History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

SIXTY-FOURTH REGIMENT,
FOURTHI CAVALRY.
T LHE Fourth Cavalry was recruited under the direction of David Campbell,
of Pittsburg, in compliance with authority granted by Governor Curtin,
dated September 4th, 1861. Company A was recruited in Northampton county,
B, E, and G, in Allegheny, C and D, in Westmoreland and Indiana, H, I, K,
and L, in Venango, F, in Lebanon, and M, in Luzerne. The companies rendezvoused at Camp Curtin, but were soon after transferred to camp near the
Soldiers' Home at Washington, where the men were mustered into the United
States service, and were organized in three battalions of four companies each,
commanded by the following field officers: David Campbell, Coloneli; James
H. Childs, of Pittsburg, Lieutenant Colonel; James K. Kerr, of Venango county, First Major; William E. Doster, of Northampton county, Second Major;
James H. Trimble, of Westmoreland county, Third Major. Colonel Campbell
had commanded the Twelfth Regiment in the three months' service, and previously a militia company of considerable repute in the city of Pittsburg. The
State colors were presented by Governor Curtin in person at Camp Campbell,
on the 20th of September, 1861, and were received on behalf of the regiment by
the commanding officer.
During the winter the discipline of the command was regularly and rigidly enforced, Colonel Campbell personally superintending drills, parades,
and guard mounts, being particularly strict in his attention to guards and
sentinels. The thorough instruction given to officers and men, made guard
and out-post duty familiar, and was the basis of the signal success to which the
regiment attained in these in all its service in the field. The men were partially
armed and equipped before leaving Harrisburg, and received a complete outfit
soon after reaching Washington. The greatest drawback was the difficulty experienced in getting suitable horses. So late as the 1st of March, 1862, only
six companies were fully mounted, and one other partially so. Four of these
companies were acting as provost guard in the city of Washington. An ingenious piece of strategy was practiced to mount the balance. The captains of
companies not mounted, procured an order authorizing them to select a certain
number of disabled horses from the corral daily, until all were supplied. These
were immediately traded for those ridden by the companies on guard in the
city. On inspection day, these worthless animals were condemned and the
men directed to draw sound ones from the corral for artillery horses. In point
of morality this action is indefensible; but it saved the regiment from disbandment, and is hence not without some redeeming qualities. On the 12th of
March, Colonel Campbell resigned, to take command of the Fifth Cavalry, and