The 6th Cavalry remained in camp and trained at Camp East of the Capitol throughout the month of February 1862 also. The regiment’s assigned strength this month was 1,008 officers and enlisted men, 22 more than the previous month.
Of the 42 officers assigned, only 28 were listed as present for duty, including Assistant Surgeon J.H. Pooley. 12 of the missing 14 were on detached service. Captain Brisbin of Company L was in Cleveland this month, still recruiting his company, along with with 1st Lt Henry Tucker. 2nd Lt Balk of Company D finally returned from recruiting service in Philadelphia on February 22nd. Captain George Cram was sick in Washington.
The regiment had 966 enlisted men at the end of the month, but only 781 present for duty. A harsh winter continued to take its toll, as a total of 76 troopers were sick in the camp and another 11 were absent in hospitals from Pittsburgh to Washington. 42 continued to serve on extra duties away from the regiment, mostly as teamsters for the Quartermaster Department. 16 were in arrest or confinement, and 38 recruits from the recruiting depot were temporarily attached to Company C. Two troopers were absent on leave.
Thirty new recruits joined the regiment from rendezvous during the month, and two deserters returned to the regiment. Private Thomas Steen of Company H surrendered himself to Lt Balk in Philadelphia on the 5th, and Private McCracken of Company K returned to Camp East of the Capitol on the 20th. One soldier was newly-assigned to the regiment, but oddly his name is not listed. Two privates were discharged for disability.
Nine men deserted from the regiment this month. One corporal, Rudolph Kuppisch of Company I (yes, the same company that had a sergeant desert in Janaury), deserted on February 10th. The other eight were all privates and all deserted from camp. Companies A, C and M had two each, and B and G each had one. No soldiers died in February.
The regiment continued to be short of horseflesh, with only 828 serviceable horses and 26 unserviceable. The majority of the unserviceable horses belonged to Companies F, I and M this month, with five each.
Coming next month: off to the Peninsula
Regular Cavalry in the Civil War 
My great grandfather’s brother, Francis McAtamney, or as he signed it on his enlistment papers October 27 1862, Frank McTamney, enlisted in the Company K, 6th US Cav in Knoxville, Maryland. Previous to this he had served with the 28th Pa. Vols., then was transferred to Knap’s Battery E in October 1861. Mystery of his death not solved yet. In hospital in Annapolis, Maryland from Dec. 19-Dec. 23, 1864.
Hi Patty,I’m really glad that you stopped by, as your ancestor wasn’t on my regimental roster yet. Unfortunately, I left my binders withe the regimental muster rolls at the office this weekend, but a little digging so far turned up this information (sources in parentheses so you can find them if you’d like):He enlisted as a private in Company F, 28th Pennsylvania Infantry, which was recruited in Philadelphia, on July 6, 1861 for a term of 3 years. He’s listed on their rolls as “M’Tamany, F.” He transferred to Knap’s Pa. Battery October 5, 1861. (http://www.pa-roots.com/~pacw/infantry/28th/28thcof.html)The muster roll for Knap’s Battery lists him as “M’Tammany, Frs.” He served as a private in the battery, whose rolls reflect his original enlistment date into the 28th. The remarks say: “Transferred to 6th Regiment U.S. Cavalry; date unknown.” (http://www.pa-roots.com/~pacw/artillery/indbattle.htm)The source for both sites is Bates’ History of Pennsylvania Volunteers.I’ll check the October 1862 and December 1864 regimental returns and see if there are any other details.If you have your ancestor’s enlistment papers, I’d love to get a copy. I’ve only been able to find one enlisted man’s papers from the regiment to date.Thanks for stopping by! You gave me a new source, I hadn’t thought to check Kanp’s Battery for 6th Cav folks, but there’s at least one other one there so far besides your ancestor.
Hi DonThanks so much for the reply. I can certainly send you a copy of Frank’s enlistment papers for the 6th Cav. I ordered them from NARA of course. Let me know where to mail it and I’ll pop it in the mail. I’d just love to know what happened to Frank. In the Carded Medical Records he was admitted on Dec 19, 1864 to the Division No. 2 US Army General Hospital in Annapolis Maryland with scurvy. Furloughed on Dec. 23, 1864 and reported as deserted on Feb 7 1865. There was a charge of desertion on his Battery E Pa. record Mchz-346-1870 which indicates someone wrote a letter and had the mark removed. Now in his Compiled Service Records there is a note from the Adjutant Gen. stating that Francis was not a deserter. I have pension file papers from his younger brother in which Frank’s father states that the War dept. had told him that Frank was killed by gunshot. I also have Frank’s father’s obit in 1896 that states that Frank died of fever in the CW. Confusion reigns for me. I’ll send you the enlistment papers and if you’d like the CSR I can send those also. I do not have a copy of his Carded Medical Records unfortunately. Thanks Don.
DonI checked my notes and I have four men listed as leaving Knap’s Battery E and enlisting in the 6th US Reg Cav: John M’Cully, private. William H. Moody, private. Benjamin F. Moore, private. In addition to my ggrandfather’s brother, Francis McAtamney. Patty
Patty,I’d be thrilled to get whatever you’re willing to send. If you don’t mind, it sound slike there might eb enough information there to feature him in a “Fiddler’s Green” post as well. Please email me at dccaughey at aol dot com and I’ll send you the address.Give me a week and I’ll see if I can shed some light on this dying/ deserting in February 1865. I need to check my records, but I don’t think I printed that one yet. I’ll need to find a microfilm reader. I hope to have the last of them printed next Saturday.