United States Regiments & Batteries > Massachusetts > 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment


The 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment lost 8 officers and 82 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 3 officers and 138 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War.

1862
December 10 Company A organized 101 enlisted men at San Francisco, California under the command of Captain James Reed. The company provided its own equipment, uniforms and transportation to the east coast.
1863
January 4 Company A arrived at Readville, Mass. Companies B, C, D, G, H, I and K organized at Camp Meigs, Readville.
February – March Companies E, F, L and M organized at San Francisco, California
February 12-18 Companies A – D and K left Massachusetts for Baltimore, Maryland, then moved to Fortress Monroe, Virginia.
February 19 Companies A – D and K moved to Gloucester Point, Virginia and were attached to Cavalry Command, 4th Corps, Department of Virginia
March 21 Companies E, F, L and M left San Francisco for Readville, Massachusetts.
April 16 Companies E, F, L and M joined the Regiment at Readville, Massachusetts, as the California Battalion
March 30
Reconnaissance from Gloucester
April 7
Expedition to Gloucester Court House
April 27-May 14 Companies A and B moved to Williamsburg, Virginia, and reconnaissance to White House, VA.
May 6 Expedition to King and Queen County
May 10 Charles R. Lowell was appointed colonel.
May 11-16 Companies E, F, G, H, I, L & M moved from Readville, Massachusetts to Washington, D.C. Attached to Casey’s Provisional Troops, 22nd Corps
May 15 Companies C, D and K moved to West Point, Virginia and duty there
May 30 Engaged in picket and outpost duty and scouting and duty at East Capital Hill, Defenses of Washington, D.C.
June 1-11 At Camp Brightwood
June 23-July 3

Dix’s Peninsula Campaign.

Companies C, D and K  moved to Poolesville, Maryland and patrol duty in rear of the Army of the Potomac.

June 23-28 Companies C, D and K – Expedition to South Anna Bridge.
June 26 Companies C, D and K – Action at Hanovertown and South Anna Bridge
July 1-7 Companies C, D and K – Expedition from White House to South Anna River
July 1 Brockville
July 3-9 Scout near Dawsonville
July 11-14 Reconnaissance to Ashby’s Gap
July 12
Action at Ashby’s Gap
July 13 Rockville, Md.
July 20-21 Reconnaissance to Warrenton
July 21 and 31
Skirmishes at Warrenton
July 25 Companies C, D and K – Expedition to Gloucester Court House
July 27-29 Companies C, D and K moved to Washington, D.C.
July 28-August 3 Operations about Fairfax Court House
August 6 Companies C, D and K joined Regiment at Centreville, Va.
July 30 Near Aldie
August-September Duty at Centreville, Va., operating against Moseby. Attached to King’s Division, 22nd Corps
September Attached to Cavalry Brigade, 22nd Corps
September 15-March 8 Companies C, F, G and I detached at Muddy Branch
August 17 Warrenton Pike
August 24 Coyle’s Tavern, near Fairfax Court House
August 15-19
Expedition from Centreville
September 18-20
Second expedition from Centreville
October 2-5
Third expedition from Centreville
October 6 Ordered to Fairfax Court House
October 9 To Vienna
October 12-13 Scout to Gum Springs
October 22 Near Annandale
November 14 Tyson’s Cross Roads
November 18-26 Reconnaissance to Blue Ridge Mountains
December 12-23
Picket attacks
December 13
Affair at Germantown (Detachment)
December 18-20 Scout from Vienna to Middleburg
December 29
Skirmish with Moseby
1864
January 17 Near Ellis and Ely’s Fords
January 26 Ellis Ford
February 4-6 Scout to Aldie
February 5 Aldie
February 21 Near Circlesville
February 22 Dranesville
February 25-26 Scout to Farmwell
March 8 Companies B, D, E and M relieve Companies C, F, G & I at Muddy Branch
April Expedition to Faquier and Loudoun Counties
April 19
Affair Leesburg (Detachment)
April 28
Action with Moseby near Leesburg
April 28-May 1 Scout to Upperville
May Patrol duty on Orange & Alexandria Railroad
May 24 Moved to Fall’s Church
June 8-14 Escort wounded from the Wilderness
July 5 Point of Rocks
July 6
Action with Moseby at Mr. Zion Church, near Aldie
July 7-8 Frederick Pike
July 10 Tennallytown
July 11 Fort Reno and near Fort Stevens
July 11-12

Fort Stevens and Northern Defenses of Washington

July 13 Rockville, Maryland.
July 14 Poolesville, Maryland.
July 14-28 Pursuit of Early to Snicker’s Gap
July 17-18
Snicker’s Gap
July 26-August 9 At Rockville
August to November

Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign.

Attached to Reserve Cavalry Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Shenandoah, Middle Military Division

August 10 Shepherdstown
August 12 White Post
August 15 Strasburg
August 17 and 18
Winchester
August 18 Opequan Creek
August 19 Near Opequan Creek
August 20 Berryville Pike
August 21 Summit Point
August 21-22
Charleston
August 22-24 Halltown
August 25-27 Summit Point
August 29 Smithfield
September Attached to 3rd (Reserve) Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Shenandoah. Colonel Lowell took command of the brigade as senior colonel.
September 3-4 Berryville
September 4 Berryville Pike
September 7 Opequan Creek
September 13 Locke’s Ford, Opequan Creek
September 15 Sevier’s Ford, Opequan Creek
September 19

Third Battle of Winchester (Opequan)

The 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment took part in the cavalry charge that broke the Confederate flank.

September 20 Front Royal and Snake Mountain
September 21

Fisher’s Hill

September 22 Milford
September 23 Mill’s Ford
September 23
Toll Gate, near Front Royal
September 24 Luray Valley
September 26-27 Port Republic
September 28 Rockfish Gap
September 28, 29 and 30 Waynesboro
October 2 Waynesboro and Mt. Crawford
October 8-9

Battle of Tom’s Brook, “Woodstock Races”

October 19

Battle of Cedar Creek

Captain Henry H. Crocker was awarded the Medal of Honor for leading a charge during the afternoon counterattack. Colonel Charles Lowell, commanding the brigade, was mortally wounded. Major General Sheridan posthumously promoted Lowell to brigadier general.

November 3-28 Guarded Winchester & Potomac Railroad
November 11 Near Kernstown
November 28-
December 3
Expedition to Loudoun and Faquier Counties

in retaliation for Mosby’s hanging of 7 Federal prisoners.

December 19-28
Expedition to Gordonsville
December 20 Madison Court House
December 23 Gordonsville
December 24 Charlottesville
1865
January 1 –
February 27
At Camp Russell, near Winchester
February 27-
May 25

Sheridan’s Raid to White House Landing

March 2 Occupation of Staunton and Waynesborough
March 8 Duguidsville
March 14 South Anna Bridge. Destruction of Virginia Central Railroad and James River Canal.
March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign

March 30

White Oak Road, near Five Forks

March 30-31

Dinwiddie Court House

April 1

Battle of Five Forks

April 2 Scott’s Cross Roads
April 4 Tabernacle Church or Beaver Pond Creek
April 6

Sailor’s Creek

April 8

Appomattox Station

April 9

Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.

April 10-19 At Nottawny Station
April 23 Expedition to Danville
April 29 Near Petersburg
May 10-16 March to Washington, D.C.
May 23 Grand Review
May 29-June 26 Near Cloud’s Mills
July At Fairfax Court House
July 20 The 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment was mustered out