Draw the Sword

Rush’s Lancers

Location: Emmitsburg Road near South Cavalry Battlefield

Order of Battle: Cavalry Corps, 1st Division, Reserve Brigade

Number Engaged: 366; 3 killed, 7 wounded, 2 missing

Commander: Maj. James H. Haseltine (1833-1907)

Raised: Philadelphia and Berks county

Monument Specifications: Six-sided, rough-hewn monument stands on a four-sided polished and rough-hewn base. There are six lances with small flags on the corners. A relief of the State Seal is affixed to the front and polished Corps insignia of crossed swords is on two sides of the piece. An additional insignia of a “P” within a “C” appears on the right side. Two small markers flank the piece. It indicates the position where the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry dismounted and engaged Anderson’s brigade on the afternoon of July 3, 1863. The monument’s designer, Frank Furness, was a Captain in the regiment.

Dedication Date: Oct. 14, 1888.

Sculptor/Artist/Company: Furness, Frank, designer.

Other Monuments and Memorials: There are two. Marker to Companies E and I at the Leister Farm near the Taneytown Road. Dedicated 1891. Relocated 1960s. Six-sided shaft with apexed top holds two plaques fashioned as scrolls and a relief of crossed cavalry sabers. It indicates the approximate position occupied by Companies E & I, 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry who served as headquarters escort to General Meade. In the 1960s, it was moved about 30 yards north to its current position; from the front yard of the Leister Farm house to the rear of the house. There is also a marker on the South Cavalry Battlefield denoting the regiment’s left flank.

Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:

Organized at Philadelphia August to October, 1861. Moved to Washington, D.C., December 10 to December 16, 1861. Attached to Emory’s Brigade, Cooke’s Cav-Brigade, Cavalry Reserve, Army Potomac, to July, 1862. Cavalry Command, Army Potomac, to April, 1862. Emory’s 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army Potomac, to August, 1862. 3rd Brigade, Pleasanton’s Cavalry Division, Army Potomac, to November, 1862. Headquarters Left Grand Division, Army Potomac, to February, 1863. Reserve Brigade, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1863. Reserve Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Army Potomac, to August, 1864. 3rd (Reserve) Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Cavalry Corps, Army Shenandoah and Army Potomac, to June, 1865.

SERVICE.–Provost duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C., until May, 1862. Scout to Hunter’s Mills March 19. Moved to Fortress Monroe, thence to Yorktown, Va., May 3-5. Reconnaissance to Mulberry Point, Va., May 7-8 (Detachment). Reconnaissance to New Castle and Hanovertown Ferry May 22. Reconnaissance to Hanover C. H. May 24. Charge on picket line with lances May 25 (Co. “C”). Hanover C. H. May 27 (Co. “A”). Operations near Hanover C. H. May 27-29. Occupation of Ashland May 30. Reconnaissance to Hanover C. H. June 10-12. Operations about White House against Stuart June 13-15. Garlick’s Landing, Pamunkey River, June 13. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Beaver Dam Station June 26 (Cos. “B,” “C,” “G,” “H”). Companies “A,” “D,” “I,” “K” with Stoneman on retreat to White House and Williamsburg. Gaines’ Mill June 27. Savage Station June 29 (Co. “F”). Glendale June 30. White Oak Swamp June 30. Company “F” Malvern Hill July 1. (Cos. “C” and “H” at Headquarters, 5th Corps.) Company “F” escort Heavy Artillery from Malvern Hill to Harrison’s Landing. Fall’s Church September 2-4 (Cos. “C,” “H”). South Mountain and near Jefferson, Md., September 13. Crampton’s Pass, South Mountain, September 14 (Cos. “B,” “G,” “I”). Antietam September 16-17 (Cos. “B,” “G,” “I”). Sharpsburg September 19. Shepherdstown Ford September 19. (Co. “K” at Headquarters, 6th Corps, November, 1862, to February 24, 1863.) Bloomfield and Upperville November 2-3. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. Occoquan River December 19-20 (Cos. “B,” “G”). “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863 (Cos. “A,” “D,” “E”). Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Stoneman’s Raid April 29-May 8 (Co. “L”). Raccoon Ford April 30 (Detachment). Brandy Station and Beverly Ford June 9. Reconnaissance to Ashby’s Gap June 14 (Co. “A”). Greencastle, Pa., June 20. Upperville June 21. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. Williamsport, Md., July 6. Boonsborough July 8. Funkstown July 10-13. Aldie July 11. Kelly’s Ford July 31-August 1. Brandy Station August 1. Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan September 13-17. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Manassas Junction October 17. Bristoe Station October 18. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7, 1864. Custer’s Raid in Albemarle County February 28-March 1. Near Charlottesville February 29. Burton’s Ford, Stannardsville, March 1. Rapidan Campaign May and June. Todd’s Tavern May 7-8. Sheridan’s Raid to James River May 9-24. Ground Squirrel Church and Yellow Tavern May 11. Meadow Bridge. Richmond, May 12. Mechanicsville May 12. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Hanovertown Ferry and Hanovertown May 27. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Old Church May 30. Mattadequin Creek May 30. Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, May 31-June 1. McClellan’s Bridge June 2. Haw’s Shop June 4-5. Sheridan’s Trevillian Raid June 7-24. Trevillian Station June 11-12. Newark or Mallory’s Cross Roads June 12. White House or St. Peter’s Church June 21. Black Creek or Tunstall Station June 21. Jones’ Bridge June 23. Siege of Petersburg July 3-30. Demonstration north of James at Deep Bottom July 27-29. Charles City Cross Roads July 27-28. Malvern Hill July 28. Shenandoah Valley Campaign August to November. Near Stone Chapel August 10. Toll Gate near White Post August 11, Near Newtown August 11. Near Strasburg August 14. Summit Point August 21. Kearneysville August 25. Leetown and Smithfield August 23. Smithfield Crossing, Opequan, August 29. Ordered to Pleasant Valley, Md., September 8, and to Hagerstown, November. Sheridan’s Raid from Winchester February 27-March 25, 1865. Waynesboro March 2. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Gravelly Run near Five Forks March 30. Dinwiddie C. H. March 30-31. Five Forks April 1. Scott’s Cross Roads April 2. Tabernacle Church or Beaver Pond Creek April 4. Sailor’s Creek April 6. Appomattox Station April 8. Appomattox C. H. April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Expedition to Danville April 23-29. March to Washington, D.C., May. Grand Review May 23. Consolidated with 1st and 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry June 17, 1865, to form 2nd Provisional Cavalry. Regiment lost during service 7 Officers and 71 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 86 Enlisted men by disease. Total 167.