HISTORICAL NOTES:
The 1st Regiment, New York Cavalry, known as the Lincoln cavalry, was organized in New York city soon after the outbreak of the war and was mustered into the U. S. service from July 16 to Aug. 31, 1861, for a term of three years. The commission for the regiment was originally given to Col. Carl Schurz, who was soon thereafter appoined minister to Spain. The companies organized by him were thereupon turned over to his successor. Col. Andrew T. Mc- Reynolds, of Grand Rapids, Mich., who had held a captain's commission in the regular army. Nine of the companies, A, B, D, E, G, H, I, L and M, were from New York city, nearly one half the recruits being Germans, Hungarians and Poles. Co. C was recruited at Philadelphia, F at Syracuse, and K, a Michigan company, at Grand Rapids, Mich. The regiment, about 1,400 strong, left the state by detachments between July 21, 1861, and Sept. 10, 1861. During its four years of service the ist cavalry was stationed near Washington to Oct. 4, 1861; then in Franklin's and Heintzelman's divisions to March 24, 1862; in ist division, ist corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1862; with the 6th corps, to July 8, 1862; in ist cavalry brigade, to September; in 4th brigade, cavalry division, until October; in Averell's cavalry division, 8th corps about a month; with the forces for the defense of the Upper Potomac in various commands to June, 1863; then in the Department of the Susquehanna, until August; in the Department of West Virginia, in different commands to Oct., 1864; in the Army of the Shenandoah till March, 1865, and with the Army of the Potomac for the rest of its term. At the expiration of its original term of service those entitled thereto were mustered out and returned home, the remainder of the regiment, composed of recruits with unexpired terms and veterans who had reenlisted, remaining in the field under the command of Col. Adams. It participated in the final campaign in 1865 up to the surfender of Gen. Lee at Appomattox and was finally mustered out at Alexandria, Va., June 27, 1865. The regiment had served in many of the greatest battles of the war, and under such cavalry commanders as Stoneman, Pleasonton, Sheridan, Kilpatrick, Crook and Averell, had repeatedly distinguished itself. From its first engagement at Pohick Church, Va., in Aug., 1861, to the surrender at Appomattox, all, or part of the regiment, participated in nearly 230 battles and skirmishes. Some of the heaviest casualties of the regiment were incurred at Strasburg, Va., where it lost 17 killed, wounded and missing; at Winchester, where it lost 63 killed, wounded and missing; at New Market, where its loss was 99 killed, wounded and missing; and at Piedmont, where it lost 26 killed, wounded and missing. Among the many noteworthy services of the regiment, were the recapture by 100 men of the command, assisted by an equal number of the 12th Pa., at Greencastle, July 5, 1863, of 700 prisoners, two 12-pounder howitzers and 108 wagons, taken by Lee in the Gettysburg campaign; the brilliant charge, led by Col. Adams, on the enemy under Maj.-Gen. Lomax, at the battle of Nineveh in Nov., 1864, capturing many guns and battleflags, and some 200 prisoners; the charge of the regiment at Cacapon bridge, in Oct., 1862, under the command of Capt. William H. Boyd of Co. C, breaking Imboden's cavalry; the splendid charges at Piedmont and Lynchburg, in 1864. led lay the gallant Maj. Quinn; the magnificent charges at Mt. Crawford and Waynesboro, Va., commanded by Lieut.-Col. Battersby, which drove and dispersed the entire command of Gen. Early. At the engagement of Rude's hill. Col. Adams was complimented on the field by Gen. Powell for coolness and daring and for the discipline of the regiment when under fire. It is the boast of this regiment that it captured more prisoners (over 400) and property than any other cavalry regiment in the service.
The regiment sustained 25 officers and men killed in action, 134 wounded, of whom 23 died and 111 recovered, 384 missing in action, and 120 died of disease and other causes, for a total of 168 casualties. Among its losses were 1st Lieut. Henry B. Hidden, killed March 9, 1862, one of the first Union cavalry officers killed in the Civil War, and Corporal William H. Rihl, the first soldier killed in combat north of the Mason–Dixon line, on June 22, 1863.
OFFICERS:
Cols., Andrew T. McReynolds, Alonzo W. Adams;
Lieut.-Cols., Frederick Van Schickfass, Alonzo W. Adams, Jenyns C. Battersby;
Majs., Charles H. Agle, Timothy Quinn, Franklin G. Martindale, Alonzo W. Adams, William H. Boyd, Joseph K. Stearns, Franz Passager, August Haurand, Daniel H. Haskins, Jenyns C. Battersby, Ezra H. Bailey.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Attached to Defences of Washington and Alexandria to October 4, 1861. Franklin's and Heintzelman's Divisions, Army of the Potomac, to March 24, 1862. Cavalry, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to April, 1862. 1st Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to May, 1862. Cavalry, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to July 8, 1862. 1st Cavalry Brigade, Army of the Potomac, to September, 1862. 4th Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1862. Averill's Cavalry Command, 8th Army Corps, Middle Dept., to November, 1862. Defences Upper Potomac, 8th Army Corps, Middle Dept., to January, 1863. Milroy's Command, Winchester, Va., 8th Army Corps, to February, 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division. 8th Army Corps, February, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 8th Army Corps, to June, 1863. Pierce's Brigade, Dept. of the Susquehanna, to August, 1863. McReynolds' Cavalry Brigade, Dept. of West Virginia, to November, 1863. Cavalry Brigade, 1st Division, Army of West Virginia, to April, 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Army of West Virginia, to June, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Army of West Virginia, to July, 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Army of West Virginia, to August, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, Army of West Virginia, to December, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, Cavalry Corps, Middle Military Division and Army Potomac, to March, 1865. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, to June, 1865.
SERVICE:
Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., till March, 1862. Scout to Accotink August 18, 1861. Skirmish at Pohick Church August 18 (Co. "C"). Reconnoissance to Pohick Church and Accotink River November 12 (Cos. "B," "C" and "G"). Occoquan November 12 (Co. "G"). Fairfax Court House November 27. Annandale Church December 2. Sangster's Station March 9, 1862. Burke Station March 10. Moved to the Virginia Peninsula. (Co. "E" detached as escort to wagon trains on the Peninsula) Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. West Point May 7. Mechanicsville May 22. Hanover C. H. May 27. Fair Oaks May 31-June 1. Hanover C. H. June 13. Oak Grove June 25. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Mechanicsville June 26. Gaines Mill and Garnett's Farm June 27. Garnett's and Golding's Farms June 28. Savage Station and Willis Church June 29. White Oak Swamp June 30. Glendale June 30. Malvern Cliff June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. Cold Harbor July 1. Crew's Farm, Carter's Hill, July 2. Gum Run Swamp July 3. Long Bridge Road July 9. Harrison's Landing July 31. Stevensburg, Raccoon Ford and Brandy Station August 20. Cacapon Bridge, Md., September 6. Seneca Creek September 6. Hyattstown September 9-10. Frederick City September 12. Emmettsburg September 13-15. Antietam September 16-17. Williamsport September 19. Near Shepherdstown September 20. Blue's Gap, W. Va., October 2 and 4. Hanging Rock October 2. Cacapon Bridge October 4. Hanging Rock October 4. North River Mills, South Branch October 6. Cacapon Bridge October 6. White's Ford October 10. Hanging Rock October 17. South Branch October 18. Springfield October 27. North River Mills October 29. French's Store Octobcr 29. Occoquan Ferry November 4. Pughstown November 5. Lockhart's Gap November 6. Paw Paw Tunnel November 6. Moorefield, South Fork Potomac, November 9 (Detachment). Romney Bridge November 10. Near Springfield November 15. Near Winchester November 22 and December 4. Darkesville December 11. Bunker Hill December 12. Charlestown December 25. Woodstock January 7, 1863. Newtown and Strasburg January 17. Devil's Hole January 26. Millwood February 6. Near Winchester February 9. Woodstock February 15. Kernstown and Strasburg February 26. Snicker's Ferry April 13. Berry's Ferry and Front Royal April 13. Paris April 14. Mansfield April 17. Millwood April 21. Moorefield April 27. Scout in Hampshire County, W. Va., May 4-9. Scout from Snicker's Ferry May 12-14. Upperville May 13. Middleburg May 13. Berry's Ferry May 16. Upperville May 28. Berryville June 5. Piedmont June 8. Goose Creek June 9. Near White Post and Millwood June 13. Berryville and Bunker Hill June 13. Opequan Creek, near Winchester, June 13. Martinsburg June 14. Winchester June 14-15. Milroy's retreat June 15-duly 1. Williamsport, Md., June 15. Hancock June 16. Greencastle, Pa., June 20 and 22. Shippensburg June 23. Near Harper's Ferry June 23. Cashtown June 25. Carlisle June 25-26. Harper's Ferry June 26-27. Near Kingston June 27. McConnellsburg, Pa., June 29. Hancock, Md., June 29. Keedysville June 29. Near Kingston June 29. Near Arendtsville June 30. Near Fayette and near Carlisle July 1. Near McConnellsburg July 2. Near Bendersville, Quaker Vale and Falling Water July 3. Cranstown and Frederick City July 4. Cunningham Cross Roads July 5. Near Greencastle, Pa., July 5 (Detachment). Waynesboro July 6. Waterloo July 6. Antietam Creek July 8. Williamsport July 10. Sharpsburg July 12. Bendersville July 14. Pine Grove Furnnace July 16. Shepherdstown July 17 and 23. Mount Rock July 22. Martinsburg July 23. Bull Run Mountain and near Winchester August 14. Smithfield August 21. Berryville August 22. Leesburg September 1. Expedition from Martinsburg September 2-23. Bloomer's Gap September 2. Middletown September 5. Near Winchester September 9. Smithfield September 15-16 and 19. Strasburg September 19. Back Creek Valley October 14. Hedgesville October 15. Berryville October 17. Charlestown October 18. Summit Point October 27. Winchester October 31. Newtown November 6. Expedition to New Market November 15-18. Woodstock and Edenburg November 16. Mt. Jackson November 16. Middletown November 17. Edenburg November 18. Wells' Demontration from Kanawha Valley December 10-24. Mt. Jackson December 12. Near Strasburg December 13. Harrisonburg December 15. Mt. Jackson December 20. Regiment re-enlisted January 1, 1864. Scout to Woodstock, Va., January 23-25. Newtown and Woodstock January 23. Mechanicsburg Gap February 2. Moorefield February 4. Front Royal February 8. Charlestown February 10. Moorefield February 11. Upperville February 20. Custer's Raid into Albemarle County February 28-March 1 (Detachment). Near Charlottesville February 29. Stannardsville March 1. Cablestown March 10. Winchester April 19-20. Near Middletown and New Market April 24 (Detachment). Sigel's Expedition from Martinsburg to New Market April 30-May 16. Uppervllle May 1. Near Berryville May 6. Upperville May 7. Millwood May 9. Brock's Gap May 10. Woodstock, Luray Gap and near New Market May 13. Rude's Hill May 14. New Market May 14-15. Burnt Bridge May 15. Paris May 16. Salem May 17. Hunter's Raid to Lynchburg May 26-July 1. New Market May 26. Woodstock May 31. Harrisonburg June 2. Piedmont June 5. Occupation of Staunton June 6. Near Staunton June 8. Waynesboro June 10. Lexington June 13. Buchanan June 14. New London June 17. Diamond Hill June 17. Lynchburg June 17-18. Liberty June 19. Buford's Gap June 20. Catawba Mountains June 21. Salem June 21. Leetown June 26. Charlestown and Big Sewell Mountain June 27. Leetown July 3. Martinsburg July 3. Williamsport July 5. Frederick City July 8. Ashby's Gap July 9. White's Ford July 14. Harper's Ferry July 15. Lovettsville and Hillsboro July 15. Purcellville July 16. White's Ford and Snicker's Ferry Juy 17 18. Ashby's Gap July 18-19. Near Kernstown July 23. Kernstown, Winchester, July 24. Bunker Hill and Martinsburg July 25. Bloomer's Gap July 27. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7-November 28. Moorefield August 7. Strasburg August 15. Leetown and Berryville August 16. Martinsburg August 19. Charlestown August 21. Bolivar Heights August 23. Falling Waters August 24. Halltown August 26. Williamsport August 26. Martinsburg August 31. Stephenson's Depot September 1. Buckletown September 1-3. Darkesville, near Bunker Hill, and Martinsburg, September 2. Bunker Hill September 2-3. Darkesville September 3. Stephenson's Depot September 5. Darkesville September 10. Bunker Hill September 13. Near Berryville September 14. Burnt Factory September 17. Martinsburg September 18. Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Strasburg September 21. Fisher's Hill September 22. Woodstock September 23. Mt. Jackson September 23-24. Forest Hill or Timberville September 24. Harrisonburg September 25. Brown's Gap September 26. Weyer's Cave September 26-27. Luray Valley October 2-3. Rapidan River October 5. Big Springs October 7. Milford October 9. White Post October 14. Cedar Creek October 19. Dry Run October 23. Milford October 25-26. Hood's Hill November 1. Newtown and Nineveh November 12. Hood's Hill November 22. Dicksville December 9. Raid to Gordonsville December 19-28. Liberty Mills December 21. Jack's Shop, near Gordonsville, December 23. Near Ashby's Gap December 27. Sheridan's Raid from Winchester February 27-March 25, 1865. Mt. Crawford February 28. Occupation of Staunton March 2. Waynesboro March 2. Haydensville March 12. Beaver Dam Station March 15. White House March 23. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Dinwiddie Court House March 29-31. Five Forks April 1. Namozine Church April 3. Jettersville April 4. Amelia Court House April 5. Farmville April 5-6. Sailor's Creek April 6. Stony Point April 7. Appomattox Station April 8. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Movement to North Carolina April 23-29. March to Washington, D. C., May. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out June 27, 1865, and honorably discharged from service.
ROSTERS:
The composite rosters of this unit contains the names of 2383 men.
Organized at New York City by Carl Schurz. Nine companies were recruited in New York City, 4 of these being composed of Germans, Hungarians and Poles.
Company "A" New York City
Company "B" New York City
Company "C" "Boyd's Company" Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
HISTORICAL NOTES: