Brackett's Battalion, Minnesota Volunteer Cavalry

Brackett's Battalion, Minnesota Volunteer Cavalry  was a cavalry battalion that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Service
The battalion was mustered in at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. on December 5, 1861 as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Companies, Minnesota Light Cavalry, and were mustered out on June 1, 1866.

After mustering, the battalion proceeded to Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri and was attached to the Curtis Horse, later the 5th Iowa Volunteer Cavalry Regiment as Companies G, I, and K.  For details of their service as part of the Iowa regiment, please read the article on the 5th Iowa.

The Minnesota volunteers reenlisted and achieved veteran status on January 1, 1864. The battalion returned to Minnesota on January 7, 1864, and was officially detached from the 5th Iowa Cavalry Regiment on February 25, 1864, being designated as Brackett's Battalion, Minnesota Cavalry at that time.

The battalion remained in garrison at Fort Snelling until May 1864 when it was transferred to Sioux City, Iowa. It participated in Brigadier General Alfred Sully's campaign against the Sioux west of the Mississippi River from June 4, 1864 to November 10, 1864. The battalion participated in the Battle of Tah Kah A Kuty or Killdeer Mountain, July 28, 1864, the engagement at Two Hills, Bad Lands, Little Missouri River, August 8 to 9, 1864, and the rescue of Fisk's Emigrant train, September 10 to 30,1864. The battalion spent the winter of 1864-65 at Fort Ridgley, Minnesota and then served in Sully's operations against the Sioux during the summer and fall of 1865. The Minnesotans spent the winter of 1865-66 on patrol out of Sioux City before being mustered out in June 1866.

Commander

 * Major Alfred B. Brackett

Casualties and total strength
Brackett's Battalion Cavalry lost 4 enlisted men killed in action or died of wounds received in battle and an additional 1 officer and 6 enlisted men died of disease. Total fatalities were 11.