7th Regiment, Pennsylvania Cavalry (80th Volunteers)

Historical Sketch:
Cols., George C. Wynkoop, William B. Sipes, C. C. McCormick ; Lieut.-Cols., William B. Sipes, James J. Seibert, James F. Andress; Majs., John E. Wynkoop, James J. Seibert, James Given, Charles C. Davis, William H. Jennings, James F. Andress, Cyrus Newlin, Benjamin S. Dartt, Charles L. Greeno, Uriah C. Hartranft. The 7th cavalry, the 80th regiment of the line, was composed of men from the counties of Schuylkill, Lycoming, Tioga, Bradford, Northumberland, Montour, Clinton, Center, Chester, Luzerne, Dauphin, Cumberland, Berks and Allegheny. It rendezvoused by companies at Camp Cameron, Harrisburg, and was mustered into the U. S. service in Sept., Oct., and Nov., 1861, for three years. Col. Wynkoop was an experienced cavalry officer in the militia and had served as brigadier-general in the three months' service, in which many of the officers and men had also served. The regiment received its colors from Gov. Curtin on Dec. 18 and the following day left the state for Louisville, Ky., where it reported to Gen. Buell, commanding the Department of the Ohio. It remained in camp of instruction at Jeffersonville, Ind., until the end of Jan., 1862, when it moved to Nashville, Tenn., where the 1st battalion under Maj. Wynkoop was assigned to Gen. Negley's brigade ; the 2nd, under Col. Wynkoop, to Gen. Dumont at Nashville; the 3d, under Maj. Given, to Col. Duffield's command, two companies being posted at Murfreesboro and two at Lebanon. The detachments were now employed in scouting in western and middle Tenn., the 2nd and 3d battalions, with the 1st, 4th and 5th Ky. cavalry being hotly engaged with Morgan's cavalry at Lebanon in May, when the enemy was defeated and 170 prisoners taken. The loss of the 7th was 3 killed, 13 wounded and 3 captured, Maj. Given being among the prisoners. In the early part of June the 1st battalion accompanied Gen. Negley to Chattanooga, skirmishing at Sweden's cove and in front of Chattanooga. The 3d battalion, now under Maj. Seibert, was engaged in June with Forrest's cavalry at McMinnville and Readyville, and on July 13, it was surprised and captured by Forrest at Murfreesboro, together with the rest of the garrison. The 7th lost 5 killed and 20 wounded in the engagement and the men captured were paroled. Early in July the 1st battalion, as a part of Gen. Smith's brigade, occupied Manchester. The 2nd and 3d battalions shared in Gen. Dumont's expedition across the Cumberland mountains, beating and routing the enemy at Pikeville. They were again engaged a little later with Forrest's cavalry at Calf Killer creek, where they lost some prisoners. In an engagement at Gallatin in August with Morgan's cavalry, a detachment of the 7th, under Col. Wynkoop, forming part of Gen. Richard Johnson's provisional brigade, suffered a loss of 11 killed and wounded and 43 taken prisoners. The 1st battalion was active with some loss at the battle of Perryville, Ky., but the other two battalions, attached to Negley's brigade, remained in garrison at Nashville. When Gen. Rosecrans assumed command of the Army of the Cumberland in Nov., 1862, it was completely reorganized, the 7th Pa. being assigned to the 1st brigade (Col. Minty), 2nd division, of the cavalry commanded by Gen. D. S. Stanley. The regiment was constantly skirmishing in the advance of the army on Murfreesboro and was active in the battle there, losing 2 killed, 9 wounded and 50 missing. It was again engaged at Rover, in Jan., 1863, executing a gallant charge and driving the enemy. It was once more active at Rover and Unionville in March, with a loss of 2 killed and 7 wounded. The 1st brigade now joined Sheridan's division, which marched to Franklin; skirmished with Van Dorn and Forrest at Spring Hill and Rutherford creek, and returned to Murfreesboro. From that time until the following June the command was variously engaged, being active at Snow hill, McMinnville, and Murfreesboro. On June 24 it moved on Gen. Rosecrans' campaign to Tullahoma, being active at Guy's gap, Shelbyville, Elk river and Sparta. In September it took part in the Chickamauga campaign and after the battle pursued Wheeler's cavalry for 18 days into Alabama. In the early part of the year 1864, most of the members reenlisted at Huntsville, Ala., and were given the usual veteran furlough. On their return the command was recruited to about 1,800 men and engaged in drill and preparation at Columbia for the spring campaign. On April 30, under command of Col. Sipes, it joined Gen. Sherman for the Atlanta campaign, being attached to Garrard's division, and saw much active service from this time on. It was in actions at Rome, Dallas and Villa Rica road, Big Shanty, M'Afee cross-roads, Noonday creek and Kennesaw mountain ; raided the Augusta & Atlanta railroad in July ; shared in the raid on Covington ; was engaged at Flatrock bridge, and on Aug. 1 entered the trenches in front of Atlanta. It joined in Gen. Kilpatrick's raid in August; skirmished at Fairburn, Jonesboro and Lovejoy's Station, losing 43 men during the expedition. In October it was active at Rome, and the following day made a gallant charge on infantry and captured 2 pieces of artillery. It had suffered much in men, horses and equipment during the strenuous campaign and was now ordered to Louisville to refit. Here many of the officers whose original term of service had expired were mustered out. After the battle of Nashville and the defeat of Hood, the command was stationed at Gravelly Springs, Ala., on the Tennessee river, drilling and making preparation for the spring campaign. In the latter part of March, 1865, it joined Gen. Wilson in his raid through Alabama and Georgia, skirmished at Plantersville on April 1, led the assault upon the enemy's works the following day at Selma, losing heavily in killed and wounded, and was again active at Columbus. The war was now practically ended. The regiment remained at Macon until Aug. 23, 1865, when it was mustered out. Roster:
The Roster of this unit contains the names of 4699 men.
Source:
The Union Army by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 1
Bibliography:

Barcousky, Len. Civil War Pittsburgh: Forge of the Union. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, 2013. ISBN 9781626190818.

Blair, William and William Pencak, editors. Making and Remaking Pennsylvania's Civil War. University Park, Pennsylvania: Penn State University Press, 2004.

Fox, Arthur B. Our Honored Dead: Alleghany County, Pennsylvania, in the American Civil War. Chicora, Pennsylvania: Mechling Bookbindery, 2008.

Fox, Arthur B. Pittsburgh During the American Civil War 1860–1865. Chicora, Pennsylvania: Mechling Bookbindery, 2002.

Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce. Southern Revenge: Civil War History of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Chambersburg, Pennsylvania: Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce, 1989.

Miller, William J. The Training of an Army: Camp Curtin and the North's Civil War. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: White Mane, 1990.

Sandou, Robert M. Deserter County: Civil War Opposition in the Pennsylvania Appalachians. Fordham University Press, 2009.

Skinner, George W., ed. Pennsylvania at Chickamauga and Chattanooga: Ceremonies at the Dedication of the Monuments Erected by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Wm. Stanley Ray, State Printer, 1897.

Taylor, Frank H. Philadelphia in the Civil War. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The City, 1913.

Wingert, Cooper H. Harrisburg and the Civil War: Defending the Keystone of the Union. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, 2013. ISBN 9781626190412.

Young, Ronald C. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in the Civil War. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: published by the author, 2003.