1st Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > Massachusetts

The 1st Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment lost 6 officers and 93 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 140 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. The regiment is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
December 25 Companies A, B, C and D left Massachusetts for Annapolis, Md.
December 27 Second Battalion left Massachusetts for New York
December 29 Third Battalion left Massachusetts for New York
1862
January 13 The Second and Third Battalion sailed for Hilton Head, South Carolina.
January 20 Second and Third Battalion arrived Hilton Head, South Carolina and duty there
February Companies A, B, C and D moved to Hilton Head, South Carolina. Attached to Department of the South
April Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Department of the South
May Cos. E – M moved to Edisto Island, South Carolina.
June 1-28 Cos. E – M Operations on James Island, South Carolina.
June 8 Cos. E – M Action James Island
June 16

Battle of Secessionville

Co. H
June 28-July 7 Cos. E – M Evacuation of James Island and movement to Hilton Head. 3rd Battalion (Cos. I, K, L and M) duty in North Carolina until permanently detached from 1st Cavalry by S. C. 346, War Department, August 4, 1863, and designated Independent Battalion, Massachusetts Cavalry
August 19 Companies A – H moved to Fort Monroe, then to Washington, D.C.
September 3 Joined Pleasanton’s Cavalry, Army of the Potomac, at Tenallytown and attached to Pleasanton’s Cavalry, Army of the Potomac
September 4-5 Poolesville, Md.
September 10-11 Sugar Loaf Mountain
September 14

South Mountain
September 16-17

Battle of Antietam

From the Second Brigade Cavalry marker on the Antietam battlefield:

The Second Brigade crossed the Middle Bridge under a severe fire of the Confederate Artillery posted on Cemetery Hill. The 8th Pennsylvania was thrown to the right to support the Artillery north of this road. The remaining Regiments took position in the ravine on the left between this point and the Antietam, where, in support to the Batteries in front, they remained until relieved by the advance of the Regular Infantry, when the entire Brigade was withdrawn. The 8th Illinois and 3d Indiana moved up the west bank of the creek and bivouacked in rear of the right wing of the Infantry line. The 8th Pennsylvania crossed the Middle Bridge, ascended the east bank of the Antietam, recrossed the stream near Neikirk’s and bivouacked near the Illinois and Indiana Regiments. The 1st Massachusetts recrossed the Antietam by the Middle Bridge and bivouacked near Keedysville.
September 19

Shepherdstown, West Virginia
October Attached to Averill’s Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army of the Potomac
October 16-17 Kearneysville, Shepherdstown and Smithfield
October 30-
November 25		 4 Companies assigned to 5th Corps, 4 Companies posted near Hagerstown, Md.
November 2-3 Bloomfield
November 3-4 Snicker’s Gap
November 4 Markham Station
November 5-6 Manassas Gap
November 16-25 Moved to Washington and duty there refitting
December 1 Reconnaissance to Grove Church
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg
December 21-22 Reconnaissance toward Warrenton
December 29-30 Expedition to Richard’s and Ellis’ Fords
1863
January 8-10 Reconnaissance to Catlett’s and Rappahannock Station
January Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac
January 9 Elk Run, Catlett’s Station
January 9 Near Grove Church
February 5 Destruction of Rappahannock Bridge
February 25 Hartwood Church
March 17 Kelly’s Ford
March 17 Bealeton
April 29-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign, Stoneman’s Raid

Lieutenant Alton E. Phillips was mortally wounded
May 1 Rapidan Station
June 3 Near Fayetteville
June 9

Battle of Brandy Station 

Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Greely S. Curtis.
June 17

Aldie
June 21

Upperville
July 2-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The 1st Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Greely S. Curtis. It brought 292 men to the field, and suffered no losses. The regiment was temporarily attached to the 6th Corps Headquarters. There is a monument to the regiment at Gettysburg.
July 4 Emmettsburg
July 6-7 Williamsport
July 14 Near Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia.
July 10 Old Antietam Forge, near Leitersburg
July 12 Jones’ Cross Roads
July 16 Shepherdstown
July 31 Near Aldie
August 4 Scout to Hazel River
August 5 Rixeyville
August 9 Welford’s Ford
August 24 Scout to Barbee’s Cross Roads
September 10-11 Scout to Middleburg
September 13-17 Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan
September 13 Culpeper Court House.
September 13-15 Rapidan Station
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign
October 12 Warrenton (or White Sulphur Springs)
October 14 Auburn and Bristoe; Brentsville
October 15 Picket near Warrenton
November 26-
December 2

Mine Run Campaign
November 27 New Hope Church; Scout and picket duty at Warrenton
December 5 to
January 14		 4 new Companies, I, K, L, M were organized
1864
February 28-March 4

Kilpatrick’s Raid on Richmond
March 1 Fortifications of Richmond
April Cos. C, D at Headquarters Army of the Potomac to muster out
May-June

Rapidan Campaign
May 5-6 Todd’s Tavern
May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness
May 7-8

Todd’s Tavern
May 8 Corbin’s Bridge, Spottsylvania
May 9 Davenport Ford
May 9-24

Sheridan’s Raid to James River
May 9-10

North Anna River
May 11

Ground Squirrel Church, Ashland and Yellow Tavern
May 12 Brooks’ Church, or Richmond Fortifications
May 26-28 Line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31 Totopotomoy
May 31-June 1

Cold Harbor
June 1-7 Around Cold Harbor
June 2 Sumner’s Upper Bridge
June 7-24

Sheridan’s Trevillian Raid
June 11-12

Trevillian Station
June 12 Newark, or Mallory’s Cross Roads
June 21 Black Creek, or Tunstall Station, and White House, or St. Peter’s Church
June 24 St. Mary’s Church
June 27-July 13 Camp at Prince George Court House
July 12 Weldon Railroad and Warwick Swamp, then at Lee’s Mills
July 27-29 Demonstration on north side of James River
July 27-28 Deep Bottom
July 28 Malvern Hill
July 30 Lee’s Mills, and scouting duty
August 14-18 Demonstration north of James River
August 14 Gravel Hill
August 14-18 Strawberry Plains
August 18 Charles City Cross Roads
August 19-21 Weldon Railroad
August 23 Dinwiddie Road, near Ream’s Station
August 25

Ream’s Station
September 14 Hawkinsville
September 16 Jerusalem Plank Road
September 17 Belcher’s Mills
September 29-
October 2		 Poplar Grove Church
September 30 Davis’ Farm
September 30-
October 1		 Arthur’s Swamp
October 1 Vaughan Road
October 25 Old members left front for Massachusetts
October 27-28 Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run
October 29 At McCann’s Station
November 7 Reconnaissance toward Stony Creek, then at Westbrook House
December 1 Stony Creek Station
December 7-12 Bellefield Raid
December 9-10 Bellefield
December 11 At Westbrook House
1865
February 5-7

Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run
February – March Provost duty at City Point
April 2

Fall of Petersburg

Attached to Provost Marshal’s Command, Army of the Potomac
May Headquarters, Army of the Potomac and Duty in the Defenses of Washington
June 29 The 1st Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment was mustered out
July 24 Discharged at Readville, Mass