The 2nd Nebraska Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

that served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...

Service

The 2nd Nebraska Cavalry Regiment was initially organized at

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County, Nebraska, Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. List of ...

, on October 23, 1862, as a nine-month regiment, and served for over one year. They were attached to General Sully's command, who was in a campaign against Indians in Western

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the so ...

and

Dakota Dakota may refer to: * Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux ** Dakota language, their language Dakota may also refer to: Places United States * Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Dakota, Illinois, a town * Dakota, Minnesota ...

, who were forced to move south from Minnesota following the

Dakota War of 1862 The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, the Dakota Uprising, the Sioux Outbreak of 1862, the Dakota Conflict, the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, or Little Crow's War, was an armed conflict between the United States and several ban ...

Battle of Whitestone Hill
The 2nd Nebraska participated in the Battle of Whitestone Hill, which began on September 3, 1863, when General Sully's troops engaged upwards of 2,000 warriors under Chief Two Bears of the Yanktonai

Sioux The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin (; Dakota language, Dakota: Help:IPA, /otʃʰeːtʰi ʃakoːwĩ/) are groups of Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribes and First Nations in Canada, First Nations peoples in North America. The ...

. Of the 20 US troopers killed in the battle, seven were from the Second Nebraska. Fourteen from the unit were also wounded in the action. The regiment was mustered out December 23, 1863. A number of its veterans were re-enlisted in the 1st Nebraska Veteran Cavalry Battalion, which served until 1865 when it was merged with the 1st Nebraska Cavalry Regiment.

Total strength and casualties

1,384 men were enlisted in the regimentJohnson, pg 150

Commanders

Colonel

Robert Wilkinson Furnas Robert Wilkinson Furnas (May 5, 1824June 1, 1905) was the second governor of Nebraska. Born near Troy, Ohio, and orphaned at the age of eight Furnas was a self-made man. He worked as a farmer, printer, tinsmith, insurance salesman, and postmaste ...

Notes

References

*
The Civil War Archive
Units and formations of the Union Army from Nebraska Territory 1862 establishments in Nebraska Territory Military units and formations established in 1862 Military units and formations disestablished in 1863 {{AmericanCivilWar-unit-stub

Service

Total strength and casualties

Commanders

See also

Notes

References