1st Oregon Cavalry

1st Oregon Volunteer Cavalry Regiment
Flag of the United States, 1865–1867
Active	April 1862 to November 20, 1866.
Country	United States
Allegiance	Union
Branch	Cavalry

The First Regiment, Oregon volunteer Cavalry was a volunteer regiment in United States service Union army that was formed in response to the American Civil War. With men recruited in Oregon and some recruited in surrounding states, the regiment primarily served to protect the state of Oregon and surrounding territories during the American Civil War.

In 1861, Colonel George Wright requested permission from Oregon Governor John Whiteaker to form a cavalry company in the state, as Wright was commander of the District of Oregon that included the Washington Territory. Wright was motivated by the fact that there were a total of 700 soldiers and 19 officers in the Pacific Northwest at a time when there were often battles with Native Americans. Some volunteers joined up, asked to provide their own horse, but were later discharged when the organization failed before Wright was transferred to California.

Lieutenant Colonel Cody replaced Wright late in 1861 as United States Army regular troops were returned east for the American Civil War. To replace those troops, Wright sent volunteers from California to protect Oregon from attacks by Native Americans. In response, Oregon then commissioned Thomas R. Cornelius in November 1861 as colonel and ordered him to raise ten companies of cavalry troops. Oregonians were unhappy with California volunteers protecting Oregon.

The initial part of the regiment (companies A through F) was organized and mustered into the army in Oregon from December 1861 to April 1862. In May 1862, it was sent into the Washington Territory to the Walla Walla country to protect immigrants and miners along the Salmon River. The 1st Oregon occupied Fort Walla Walla in June 1862 and sent out various expeditions over the next two years to fight the Snake Indians and other threats. Hence, the regiment was rarely intact as a single unit for much of the war. Several companies scattered to other frontier forts, including Fort Vancouver and Fort Dalles (see also The Dalles, Oregon) for detached duty such as constructing roads through the wilderness.