Wikipedia

6th New York Cavalry Regiment

The 6th New York Cavalry Regiment, also known as the 6th Regiment New York Volunteer Cavalry and nicknamed the "2nd Ira Harris Guards", was a cavalry regiment of the Union Army during the American Civil War. The majority of its fighting was in Virginia as part of the Army of the Potomac.

6th New York Cavalry Regiment
ActiveDecember 19, 1861, to July 17, 1865
CountryUnited States
AllegianceUnion (American Civil War) Union
New York (state) New York
BranchUnion Army
TypeCavalry
SizeRegiment
EngagementsAmerican Civil War
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Thomas Devin

Service

edit

The regiment was organized as the 2nd Ira Harris Guard in New York City between September 12 and December 19, 1861, initially under the special authority of the War Department.[1] The regiment was, in fact, at first the protege of Senator Ira Harris, of New York, who had been instrumental in securing the authority for its formation.[2] The recruiting headquarters were at 4 Pine Street, in Manhattan, and the first rendezvous for the command was at Camps Herndon and Scott on Staten Island. Its organization was completed as early as October 24, 1861. The twelve-company regiment was divided into three battalions of four companies each.[2][3] While training, the regiment was transferred to the state of New York and numbered as the 6th Regiment, New York Volunteer Cavalry on Wednesday, November 20, Thomas Devin,[note 1] captain of a militia cavalry company, had been appointed colonel of the regiment two days earlier and Duncan McVicar lieutenant colonel.[2][6]

Companies were mustered in as follows: A September 12, B September 27, D September 28, C September 29, E October 3. F and G October 24, H October 28, I November 2, L November 6, K" and M December 19, 1861.[7]

On Friday, December 20, 1861,[7] the regiment was ordered to York, PA, where it built barracks and stables, and received further cavalry instruction from superior officers.[2] It remained there until Thursday, March 6, 1862 when it was ordered to join the defenses of Washington attached to Military District of Washington. Its post was the train depot in Perryville, MD,[1] where guarded the station and the supply depot there.[2][6]

At the opening of Maj. Gen. McClellan’s Army of the Potomac’s(AoP) spring Peninsula Campaign,[1] the regiment’s 3rd Battalion (Companies B, D, F, and H), under command of Maj. Floyd Clarkson, was detached participate in the operation was assigned to the Companies D and K served unbrigaded in Brig. Gen. Sumner’s II Corps. Companies F and H, likewise, served unbrigaded as the cavalry reserve for Brig. Gen. Keyes’ IV Corps of the AoP. Through the campaign, the companies scouted and screened their corps during the battles on the peninsula.[1] This battalion remained in garrison on the peninsula at Fort Monroe until they rejoined the regiment after Gettysburg in the summer of July 1863.[2]

Through the spring and early summer, the 1st and 2nd Battalions remained in the defenses of Washington assigned to duty under Brig. Gen. Sturgis. On Tuesday, July 15, 1862, they were ordered to Warrenton, VA,[1] and were placed under the -command of Maj. Gen. McDowell. During Pope’s Virginia Campaign, the 1st and 2nd Battalions scouted the country south of the Rapidan, and covered the evacuation of Fredericksburg and Aquia Creek.[2] While on duty in Virginia, the regiment was attached to Maj. Gen. Reno’s IX Corps of the AoP.

Following the Second Battle of Bull Run defeat and the inconclusive Battle of Chantilly, Gen. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia invaded Maryland. McClellan was recalled from his disgrace after the Peninsula to once again command the AoP. As such, McClellan gathered his forces near the capital and began a move to western Maryland. McClellan had organized his army into three wings of which Maj. Gen. Burnside’s right wing contained Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker’s I Corps and Reno’s IX Corps.[note 2] As a result on Thursday, September 4, the regiment crossed the Potomac and joined IX Corps as it left Washington.[8] The 6th New York scouted the country between Maj. Gen. Sumner's II Corps[note 3] and the right wing, passing through Hyattsville, MD,[1] during its movement on Antietam. The wing moved north to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&ORR). Hitting the railway, Burnside's wing turned west and followed the line reaching Frederick, MD the following Wednesday, September 10. During the move, Burnside began tasking the regiment directly while still leaving it administratively part of IX Corps. City.[2]

Being the first regiment to enter Frederick, Col. Devin led the two battalions in small scraps with the rearguard of Maj. Gen. D. H. Hill's division of Maj. Gen. MG Jackson’s wing on that day and again on Friday, September 12.[1][2] Two days later, September 14, at the battle of South Mountain, Colonel Devin commanding, the regiment was still under the immediate command of General Burnside during the right wing’s seizure of Fox’s and Turner’s Gaps.

Over the weekend, McCellan shifted Burnside’s corps to his left. On Monday, September 16, the regiment had another small battle with the rebels on the Boonesboro-Sharpsburg Turnpike (Battle of Sharpsburg Turnpike). Tuesday morning a squadron of the 6th New York opened the Battle of Antietam when it made contact with Confederate skirmishers east of Antietam Creek.[3] During the Battle of Antietam, the 6th New York screened the AoP’s left south of Burnside's position.[2]

Affiliations, battle honors, detailed service, and casualties

edit

Organizational affiliation

edit

Attached to:[10]

July, 1865

    • Company A detached to VI Corps, AoP, September, 1862
    • Companies B and C detached to IX Corps, AoP, January and February, 1863
    • Company A detached to Defenses of Washington, XXII Corps July and August, 1863

List of battles

edit

The official list of battles in which the regiment bore a part:[11][12][13][14][15][2]

Detailed service

edit

The 6th New York Volunteer Cavalry's detailed service is as follows (NOTE — Battles are Bolded, Italicized; campaigns are Italicized):[16][17][18]

1861

edit
  • Duty in the Defences of Washington (8 Cos.) till July 23, 1862.

1862

edit
  • Siege of Yorktown, Va., April 5-May 4 (Cos. "D" and "K").
  • Battle of Williamsburg May 5 (Cos. "D" and "K").
  • Battle of Seven Pines May 31-June 1 (Co. "K").
  • Seven Days Battles before Richmond June 25-July 1 (Cos. "D," "F," "H," "K").
  • Regiment moved to Warrenton, Va., July 23-26.
  • Scout and outpost duty on the Rapidan and Rappahannock Rivers at Barnett's Ford, Va., July and August.
  • Orange Court House August 14.
  • Culpeper Road August 19.
  • Barnett's Ford August 26.
  • Kelly's Ford August 30.
  • Williamsburg September 9.
  • Near Hyattstown September 9-10.
  • Frederick City September 12.
  • South Mountain September 14.
  • Battle of Antietam September 16-17.
  • Lovettsville October 3.
  • Reconnaissance to Smithville, W. Va., October 16-17.
  • Kearneysville October 16.
  • Charlestown October 16-17.
  • Near Lovettsville October 21.
  • Near Wheatland October 21.
  • Snickersville October 22.
  • Union and Bloomfield November 2-3.
  • Ashby's Gap November 3.
  • Upperville November 3.
  • Waterloo Bridge November 7.
  • Ellis Ford December 1.
  • Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15.
  • Roconnaissance from Yorktown December 11-15 (Detachment).
  • Matthews County Court House December 12.
  • Buena Vista December 13.
  • Wood's Cross Roads December 14.

1863

edit
  • Expedition from Yorktown to West Point and White House (Detachment) January 7-9, 1863 .
  • Pamunkey River January 8. Expedition to Gloucester Court House (Detachment) April 7.
  • Fort Magruder (Detachment). April 11
  • Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.
    • Germania and Richard's Fords April 29.
    • Crook's Run April 29.
    • Spotsylvania Court House April 30.
  • Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5.
  • West Point (Detachment) May 7.
  • Gettysburg Campaign June 3–July 24
    • Warwick River June 5.
    • Brandy Station and Beverly Ford June 9.
    • Upperville June 21.
    • Middleburg June 22.
    • Haymarket June 24-25.
    • Dix's Peninsula Campaign (3rd Battalion) June 24-July 7.
      • Expedition from White House to Bottom's Bridge (3rd Battalion) July 1-7.
      • Crump's or Baltimore Cross Roads (3rd Battalion) July 2.
    • Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3.
    • Williamsport July 6.
    • Battle of Boonsboro July 8.
    • Benovola or Beaver Creek, Md., July 9.
    • Battle of Funkstown July 10-13.
    • Falling Waters July 14.
    • Manassas Gap July 21-22.
    • Battle of Manassas Gap July 23.
  • Barbee's Crossroads July 25.
  • Kelly's Ford July 31-August 1.
  • Brandy Station August 1-3.
  • Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan September 13-17.
  • Culpeper Court House September 13.
  • Raccoon Ford September 14-15 and 19.
  • Reconnaissance across the Rapidan September 21-23.
  • Jack's Shop, Madison Court House, September 22.
  • Bristoe Campaign October 9–22.
    • Raccoon and Morton's Fords October 10.
    • Kelly's Ford and Stevensburg October 11.
    • Brandy Station or Fleetwood October 12.
    • Battle of Bristoe Station October 14.
    • Oak Hill October 15.
    • Culpeper October 17-18.
  • Bealeton October 24-26.
  • Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8.
  • Muddy Run November 8.
  • Battle of Mine Run November 26-December 2.
  • Parker's Store November 29.

1864

edit

1865

edit

The regiment was consolidated with the 15th New York Cavalry on June 17 to form the 2nd New York Provisional Cavalry Regiment.

Casualties and losses

edit

Regiment lost during service 9 Officers and 72 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 133 Enlisted men by disease. Total 214.[19]

See also

edit

References

edit

Footnotes

edit
  1. ^ A New York City native, son of Irish immigrant parents, Devin was a house painter and partner in a paint and varnish company with his brother John for much of his early life, while also serving in the New York State Militia.[4] For more information, see his Wikipedia article here.[5]
  2. ^ See the Maryland Campaign Wikepedia article.
  3. ^ This corps contained three divisions, and its veteran elements had a good fighting reputation.[9]

Citations

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f g Dyer (1908), p. 1375.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k NYSMM, 6th Cavalry: Historical Sketch (2019).
  3. ^ a b Federal Publishing Company (1908), p. 187.
  4. ^ Warner (2006), p. 124.
  5. ^ Warner (2006), p. 123.
  6. ^ a b Phisterer (1912), p. 849.
  7. ^ a b Phisterer (1912), p. 846.
  8. ^ U.S. War Dept., Official Records, Vol. 19/1, p. 179, - Organization of the Army of the Potomac, Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, U.S. Army, commanding, September 14 17, 1862, p.169-180.
  9. ^ Gottfried (2021), p. 69.
  10. ^ Dyer (1908), p. 1375; Federal Publishing Company (1908), pp. 187–188.
  11. ^ Dyer (1908), p. 1375; Federal Publishing Company (1908), pp. 187–188; Phisterer (1912), pp. 847–849.
  12. ^ Civil War in the East, 6th New York Cavalry Regiment:2nd Ira Harris Guard (2016).
  13. ^ CWA, 6th Regiment Cavalry "2nd Ira Harris Guard" (2016).
  14. ^ NPS 6th Regiment, New York Cavalry (2007).
  15. ^ NYSMM, 6th Cavalry Regiment (2019).
  16. ^ Adjutant-General's Office of New York State (1869).
  17. ^ Adjutant-General's Office of New York State (1895).
  18. ^ Dyer (1908), p. 1309.
  19. ^ Dyer (1908), p. 1310.

Sources

edit
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=6th_New_York_Cavalry_Regiment&oldid=1258335164"