry Regiment{Last Cavalry Charge of US Army in 1941}
• 27th Cavalry Regiment U.S. 2nd Cavalry Division inactivated 1951-see Buffalo Soldiers
• 28th Cavalry Regiment U.S. 2nd Cavalry Division inactivated 1951-see Buffalo Soldiers
• 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division
• Army National Guard
• 16th Cavalry Regiment
• 1st Squadron, 18th Cavalry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division, CA ARNG
• 31st Cavalry Regiment
• 1st Squadron, [[82nd Cavalry Regiment, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team]] (IBCT), 40th Infantry Division, OR ARNG
• 89th Cavalry Regiment
• 1st Squadron, 94th Cavalry Regiment, 1st BCT, 34th Infantry Division, MN ARNG
• 1st Squadron, 101st Cavalry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division (Mechanized), NY ARNG
• 1st Squadron, 104th Cavalry Regiment, 55th BCT, 28th Infantry Division, PA ARNG
• 2nd Squadron, 104th Cavalry Regiment, 56th BCT, 28th Infantry Division, PA ARNG
• 1st Squadron, 105th Cavalry Regiment, 32nd Brigade Combat Team, WI ARNG
• 106th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment, 33rd BCT, IL ARNG
• 2nd Squadron, 107th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd BCT, 28th Infantry Division, PA ARNG
• 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment, 48th IBCT, GA ARNG
• 2nd Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment, 256th BCT, LA ARNG
• 3rd Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment, 560th BfSB, GA ARNG
• 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd BCT, 34th Infantry Division, IA ARNG
• 2nd Squadron, 116th Cavalry Regiment, 116th Cavalry Brigade, ID ARNG
• 5th Squadron, 117th Cavalry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division, NJ ARNG
• 1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, TX ARNG
• 3rd Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, TX ARNG
• 1st Squadron, 150th Cavalry Regiment, WV ARNG (1-150th Cav is part of 30th BCT, NC ARNG)
• 1st Squadron, 151st Cavalry Regiment, AR ARNG (1-151st Cav is part of 39th Infantry BCT, AR ARNG)
• 1st Squadron, 153rd Cavalry Regiment, 53rd Infantry BCT, FL ARNG
• 1st Squadron, 158th Cavalry Regiment (RSTA), 58th BCT, 29th Infantry Division, MD ARNG
• 1st Squadron, 182nd Cavalry Regiment, MA ARNG, 26 BCT, 29th Infantry Division
• 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment (RSTA), 116th BCT, 29th Infantry Division, VA ARNG
• 1st Squadron, 192nd Cavalry Regiment, 92nd BCT, PR ARNG
• 1st Squadron, 263rd Cavalry Regiment, 218th Infantry BCT, SC ARNG
• 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, TN ARNG
• 1st Squadron, 279th Cavalry Regiment, 45th Infantry BCT, OK ARNG
• Army Reserve.
• 7th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 11th Theater Aviation Command

Notable United States Cavalrymen

• Edgar Rice Burroughs
• Samuel P. Carter
• Adna R. Chaffee
• Adna Chaffee, Jr.
• William Cody
• Henry Lee III
• Robert E. Lee
• Harry A. "Paddy" Flint
• Wild Bill Hickok
• J.E.B. Stuart
• Stephen W. Kearny
• John P. Lucas
• Wesley Merritt
• Francis Marion
• George S. Patton
• John J. Pershing
• Ronald Reagan
• Theodore Roosevelt
• Luke Short
• Lucian Truscott
• Forrest Tucker
• Thomas Custer
• George Armstrong Custer
• Phillip Sheridan
• Nathan Bedford Forrest
• John Hunt Morgan

See also

• Buffalo Soldier African American cavalrymen

References