Organization of the Regiment

• Company A – Captain Frank A. Platt
• Company B – Captain George P. Conger
• Company C – Captain William Wells
• Company D – Captain Addison W. Preston
• Company E – Captain Samuel P. Rundlett
• Company F – Captain Josiah Hall
• Company G -Captain James A. Sheldon
• Company H – Captain Selah G. Perkins
• Company I – Captain Edward B. Sawyer
• Company K – Captain Franklin Moore

Moved to Washington, D. C.

Attached to Banks’ Division, Army of the Potomac

Operations in Shenandoah Valley

Middletown

Captain George H. Bean of Company G was taken prisoner.

Battle of Winchester

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia

Kelly’s Ford

Ashby’s Gap

Captain Selah G. Perkins of Company H was killed.

Duty in the Defenses of Washington

Headquarters was at Alexandria and detachments were posted to Annandale, Dranesville, Lewinsville and other points.

• Captain William Wells of Company C was promoted to Major.
• First Lieutenant William M. Beeman was promoted to Captain of Company B
• First Lieutenant Henry M. Page was promoted to Captain of Company C
• First Lieutenant John W. Bennett was promoted to Captain of Company D
• First Lieutenant Franklin Huntoon was promoted to Captain of Company H

Aldie

Captain Franklin T. Huntoon of Company H was captured and would be honorably discharged.

Moseby’s Raid on Herndon Station

Colonel John Moseby’s daring raid with 40 of his partisan rangers captured a detachment of 25 men from the 1st Vermont Cavalry commanded by Lieutenant Alexander Watson of Company H. The detachment had been joined by Major William Wells and two other officers, who had come to investigate reports that the men were stealing from local farmers.

Moseby’s men wore Union overcoats over their Confederate uniforms and were mistaken for the regularly scheduled relief of the outpost until it was too late. After the Vermonters were rounded up at the station it was noted that four “finely-equipped” horses were outside the house of Nat and Kitty Hannah. The officers had been invited to lunch there after their investigation had concluded, and Moseby’s men quickly surrounded the house.

Lieutenant Watson and one of the other officers ran outside while Wells and the fourth officer went upstairs to the attic. The first two officers were immediately captured. One of the raiders called up to the others to surrender and fired throught the ceiling, causing Major Wells to fall through the ceiling to the floor below. He was unhurt except for his dignity.

Major William Wells, First Lieutenant Alexander G. Watson of Company H and Lieutenants William L Greenleaf and Willard Farrington of Company L were taken prisoner along with the 25 enlisted men.  All were marched to Culpeper and the officers then sent by train to Richmond. Wells remarked that he was grateful that Moseby allowed the officers to ride their own horses to Culpeper instead of making them walk. The enlisted men were paroled the next day, the officers on May 5 after a stay in Libby Prison.

Captain Samuel P. Rundlett of Company E resigned, and First Lieutenant Oliver T. Cushman was promoted to Captain of Company E.

Broad Run, Dranesville

Captain Henry C. Flint of Company I led a detachment which unsuccessfully tried to capture Colonel Moseby near Broad Run. Captain Flint, First Lieutenant Charles A. Woodbury of Company B and seven enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, 22 men were wounded and 82 men captured.

First Lieutenant Charles A. Adams was promoted to Captain of Company H, and First Lieutenant Josiah Grout, Jr. was wounded, but was promoted to Captain of Company I.

Warrenton

Captain Frank Ray of Company G was wounded.

Near Greenwich

Moseby was routed by a charge led by Lieutenant Hazleton of Company H, which captured Moseby’s artillery piece. The regiment lost one man killed and 7 wounded. It would be the regiment’s last encounter with Moseby.

Gettysburg Campaign

Assembled at Fairfax Court House and attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac.

Hanover, Pennsylvania

Hunterstown

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Addison W. Preston. It brought 687 men to the field,

From the Slyder Field monument: 

In the Gettysburg campaign this regiment fought Stuart’s Cavalry at Hanover, Pa. June 3d, and at Hunterstown July 2d; and on this field July 3, led by Gen. Elon J. Farnsworth, who fell near this spot, charged through the First Texas Infantry and to the line of Law’s Brigade, receiving the fire of five Confederate regiments and two batteries, and losing 67 men.

From the monument to the 1st Vermont Cavalry on Confederate Avenue:

At 5 p.m. July 3 the 2nd Battalion 1st Vermont Cavalry led by Major William Wells, General Farnsworth commanding the brigade riding by his side crossed Plum Run near this point charging over stone walls amid rocks and through woods till they encountered five regiments of Law’s Confederate Brigade near the spot where the regimental monument stands.

The 1st Battalion and part of the 3rd Lt. Col. A.W. Preston commanding were ordered to the lane and struck Law’s Brigade in the flank. The onset was terrific sabres and bayonets revolvers and muskets being freely used after a struggle the hill was carried by the 1st Vermont and the prisoners captured sent to the rear.

The three battalions united soon came under the fire of the 4th Alabama Infantry and presently of the 9th Georgia Infantry finding no exit to the south they turned to the east and charged the 15th Alabama Infantry which answered a summons to surrender by a destructive musketry fire. Those unhurt escaping mostly to the south.

This memorial signalizes the valor of the officers and the men of the First Vermont Cavalry who here paid to the nation the uttermost tribute of devotion.

The 1st Vermont Cavalry lost 13 men killed, 25 wounded and 27 missing. Captain John W. Woodward of Company M was killed. Captain Henry C. Parsons of Company L was wounded and would be discharged. Captains Henry M. Page of Company C, Oliver T. Cushman of Company E, Charles Adams of Company H and First Lieutenant Emmet Mather of Company H were wounded.

Major William Wells was awarded the Medal of Honor at Gettysburg for when he ““led the second battalion of his regiment in a daring charge.”

Hagerstown

Captain John W. Woodward of Company M was killed. Major William Wells, First Lieutenant Gilbert Steard of Company G and First Lieutenant Jonas R. Rice of Company K were wounded. Captain John H. Hazelton became Captain of Company M.

Boonsboro

Hagerstown

Sergeant William L Greenleaf of Company L was wounded.

Falling Water

Culpeper Court House

Major William Wells and First Lieutenant ALvah R. Haswell were wounded.

Bristoe Campaign

Captain Frank Ray of Company G was killed. First Lieutenant Alvah R. Haswell was promoted to Captain of Company G.

Brandy Station and near Culpeper

Mayor Josiah Hall was wounded and taken prisoner and Captains William M. Beeman of Company B and Charles A. Adams of Company H were taken prisoner.

Mine Run Campaign

Kilpatrick’s Raid on Richmond

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James

Craig’s Meeting House

Captain Andrew J. Grover of Company F was wounded.

Battle of the Wilderness (Company M)

Todd’s Tavern

Captain Andrew J. Grover of Company K and First Lieutenant Henry O. Wheeler of Company A were wounded.

Alsop’s Farm, Spotsylvania

Sheridan’s Raid from Todd’s Tavern to James River

North Anna River

Ground Squirrel Church and Yellow Tavern

Captain Alexander G. Watson of Company H was wounded.

Cold Harbor

Ashland

Captain Emmer Mather of Company H and First Lieutenant Clark P. Stone of Company F were taken prisoner.

Haw’s Shop

Colonel Addison W. Preston and Captain Oliver T. Cushman of Company E were killed.

Salem Church

• Major William Wells was promoted to Colonel.
• Major John W. Bennett was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
• First Lieutenant Hiram H. Hall was promoted to Captain of Company E.

Malvern Hill

First Lieutenant John Williamson of Company K was mortally wounded.

Wilson’s Raid on South Side & Danville Railroad

Ream’s Station

Near Nottaway Court House and Black and White Station

• Captain Hiram H. Hall of Company E was killed
• Second Lieutenant William L Greenleaf of Company L was wounded
• Second Lieutenant Edward H. Higley of Company K was wounded and taken prisoner

Staunton Bridge or Roanoke Station

Sappony Church or Stony Creek

First Lieutenant Gilbert Steward was mortally wounded.

Ream’s Station

Siege of Petersburg

• Captain Henry M. Page of Company C and Captain Andrew J. Grover of Company K were promoted to Major.
• First Lieutenant Mason A. Stone of Company M was promoted to Captain of Company C.
• First Lieutenant ALexander B. Chandler was promoted to Captain of Company E.

Colonel Addison Preston

Colonel Edward B. Sawyer resigned. Lieutenant Colonel Addison W. Preston was promoted to Colonel.

Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign

Transferred to Army of the Shenandoah, Cavalry Corps, Third Division, Second Brigade

Third Battle of Winchester (Battle of Opequan) and Near Cedarville

Fisher’s Hill

Columbia Furnace

Posted to rear guard on the Back Road, near Strasburg.

Tom’s Brook, “Woodstock Races”

The regiment captured two pieces of artillery and a number of prisoners, pursuing the Confederate over ten miles.

Battle of Cedar Creek

Began the day guarding the fords across Cedar Creek on the right flank of the army. When the attack started the regiment’s brigade under Colonel Wells was ordered at first to cover the camp, then to guard the right flank of the army while the bulk of the cavalry moved to the extreme left of the army. As the infantry slowly fell back the brigade kept in line with it, which halted after about an hour.

After several hours of skirmishing General Custer returned with his brigade and the cavalry on the right flank attacked and regained their former positions.

Custer then took the 1st Vermont Cavalry and the 5th New York Cavalry to the other side of the battlefield to join the left flank. They launched a charge against the flank and rear of the Confederate infantry. Combined with a furious frontal attack by Union infantry, the Confederate lines collapsed and fled to the rear. The Union infantry stopped the charge when they reached their original camps, but the cavalry continued to pursue. A huge mass of stalled Confederate artillery, supply wagons, and ambulances were taken at the blocked bridge west of Strasburg, and the regiment kept up its pursuit until mearly midnight.

The 1st Vermont Cavalry captured 161 prisoners, including a general, colonel and lieutenant colonel, three battle flags, 23 guns, 14 caissons, 17 army wagons, 6 ambulances, 98 horses and 69 mules.

Captain Alexander G. Watson of Company H was wounded.

Sergeant Erid Davidson Woodbury was awarded the Medal of Honor when “During the regiment’s charge when the enemy was in retreat, Sgt. Woodbury encountered four Confederate infantrymen retreating. He drew his saber and ordered them to surrender, overcoming by his determined actions their willingness to further resist. They surrendered to him together with their rifles and 12th North Carolina (C.S.A.) regimental flag.”

Corporal Frederick A. Lyon and Private James Sweeney were awarded the Medal of Honor when they “Captured the state flag of a North Carolina regiment, three officers, and an ambulance with its mules and driver.”

Sheridan’s Raid

Marched for 21 days to join the main army near Petersburg.

Appomattox Campaign

Returned to Grant’s main army around Petersburg near Hancock Station on the Military Railroad and assigned to Army of the Potomac, Cavalry Corps, Third Division, Second Brigade

Dinwiddie Court House

Five Forks

Namozine Church (Battle of Winticomack Creek)

The 1st Vermont Cavalry and the 8th New York Cavalry charged Confederate defenses near Namozene Curch, capturing their only gun, taking many prisoners, and driving them eight miles.

Sailor’s Creek

Appomattox Station

The 1st Vermont Cavalry captured eight guns, some of which belonged to the Washington Artillery of New Orleans, which had heretofore never lost a gun.

Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army. The First Battalion of the regiment was in the process of charging Lee’s wagon train when it received the word of the flag of truce.

• First Lieutenant Clark P. Stone was promoted to Captain of Company F
• First Lieutenant Emmet Mather was promoted to Captain of Company H
• Second Lieutenant Edward H. Higley was promoted to Captain of Company K