This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: McNeil(McNeal) Classification: Military Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/oMB.2ACI/596 Message Board Post: Subj: Re: 2Missouri Cav.-Union army Civil war Date: 8/9/2002 12:05:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time From: leethoma@uswest.net To: Jimwhitney1716@aol.com Sent from the Internet (Details) Dear James. The 2nd Mo. Cav. also known as Merill's Horse, is a very famous cavalry unit. Col Merill decided at the beginning of the war that a saber was only "good for cooking meat over a fire" and he got his men issued side arms. The standard cavalry carbine was a muzzel loader and was fired once and then it hung on a leather belt that was over the soldiers shoulder. With 7 shots, a 2nd Mo. trooper was far ahead of others. Also, Col. Merill had each company in is unit ride different colored horses. He could tell at a moments glance who was where on the battlefield.The 2nd spent much of the war searching out southen guerillas, noteably William Quantrill, Bill Anderson and others. The united was disbanded on Sept 19th, 1865 in Chattanoog, TN. I have a copy of Col. Merril's fairwell speech to his men. Change the dates and it would work today for men who had just fought a war. I also have a list of engagements and the number of men and officers that died in the war. They spent a lot of t! ime in Missouri and Arkansas in minor engagements but fought for 30 days to take Littlerock, AK. My great grandfather was wounded in this battle. The men litterly wore their uniforms totaly to rags after riding for 30 days.It is known that one of the men from the 2nd was at Lee's surrender at Appomotax. I do not know if any more were present. There is a file at the Missouri Historical Library in St. Louis on the 2nd Mo. I would think that your wifes great grandmother would have filed for a widow's pension unless she remarried. You might check. My great grandmother drew untill 1929 when she died.There was a book written some years back on the 2nd but it is out of print and I cannot locate a copy. There may be a copy at Fort Scott, Kansas as they have all the history of all the army cav. units. I have been told that they have a book with the Littlerock battle story in it. Good luck in your search and I hope I have helped you a little. Lee Jimwhitney1716@aol.com wrote: Dear Lee: I saw your posting on Missouri Civil War Military Queries in Rootsweb. I am also searching for info. on the 2 Missouri Cav. Union army. I have discovered some private letters stating that my wife's great, great grandfather Samuel McNeil(McNeal) served in the 2 Regiment Missouri Cav. , Company E known as Merrill's Horse. He re-enlisted on Feb. 17, 1862. The National Archives has recently been sent a request for service record on this Union soldier. He died in 1871 so he did not ever file for pension. His family lived in Trenton, Grundy county, Missouri from 1858-1870s. Do you know much about this unit? I have not found any internet posting showing a muster roll. Ancestry.com shows this soldier as a ferrier which is a horse shoe man. Makes sense after all it was a Cav. unit. Sincerely yours, James E. Whitney, II Atlanta, Ga.