6th Pennsylvania Cavalry

6th Pennsylvania Cavalry
Pennsylvania flag
Active	October 5th, 1861 – August 7th, 1865
Country	United States
Allegiance	Union
Branch	Cavalry
Engagements	Seven Days Battles Battle of Antietam Battle of Fredericksburg Battle of Chancellorsville Battle of Brandy Station Battle of Gettysburg Battle of Bristoe Station Battle of Cold Harbor Battle of Trevillian Station Siege of Petersburg Battle of Five Forks Battle of Sayler's Creek

The 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry was a Union cavalry regiment during the American Civil War. They were known for their early use of 9-foot lances, and were called "Rush's Lancers."

The regiment was raised during August and September 1861 from companies raised in Philadelphia, Montgomery and Berks counties by Richard H. Rush, who had been authorized to do so by Governor Curtin. Rush was appointed colonel of the regiment, with John H. M'Arthur as lieutenant colonel and C. Ross Smith and Robert Morris, Jr., as majors. At the suggestion of Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, the men were armed with Austrian lances. After several weeks of training in Philadelphia, the regiment was transferred to Washington, D.C., where it was assigned to the Cavalry Division of the Army of the Potomac.

The regiment served with the army during the Peninsula Campaign and Maryland Campaign, skirmishing many times but seeing no heavy fighting. During the Battle of Fredericksburg, it served as the provost guard for the Center Grand Division, guarding the bridges to the grand division's rear. It was absent during the Battle of Chancellorsville, participating instead in Stoneman's Raid.

In the May 1863, the regiment was rearmed with Sharps carbines and assigned to the Reserve Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division. It fought in the Gettysburg Campaign and Mine Run Campaign. During the Battle of Brandy Station in June 1863, the regiment (led by Major Robert Morris, Jr.) unsuccessfully charged the guns at St. James Church, suffering the greatest casualties of any regiment in the battle. Several Confederates later described the 6th's charge as the most "brilliant and glorious" cavalry charge of the war. (In many Civil War battles, cavalrymen typically dismounted once they reached an engagement and fought essentially as infantry. But in this battle, the surprise and chaos led to a mostly mounted fight.)