1st Rhode Island Cavalry

Regimental History and Service Record

Organized at Pawtucket as 1st New England Cavalry, afterwards designated 1st Rhode Island Cavalry, December 14, 1861, to March 3, 1862. Left State for Washington, D.C., March 12 and 14, 1862. Attached to Stoneman's Cavalry Command, Army of the Potomac, March, 1862. Hatch's Cavalry Brigade, Banks' 5th Corps, and Dept. of the Shenandoah, to May, 1862. Shields' Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock (3rd Battalion); Geary's Command, Dept. of the Rappahannock (1st Battalion), to June, 1862. Bayard's Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Corps, Army of Virginia, to September, 1862. Stoneman's Corps of Observation to December, 1862. Averill's Cavalry Brigade, Centre Grand Division, Army of the Potomac, to February, 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army Potomac, to January, 1864. Cavalry Brigade, Camp Stoneman, 22nd Army Corps, to May, 1864. Abercrombie's Command, Belle Plains, Va., to June, 1864. Reserve Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Army Potomac, to August, 1864. Headquarters Cavalry Corps, Army of the Shenandoah, Middle Military Division, to October, 1864. 3rd (Reserve) Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Army Shenandoah, to March, 1865. Cavalry Brigade, Army Shenandoah, to June, 1865. Middle Dept. to August, 1865.

SERVICE.--Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C., until April. 1862. Moved to Warrenton Junction, Va., April 4. Reconnaissance to Rappahannock River April 16 (3rd Battalion). Warrenton Junction April 16. Reconnaissance to Liberty Church April 16. Occupation of Mt. Jackson April 17 (4 Cos.). Reconnaissance to Rappahannock Crossing April 18 (4 Cos.). Advance to Front Royal May 29. Front Royal May 30 (3rd Battalion). Strasburg June 1. Columbia Bridge April 2. Edenburg June 3. Miller's Bridge June 4. New Market June 5. Harrisonburg June 6. Cross Keys June 8. Port Republic and Mountain Road June 9. Scouting on the Rappahannock until August. Reconnaissance to James City July 22-24. Rapidan River August 3-4. Slaughter River August 7. Robinson's River August 8. Battle of Cedar Mountain August 9.

• August 16-September 2, 1862 - The Northern Virginia Campaign
  • Stevensburg, Raccoon Ford and Brandy Station August 20.
  • Fords of the Rappahannock August 21-23.
  • Catlett's Station August 22.
  • Rappahannock Station August 23.
  • New Baltimore August 27.
  • August 28, 1862 - Engagement at Gainesville, Virginia
  • Bull Run August 30.
  • Centreville, Chantilly and Germantown August 31.
  • Chantilly September 1.
• September 15, 1862 - Skirmish at White's Ford, Maryland
• October 12, 1862 - Skirmish at White's Ford, Maryland
• Advance to Falmouth, Va., October 27.
• October 31, 1862 - Skirmish at Aldie, Virginia
• Mountsville October 31 (Cos. "K," "L" and "M").
• September 15, 1862 - Skirmish near Conrad's Ferry, Maryland
• Hazel Run November 16.
• Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15 (Cos. "K" and "M").
• Expedition to Richards and Ellis Fords December 29-30.
• Hartwood Church February 25, 1863.
• Kelly's Ford March 17.
• April 27-May 6, 1863 - The Chancellorsville Campaign
  • Stoneman's Raid April 29-May 8.
  • Kelly's Ford April 29.
  • Rapidan Station May 1.
  • Ellis Ford May 4.
• Stevensburg, Beverly Ford and Brandy Station June 9.
• Near Middleburg and Thoroughfare Gap June 17.
• June 18, 1863 - Skirmish at Aldie, Virginia
• June 27, 1863 - Action at Aldie, Virginia
• June 11-August 1, 1863 - The Gettysburg Campaign
  • July 1-3, 1863 - Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Scouting and outpost duty on Upper Potomac until September. Advance front Rapidan to the Rappahannock September 13-17. Culpeper Court House September 13. Rapidan Station September 15. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Near Warrenton October 12. White Sulphur Springs, Culpeper, October 12-13. Auburn and Bristoe October 14. Brentsville October 14. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. New Hope Church November 27 Duty in the Defenses of Washington until May. 1864. (3rd Battalion transferred to 1st New Hampshire Cavalry January 5, 1864.) Regiment reported to Gen. Abercrombie at Belle Plain, Va., May 14. Picket duty at Port Conway and Port Royal May 24-30. Bowling Green May 29. Demonstration north of the James July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 27-28. Malvern Hill July 28. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7-November 28. Shepherdstown August 25-26. Kearneysville August 25. Smithfield August 29. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Fisher's Hill and

• September 22, 1864 - Skirmish near Milford, Virginia

Brown's Gap September 24. Waynesboro September 29. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Raid to Gordonsville December 8-28. Jack's Shop, near Gordonsville, December 23. Consolidated to a Battalion of 4 Companies January 1, 1865. Sheridan's Raid from Winchester February 27-March 3. Waynesboro March 2. Guard prisoners from Waynesboro to Winchester March 3-8. Duty in the Shenandoah Valley until June 22. At Monrovia Station and Relay House, Md., until August. Mustered out at Baltimore, Md., August 3, 1865.

Regimental Roster

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Regiment Statistical Information

• Regiment lost during service 1 Officer and 16 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 77 Enlisted men by disease. Total 96.

Legacy

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Sources

• Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. The Dyer Publishing Company (Des Moine, 1908). (Pages 760, 761, 828, 905, 906, 907, 909, 919, 953, 1627)