1st Veteran Cavalry Regiment
Left the State in detachments: July to November 19, 1863
Mustered out: July 20,1865
The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912.
July 20, 1863, Col. Robert F. Taylor received authority to recruit this regiment. It was organized at Geneva, and September 17, 1863, the men enlisted for the I7th Cavalry, Col. H. D. Townsend, were transferred to it. The companies were mustered in the service of the United States for three years; at Elmira, A and B July 31, and September 8, 1863, respectively; at Geneva, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K October 10; L and M November 7 and 19, 1863, respectively. October 7, 1864, Company M was consolidated with Company A, and the former replaced by a new Company M, mustered in at Elmira, for a service of one year.
The companies were recruited principally: A and B, 17th Cavalry, at Elmira, Adams and Ellisburgh; C at Geneva, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse; D at Geneva, Rochester, Nunda, Prattsburgh, Warsaw, Amity and Pike; E at Geneva, Lima, Canan-daigua and Rochester; F at Binghamton, Elmira, Adams and Rochester; G at Geneva, Buffalo, Olean, Cuba, Rochester and Elmira; H at Deposit, Franklin, Hancock, Elmira, Geneva and Tompkins; I at Geneva, Bushnell's Station, Palmyra, Pittsford and Rochester; K at Waterloo, Seneca Falls and Rochester; L at Elmira, Adams, Geneva, Almond, Hornellsville, Seneca and Ellisburgh; and M at Geneva, Syracuse, Rochester, Oswego, Geneseo and Palmyra; second Company M at Binghamton.
Company A left the State in July, 1863; B in September, 1863; C to K in October, 1863; and L and M November 7 and 19, 1863, respectively, and served in the Department of Washington, 22d Corps; in the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry, Army of West Virginia, from February, 1864; from August, 1864, in the 2d Cavalry Division, Army of West Virginia; in Remount Camp, Maryland, from latter part of August, to close of October, 1864; in the Army of the Shenandoah from October, 1864; and from March, 1865, in the Cavalry Division, Army of West Virginia.
Commanded by Col. John S. Platner, the regiment was honorably discharged and mustered out, July 20, 1865, at Camp Piatt, W. Va., having, during its service, lost by death killed in action, 4 officers, 32 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 15 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 87 enlisted men; total, 4 officers, 134 enlisted men; aggregate, 138; of whom 32 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy.
The following is taken from The Union army: a history of military affairs in the loyal states, 1861-65 -- records of the regiments in the Union army -- cyclopedia of battles -- memoirs of commanders and soldiers, Volume II: New York, Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio. Madison, WI: Federal Pub. Co., 1908.
First Veteran Cavalry.—Cols., Robert F. Taylor, John S. Platner; Lieut. -Cols., John S. Platner, Charles A. Wells; Majs., Charles A. Wells, Charles W. Ringer, James E. Williams, J. M. Guion, Jerry A. Sullivan, E. D. Comstock. This regiment was organized at Geneva and was originally intended to become the 17th cavalry, but the designation was changed before the organization had commenced. On Sept. 17, 1863, the men enlisted for Cos. A and B, 17th cavalry, were transferred to it. The various companies were principally recruited in the counties of Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, Monroe, Erie and Chemung. A and B were mustered into the U. S. service at Elmira, July 31 and Sept. 8, respectively, for three years, and the others at Geneva from Oct. 10 to Nov. 19. In Oct., 1864, Co. M was consolidated with Co. A, and a new Co. M was mustered in at Elmira for a service of one year. The regiment left the state by detachments from July to Nov., 1863, and served in the Department of Washington until Feb., 1864. It was composed of excellent material, chiefly veterans of the 27th and 33d infantry. Attached to the 1st brigade, ist division, cavalry of West Virginia, its first battle occurred at Upperville, in Feb., 1864. It lost 35 men at Snickersville on March 6. and 38 on the loth at Kabletown, Maj. Sullivan being among the killed. It suffered severely at New Market in May, where it lost 65 killed, wounded and missing. Continuous hard service followed, the regiment being actively engaged at Woodstock, Newtown, New Market, Harrisonburg, Piedmont, Waynesboro, Cheat mountain, Diamond hill, Lynchburg, White Sulphur Springs, Bunker Hill, and near Martinsburg, Leetown, Sharpsburg, Sandy Hook, Charlestown and Winchester. In Aug., 1864, attached to the 2nd cavalry division. Army of West Virginia, it fought at Duffield Station, Cedar creek, Berryville, Charlestown and Falling Waters, and was then ordered to remount camp, Md., where it remained until the end of Oct., 1864. In November it was engaged at Nineveh and Rude's hill without loss, as part of the Army of the Shenandoah. It participated in no more pitched battles. Under command of Col. Platner it was mustered out at Camp Piatt, W. Va., July 20, 1865, having lost while in service 4 officers and 47 men killed and mortally wounded; 87 men who died of disease, accidents, in prison, etc., a total of 138.
1st Regiment Veteran Cavalry, NY Volunteers | Standard | Civil War
This blue, silk standard generally conforms to the 1861 U.S. Army Regulations. The standard features a painted Arms of the United States with thirteen…
NYSMM Online Resources
Battles and Casualties from Phisterer (pdf)
Battles and Casualties from Phisterer (spreadsheet)
