1st Nevada Cavalry

1st Nevada Cavalry

When Federal Troops where pulled out of the west to fight the Confederacy in the east, a void was created that needed to be filled. The 1st Nevada Cavalry was mustered in to help fill that void. Recruited in the Saloons of Viginia City and other mining towns that were working the Comstock Lode, the 1st Nevada Cavalry had many duties. Gaurding the mail route and Immigrant trails from hostile Indians,and keeping Confederate Sympathisers in Virginia City on a tight leash, just to name a few.

The Comstock Lode was a Large Silver Deposit isn what is know Western Nevada near the California Border. The Silver from the mines of the Comstock was vital to the Union War Effort. If the Comstock region was to fall into Confederate hands it would not have been a good thing. I actually have a theory about a proposed Confederate take over of the Comstock that will appear in greater detail in another article. It is more of a Conspiracy Theory than anything but it is very plausable and could easily have changed the outcome of the War. While never in the big battles of the East the 1st Nevada Cavalry served a very useful purpose in preserving the Union.