Missouri 2nd Cavalry Regiment (Union)



HISTORICAL NOTES:
The Second Missouri Volunteer Cavalry, also known officially as Merrill's Horse, was one of only a handful of Missouri regiments to be officially "named" as well as numbered.

The regiment was raised under the authority of Major General John C. Frémont, commander of the Western Department of the U.S. Army, headquartered at St. Louis, Missouri. The regiment was organized by Captain Lewis Merrill, a regular Army officer and a veteran of the prewar U.S. 2nd Dragoons. OFFICERS:
• Col. Lewis Merrill
• Lt. Col. William F. Schaffer
• Maj. George C. Marshall
• Maj. Charles B. Hunt (later promoted to Lt. Col.)
• Maj. John Y. Clopper (later promoted to Lt. Col.)
• Maj. Garrison Harker
• Maj. Jabez B. Rogers
• Adjt. Joshua W. Roher
• Q. M. George Merrill
• R. B. Hughes (commissary)
• Andrew S. Phelps (commissary)
• S. B. Thayer (surgeon)
• Henry Douglas (surgeon)
• W. H. Knickerbocker (asst. surgeon)
• A. D. Thomas (asst. surgeon)
• J. W. O. Snider (asst. surgeon)
• Robert W. Landis (chaplain)
 ASSIGNMENTS:
  • General Shelby's Brigade
    • SERVICE:
    Moved to Northern Missouri and duty at Columbia, Glasgow, Sturgeon, Paris, Huntsville, Palmyra and Warrenton, operating against guerrillas and elements of the secessionist Missouri State Guard (MSG) January, 1862, to June, 1863.
  • Expedition into Schuyler and Scotland Counties, against Porter's and Poindexter's MSG cavalry, July 12-August 8, 1862.
  • Near Memphis, Mo., July 18.
  • Brown Springs July 27.
  • Moore's Mills, near Fulton, July 28.
  • Kirksville August 6 (Detachment).
  • Pursuit of Poindexter August 8–15, with skirmishes at Grand River, Lee's Ford, Chariton River and Walnut Creek, near Stockton, August 9.
  • Switzler's Mill August 10.
  • Little Compton Ferry, Yellow Creek, August 11.
  • Roanoke September 6 (Detachment).
  • Scotland and Boone Counties September 30 (Detachment).
  • Joined Davidson's Cavalry Division at Pilot Knob June, 1863.
  • Expedition to Little Rock, Ark. , July 1-September 10.
  • Grand Prairie August 17.
  • Brownsville August 25.
  • Bayou Metoe or Reed's Bridge August 27.
  • Reconnaissance from Brownsville August 29.
  • Bear Skin Lake, Ashby's Mills, September 7.
  • Bayou Fourche and capture of Little Rock September 10.
  • Pursuit of Price September 11–13.
  • Near Little Rock September 11.
  • Duty at Little Rock till March, 1864.
  • Steele's Expedition to Camden March 23-May 3.
  • Benton Road March 23–24.
  • Okolona April 2–3.
  • Prairie D'Ann April 9–12.
  • Camden April 15–18.
  • Moro Bottom April 25–26.
  • Jenkins' Ferry, Saline River, April 30.
  • Scatterville July 28.
  • Duty in Arkansas till September.
  • Operating against Price September and October.
  • Booneville, Mo. , October 9–12.
  • Little Blue October 21.
  • Big Blue, State Line, October 22.
  • Westport October 23.
  • Battle of Charlot October 25.
  • Mine Creek, Osage River, Marias des Cygnes, October 25.
  • Grierson's Expedition from Memphis against Mobile & Ohio Railroad December 21, 1864, to January 15, 1865 (Co. "E").
  • Near Memphis February 9 (Detachment).
  • Moved to Chattanooga, Tenn., and duty operating against guerrillas in Georgia and Alabama and escorting trains from Chattanooga to Atlanta January to September, 1865.
  • Mustered out September 19, 1865.
    • ROSTERS:
    The rosters of this unit contains the names of 845 men. This regiment contained 12 companies number A – M although some of the Microfilm records appear to show a Company N. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
    REFERENCES:

    REF: Crute, Joseph H., Units of the Confederate States Army