Stewart's Independent Cavalry Company also known as Company I, 1st Indiana Cavalry Regiment was a volunteer cavalry company and detachment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Service The unit which would become Stewart's Independent Cavalry Company was originally raised and organized in Terre Haute, Indiana as Company I of the 1st Indiana Cavalry Regiment (28th Indiana Infantry Regiment) on April 25, 1861. The company was mustered into federal service on July 4, 1861, and assigned to 1st Indiana Cavalry Regiment as Company I, but served detached from the Regiment for the entirety of the war in the Eastern theater of the American Civil War. The unit's namesake was for its Captain, Robert R. Stewart of Terre Haute who would later command both the 2nd Indiana Cavalry Regiment and the 11th Indiana Cavalry Regiment.
The company served in the Department of West Virginia as an armed escort for Union General William Rosecrans from July to November 1861. The company served at the Headquarters of the Department of Western Virginia in March, 1862; and the Department of the Mountains until June, 1862. The company was attached to the Headquarters of the I Corps of the Army of Virginia in September, 1862. The company was later attached to the Headquarters of the XI Corps of the Army of the Potomac, to September, 1863, and at Headquarters Army of the Potomac to May, 1865. The company participated in all the services of these headquarters. Old members of the company mustered out on July 3, 1864. Veterans and Recruits mustered out May 31, 1865. +Original Organization of Company Officers and Non-Commissioned OfficersNameRankResidenceRemarksRobert R. Stewart CaptainTerre HautePromoted to Major, 2nd Indiana Cavalry Regiment, October 22, 1861.Levi Kirtley First LieutenantTerre HautePromoted to Captain.John W. Smith Second LieutenantTerre HautePromoted to First Lieutenant.Hiram L. Miller First SergeantVigo CountyPromoted to First Lieutenant.Marshall A. Warren Quartermaster SergeantVigo CountyThomas Stewart SergeantVigo CountyAbram Sharra SergeantVigo CountyPromoted to Second Lieutenant.Henry S. Bartholomew SergeantVigo CountyThomas Long SergeantVigo CountyEdward Hebb CorporalVigo CountyOrlando C. Shaw CorporalVigo CountyKilled by guerillas September 30, 1861.Alfred Larry CorporalVigo CountyThomas Harter CorporalVigo CountyDischarged October 9, 1862 by order of the United States Department of War.Malcom McFadden CorporalVigo CountyDischarged August 25, 1861 for disability.Charles Henderson CorporalVigo CountyJoseph Rowland CorporalVigo CountyRufus C. Hovey CorporalVigo County
Casualties The company lost a total of 6 soldiers during its service: 3 Enlisted men were killed in action or mortally wounded and 3 Enlisted men were taken as Prisoner of war, 1 of which was presumed dead.
Commanders
Robert R. Stewart: July 4, 1861 - October 22, 1861 (promoted to Major of the 2nd Indiana Cavalry Regiment). Levi Kirtley: October 29, 1861 - February 25, 1862 (dismissed from command). Abraham Sharra: March 20, 1862 - March 20, 1862 (promoted to Major of the 11th Indiana Cavalry Regiment). Harmon S. Miller: May 1, 1864 - May 31, 1865 (mustered out with company).
References