1st Florida Cavalry Regiment (Union)
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United States| 1st Florida Cavalry Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Active | October 29, 1863 – November 17, 1865 |
| Disbanded | November 17, 1865 |
| Country | United States |
| Allegiance | Union |
| Branch | Cavalry |
| Size | Regiment |
| Engagements | American Civil War |
The 1st Florida Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment from Florida that served in the Union Army from October 29, 1863, to November 17, 1865, during the American Civil War.
The regiment was formed by General Nathaniel P. Banks on October 29, 1863. Recruitment and organization of the unit began at Fort Barrancas and lasted from December, 1863 to August, 1864. It was attached to the 2nd and 3rd Brigades, District West Florida, Army of the Gulf until January 1865, and to the 2nd Brigade of Thomas John Lucas' Cavalry Division until May 1865.[citation needed]
The unit was composed primarily of men from southern Alabama and northwestern Florida and 81% of the initial recruits came from only nine counties in the two aforementioned regions. By the end of the war, the unit had recruited more than 700 men.[1]
| County | Number of recruits |
|---|---|
| Baldwin County, AL | 32 men |
| Washington County, FL | 35 men |
| Holmes County, FL | 38 men |
| Washington County, FL | 39 men |
| Henry County, AL | 39 men |
| Covington County, AL | 47 men |
| Coffee County, AL | 53 men |
| Santa Rosa County, FL | 58 men |
| Walton County, FL | 62 men |
Recruitment of the unit started in December 1863, when a recruiting station was established on the far east side of Santa Rosa Island. By February 1864, the regiment numbered 207 men with thirty more on their way. However, recruitment was slowed because there was a lack of cash to pay the recruits' bounties.[3]
