HISTORICAL NOTES:
Brackett's Battalion, Minnesota Cavalry was made up of Companies "A," "B" and "C." They were organized at Fort Snelling, Minn., as 1st, 2nd and 3rd Companies, Minnesota Light Cavalry, from September to November, 1861. Headquarters was at Sioux City, October, 1865, to May, 1866. The regiment mustered out on June 1, 1866.
During service, Brackett's Cavalry Battalion lost 1 officer and 4 enlisted men killed in action or died of wounds received in battle and 6 enlisted men by disease, for a total of 11 fatalities.
OFFICERS:
Major Alfred B. Brackett
ASSIGNMENTS:
Companies "A," "B" and "C" organized at Fort Snelling, Minn., as 1st, 2nd and 3rd Companies, Minnesota Light Cavalry, September to November, 1861. Ordered to Benton Barracks, Mo., November, 1861, and attached to Curtis Horse, an Independent Regiment of Cavalry, which was later designated 5th Iowa Cavalry. Assigned as Companies "G," "T" and "K." Duty at Benton Barracks, Mo., until February, 1862. Moved to Fort Henry, Tenn., February 8-11. Served unassigned, Dept. of the Tennessee, to November, 1862. District of Columbus, Ky., 13th Army Corps, Dept. of the Tennessee, to December, 1862. District of Columbus, Ky., 16th Army Corps, Dept. Tennessee, to June, 1863. 1st Brigade, Turchin's 2nd Cavalry Division, Army of the Cumberland, to October, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to December, 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army Cumberland, to January, 1864.
SERVICE:
Engaged in patrol duty during battle of Fort Donelson, Tenn. Expedition to destroy railroad bridge over Tennessee River February 14-16. 1862. Duty at Forts Henry and Heiman, Tenn., until February 5, 1863, and at Fort Donelson, Tenn., until June 5, 1863. Moved from Fort Henry to Savannah, Tenn., March 25-April 1, 1862. Moved toward Nashville, Tenn., repairing roads and erecting telegraph lines April 3-6. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Acting as escorts to Telegraph Corps, Lockridge Mills, May 5. Occupation of Corinth May 30, and pursuit to Booneville May 31-June 12. Duty at Humboldt until August, 1862. Scouting and protecting railroad. Action at Fort Donelson, Tenn., August 25. Cumberland Iron Works August 26. Expedition to Clarksville September 5-9. New Providence September 6. Clarksville September 7. Scout toward Eddyville October 29-November 10. Expedition from Fort Heiman December 18-28. Fort Donelson February 3, 1863, Duty at Fort Donelson until June. Moved to Murfreesboro and Nashville, Tenn., June 5-11. Scout on Middleton and Eagleville Pike June 10. Expedition to Lebanon June 15-17. Lebanon June 16. Middle Tennessee or Tullahoma Campaign June 23-July 7. Guy's Gap, Fosterville, June 25. Guy's Gap. Fosterville and Shelbyville, June 27. Occupation of Middle Tennessee until September. Moved to McMinnville September 6-8, and operating against guerrillas until October. Operations against Wheeler and Roddy September 30-October 17. Garrison Creek near Fosterville and Wartrace October 6. Sugar Creek October 9. Tennessee River October 10. At Maysville until January, 1864. Expedition from Maysville to Whitesburg and Decatur November 14-17, 1863, to destroy boats on the Tennessee River. Outpost duty on line of Tennessee River from south of Huntsville to Bellefonte, Ala., November and December, 1863. Veteranized January 1, 1864. Battalion moved to Minnesota January 7. Detached from 5th Iowa Cavalry February 25, 1864, and designated Brackett's Battalion, Minnesota Cavalry. Duty at Fort Snelling, Minn., to May, 1864. March from Fort Snelling to Sioux City May 2-25. Sully's Expedition against hostile Indians west of the Missouri River June 4 to November 10, 1864. March to Fort Sully June 4-15. March to Fort Rice June 28-July 7. Pursuit of Indians to the Bad Lands July 19-28. Battle of Tah Kah A Kuty or Killdeer Mountain July 28. Passage of the Bad Lands of. Dakota Territory August 3-18. Action at Two Hills, Bad Lands, Little Missouri River, August 8-9. Relief of Fiske's Emigrant train September 10-30. At Fort Ridgley, Minn., until spring of 1865. Sully's operations against Indians May to October, 1865. Patrol duty from Sioux City to Fort Randall, Headquarters at Sioux City, October, 1865, to May, 1866. Mustered out June 1, 1866.
ROSTERS:
The composite rosters of this unit contains the names of 986 men.
Company A - many men from Ramsey County, Sibley County and Winona County
Company B - many men from Jackson County, Blue Earth County, Hennepin County, and Faribault County
Company C - many men from Ramsey County, Olmsted County, Scott County and Hennepin County
Company D - many men from Olmsted County, Dakota County, Mower County and Fillmore County
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Vol. 2. Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources 1998. E491D992. A concise summary of each regiment's service.
Fridley, Russell, editor. Charles E. Flandrau and the Defense of New Ulm. New Ulm, MN: Brown County Historical Society, 1962. 62 p. F6l4N4F7.
Jennison, Samuel P. "The Illusions of a Soldier." In Glimpses of the Nation's Struggle (MOLLUS, MN, Vol. 1). St. Paul, MN: St. Paul Book & Stationary Co, 1887. pp. 369-80 (7 photocopied pages). E464M5.1991v26.
Jorgenson, Wayne. Minnesota in the Civil War: A Photographic Legacy. Military Images
(May/Jun 2008): p. 29. Per.
Minnesota. Board of Commissioners on Publication of History of Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars. Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars. Vol. 1. Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources 1998. Unit history and roster.
Wakefield, Larry. "Volunteer's Tour of Duty." [Henry McConnell] Military History (Apr l989): pp. 42-49 (8 photocopied pages). Per.
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HISTORICAL NOTES: