1st North Carolina Cavalry Regiment

Confederate Regiments & Batteries > North Carolina

1861
April Recruiting began for the Ninth Regiment, North Carolina State Troops (Cavalry)
June Ten companies fully were recruited under Colonel Robert Ransom, Lieutenant Colonel Laurence Baker (USMA 1851), and Majors James B. Gordon and Victor C. Barringer:

Company A, Jefferson, Ashe County
Company B, Rich Square, Northhampton County
Company C, Mecklenburg Rangers, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County
Company D, Watauga Rangers, Boone, Watauga County
Company E, Warrenton, Warrenton County
Company F, Cabarrus Rangers, Concord Cabarrus County
Company G, Buncombe Rangers, Ashville, Buncombe County
Company H, Goldsboro, Wayne County

Company I, Kenansville, Duplin County
Company K, Nantahala Rangers, Franklin, Macon County
August 12 Organized at Camp Beauregard, Ridgeway.
September 30 Major Victor Barringer resigned after having been found guilty of disrespectful and insubordinate conduct.
October 12 Mustered into Confederate service as First Regiment North Carolina Cavalry and assigned to the Cavalry Brigade, Potomac District, Department of Northern Virginia.
November 10 Skirmish at Hunter’s Mills, Virginia
November 26 Skirmish at Hunter’s Mills, Virginia (detatchment)
December 20 Skirmish at Dranesville, Virginia
1862
February 7 Skirimish at Fairfax Court House
March 1 Colonel Ransom was promoted to brigadier general, Lieutenant Colonel Baker to colonel, Major Gordon to lieutenant colonel and Captain Thomas N. Crumpler of Company A to major.
April Assigned to Ransom’s Brigade, Department of North Carolina
May-August Companies A and B assigned to Ransom’s Brigade, Department of North Carolina
May 15-16 Skrimish at Pollacksville, North Carolina (Companies A & B)
June Assigned to Stuart’s Cavalry Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia
June 25-July 1
Seven Days Before Richmond

Major Crumpler was mortally wounded
June 28-29 Skirmish at Bottom’s Bridge, Virginia
June 29 Skirimish at Wills Church
June 30 Turkey Bridge, Virginia (Malvern Cliff)
July 1 Skirmishes at White Oak Church and Malvern Hill, Virginia
July 4 Skirimish at Harrison’s Landing
July 8 Skirimish at Harrison’s Landing
July 9 Action at Williamston on James River against Federal gunboats
July 11 Major Crumpler died of his wound from the Seven Days.
July 28 Assigned to Hampton’s Brigade, Stuart’s Cavalry Division, Army of Northern Virginia
August 2-8 Reconnaissance from Harrison’s Landing
August 5 Skirmish at Malvern Hill, White Oak Swamp Bridge
August 5-6 Thornburg, or Massaponnnax Church (detachment)
September 3-19 Maryland Campaign
September 7-8 Skrimish at Poolesville, Maryland
September 10 Skirmish at Middletown, Maryland
September 12 Frederick, Maryland
September 13 Skirmish at Catoctin Mountain
September 13-15 Siege of Harpers Ferry
September 17-18
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)

From the marker on the Antietam battlefield:

Hampton’s Brigade reached the field on September 17 and took position on the left of Jackson’s Command, occupying, with Lee’s Brigade, a line extending from the left of the Confederate Infantry to the Potomac River.
September 18 Skirmishes at Buckettsville and Pleasant Valley, Maryland
September 19-20 Skirmish at Williamsort, Maryland
October 1 Skirimish at Shepherdstown and Martinsburg, Virginia
October 8-12 Stuart’s Second Ride around McClellan into Pennsylvania
October 10 Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
October 12 Skirmishes at the Mounth of the Monocacy and White’s Ford, Maryland
October 26 Operations in Loudoun, Faquier and Rappahannock Counties, Virginia
November 5 Barbee’s Crossroads
November 8 Little Washington
November 10 Gaines’ Crossroads and Amissville
December 12 Skirmish at Dunfries
December 12-15
Battle of Fredericksburg
December 19 Skrimish at Occoquan Bridge
December 27-29 Raid on Dumfires and Fairfax Station
1863
February 5-7 Rappahannock Bridge and Grover Church, Virginia
March 17 Kelly’s Ford and Bealeton Station
April 30-May 6
Chancellorsville Campaign
June 3-August 1 Gettysburg Campaign
June 9
Battle of Brandy Station (Fleetwood or Beverly Ford)

Commanded by Colonel Laurence S. Baker. Captain Rufus Barringer was wounded in the face. Captain Cowles led a charge which routed the 10th New York Cavalry, capturing its flag and 130 men.
June 17 Battle of Aldie, Virginia
June 21 Battle of Upperville, Virginia
June 27
Skirmish at Fairfax Court House and Fairfax Station, Virginia

The regiment was attacked by a squadron of the 11th New York Cavalry. The New Yorkers were almost completely wiped out, but Major Whitaker was killed.
June 28 Skirmish at Rockville, Maryland
June 30 Battle of Hanover, Pennsylvania
July 1 Carlisle, Pennsylvania
July 2-3
Battle of Gettysburg

Colonel Baker took command of the brigade when General Hampton was wounded in the fighting on the East Cavalry Field. Lieutenant Colonel Gordon took over the regiment.

From the monument to Hampton’s Brigade on the Gettysburg battlefield:

July 2. Engaged in the evening with 3rd Division Cavalry Corps near Hunterstown. Cobb’s Legion led the attack and lost a number of officers and men killed and wounded.

July 3. The Brigade arrived here about noon and skirmished with Union sharpshooters. In the afternoon the 1st North Carolina and Jeff Davis’ Legion advancing in support of Chambliss’ Brigade drove the Union cavalry but met their reserve and were in a critical position when the Brigade went to their support and a hand to hand fight ensued in which Brig. Gen. Wade Hampton was severely wounded. The conflict ended in the failure of the Confederates in their purpose to assail the rear of the Union Army

Losses Killed 17 Wounded 58 Missing 16 Total 91
July 4 Battle of Monterey Gap
July 4-5 Skirmish at Fairfield, Pennsylvania
July 6 Hagerstown and Williamsport, Maryland
July 9 Skirmish at Beaver Church, Maryland
July 14 Skirmish near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
July 15 Shepherdstown, West Virginia
July 23 Colonel Baker promoted to brigadier general. Lt. Colonel Gordon promoted to colonel and Major Thomas Ruffin to lieutenant colonel.
July 31
Brandy Station

Brigadier General Baker was badly wounded, losing the use of his arm, and was forced to leave field command.
August 7 Mountain Run
September 9 The Cavalry Division was expenaded into a corps. The regiment was assigned to Gordon’s Brigade, Hampton’s Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, known as the North Carolina Cavalry Brigade.
September 13 Culpeper Court House, Virginia
September 14 Raccoon Ford & Rapidan Station
September 22
Skirmishes at Jack’s Shop and Madison Court House, Virginia

Captain A.B. Andrews was motally wounded.
September 28 Colonel Gordon was promoted to brigadier general, Lieutenant Colonel Ruffin to colonel, Captain William H. Cheek of Company A to lieutenant colonel and Captain Rufus Barringer, still absent due to his wound, to major.
October 8-10 Skrimishes at James City, Virginia
October 9-22 Bristoe Campaign
October 12 Battle of Warrenton (White Sulphur Springs)
October 13 -14
Battle of Auburn

Colonel Thomas Ruffin was mortally wounded while leading the regiment in a saber charge.
October 15 Skrimishes at Manassas Junction and Blackburn’s Ford
October 17 Lieutenant Colonel Cheek was promoted to colonel. Captain William H.H. Cowles was promoted to major.
October 19 Buckland’s Mills (the Buckland Races)
November 7 Kelly’s Ford
November 8 Brandy Station
November Major Rufus Barringer returned to the regiment after recovering from his Brandy Station wound.
November 26-December 2
Mine Run Campaign

Captain Cowles was wounded in the abdomen
November 26-27 Skirmishes at Raccoon Ford
November 27 Payne’s Farm
1864
February 6-7 Operations on the Rapidan, Morton’s Ford
February 28 –
March 4		 Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid, Defence of Richmond
March 1 Skirmishes at Hanover Junction and Ashland
March 3 Skirmish at Tunstall Station
April 23 Gordon’s Brigade was transferred to W.H.F. Lee’s Division, Cavalry Corps.
May 1 – June 12 Wilderness Campaign
May 5-6 Todd’s Tavern
May 5-7
Battle of The Wilderness
May 8 Alsop’s Farm, Spottsylvania
May 9-24 Sheridan’s Expedition to the James
May 9-10 Beaver Dam Station
May 11
Yellow Tavern

Colonel William Cheek was severly wounded.
May 11 Ground Squirrel Church
May 12
Brook’s Church, Mechanicsville and Strawberry Hill

Brigadier General James B. Gordon was mortally wounded; he would die on May 18.
May 18 Haxall’s Landing
May 28 Crump’s Creek and Hanovertown
May 28-31 Operations along the Totopotomoy
June 1-12
Battles around Cold Harbor
June Assigned to Barringer’s North Carolina Cavalry Brigade, W.H.F. Lee’s Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
June 3 Haw’s Shop and Via’s House
June 6 Lieutenant Colonel Barringer promoted to brigadier general and given command of the North Carolina Cavalry Brigade. Major William H.H. Cowles promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
June 12 Long Bridge
June 15 Smith’s Store
June 22 Ream’s Station
June 22-July 2 Defending South Side & Danville against Wilson’s Expedition
June 23 Nottoway Court House
June 24 Skrimish at Staunton Bridge
June 25 Statunton River Bridge
June 30 – July 3 Skirmishes at Ream’s Station
June Siege of Petersburg begins
July 12 Warwick’s Swamp, Lee’s Mills
July 22 Slrimish at Reams’s Station
July 27-29 Demonstration on the north side of the James
July 28 Malvern Hill
August 14-16 Malvern Hill
August 18 Skirmish at White Oak Swamp, Fussell’s Mill
August 25 Battle of Reams’s Station
August 27 Skrimish near Richmond
September 16 Sycamore Creek
September 30-October 1 Arthur’s Swamp
October 27-28 Boydton Plank Road
November 7 Reconnaissance toward Stony Creek
December 1 Skirmish at Stony Creek Station
December 7-12 Defense against Warren’s Hicksford Expedition
December 9-10 Skirimish at Bellefield
1865
February 5-7 Battle of Hatcher’s Run, Armstrong Mills
March 8-April 9 Appomattox Campaign
Captain George S. Dewey of Company H was promoted to major.
March 30-31 Dinwiddie Courthouse
March 31
Skirmish at White Oak Road

Lt. Colonel Cowles was badly wounded in the head leading a charge. He was believed dead and left on the field, but was wounded, captured, and recovered to survive the war. Major Dewey was killed.
April 1
Battle of Five Forks
April 2 Sutherland Station, South Side Railroad
April 3
Scott’s Cross Roads and Battle of Namozine Church

Brigadier General Barringer was captured leading the North Carolina Cavalry Brigade. Colonel Cheek took command of the brigade as senior colonel
April 5 Colonel Cheek captured at Burkesville
April 9
Appomattox Court House

Only eight men were still in the ranks at the surrender.