Ironside (cavalry) Ironside (cavalry) The Ironsides were troopers in the Parliamentarian cavalry formed by English political leader Oliver Cromwell in the 17th century, during the English Civil War. The name came from "Old Ironsides", one of Cromwell's nicknames. Cromwell first mustered a troop of cavalry (then referred to as "horse") at Huntingdon in Huntingdonshire, on 29 August 1642, early in the Civil War. John Desborough was quartermaster. The troop was late in being organised, and arrived too late to participate in the Battle of Edgehill, the first pitched battle of the war. Cromwell however did witness the defeat of the Parliamentarian horse
13th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment 13th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment The 13th Pennsylvania Cavalry (117th Volunteers) was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Originally organized as the 116th Pennsylvania Volunteers, the "Irish Dragoons" were to be a squadron of cavalry commanded by Captain James A. Galligher, and attached to the New York-based "Irish Brigade." When President Lincoln issued manpower quotas to the several states, Pennsylvania requested their men be returned in order to help fill the quotas. A full regiment was raised, re-numbered as the 117th Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiment, aka the 13th regiment of Pennsylvania Cavalry. Originally recruited