United States Regiments & Batteries > New York > 6th New York Cavalry Regiment
“2nd Ira Harris Guard”
The 6th New York Cavalry Regiment lost 9 officers and 72 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 133 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
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1861
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| September 12 – December 19 | Organized as the 2nd Ira Harris Guard at New York City by Colonel Othneil De Forest under special authority of the War Department.
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| November 20 | Turned over to State of New York as the 6th New York Cavalry Regiment under the command of Colonel Thomas Devin, Lieutenant Colonel Duncan McVicar, and Maors James P. Dailey, William H. Crocker, George M. Van Buren. |
| September 12 | Company A mustered in At New York City |
| September 27 | Company B mustered in at New York city |
| September 28 | Company D mustered in at New York City |
| September 29 | Company C mustered in at Rochester |
| October 3 | Company E mustered in at Staten Island |
| October 24 | Companies F mustered in at Staten Island and G at Binghamton |
| October 28 | Company H mustered in at Staten Island |
| November 2 | Company I mustered in at New York Ciry |
| November 6 | Company L mustered in at Staten Island |
| December 19 | Companies K and M mustered in at Staten Island |
| December 23 | Left New York for York, Pennsylvania and duty there dismounted. |
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1862
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| March | The regiment was ordered to Washington, D.C. and mounted. |
| March-July | Duty in the Defenses of Washington (8 Companies) attached to Military District of Washington, D.C.
The four companies of the Third Battalion served with the army of the Potomac:
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| April 5-May 4 |
Siege of Yorktown, Virginia(Companies D and K) |
| May 5 |
Battle of Williamsburg(Companies D and K) |
| May 31-June 1 |
Seven Pines or Fair Oaks(Company K) |
| June 24-July 1 |
Seven days before Richmond(Companies D, F, H and K) |
| June 29 |
Peach Orchard and Savage Station(Companies D, F, H and K) |
| June 30 |
Glendale(Companies D, F, H and K) |
| July 1 |
Malvern Hill(Companies D, F, H and K) |
| July 23-26 | The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 6th New York Cavalry Regiment moved to Warrenton, Virginia. |
| July and August | Scout and outpost duty on the Rapidan and Rappahannock Rivers at Barnett’s Ford, Virginia. |
| August | Attached to 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac |
| August 14 | Orange Court House |
| August 19 | Culpeper Road |
| August 26 | Barnett’s Ford |
| August 30 | Kelly’s Ford |
| September | Company A was detached to 6th Corps, Army of the Potomac |
| September 9 | Williamsburg |
| September 9-10 | Near Hyattstown |
| September 12 |
Frederick City |
| September 14 |
Battle of South MountainThe main body of the regiment supported Campbell’s Battery. |
| September 16-17 |
Battle of AntietamColonel Thomas Devin commanded the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 6th New York Cavalry Regiment. They were stationed south of the Lower Bridge on the left flank of the army. |
| October 3 |
LovettsvilleThe regiment received the thanks of General Burnside in a special order. |
| October 16-17 | Reconnaissance to Smithville, West Virginia |
| October 16 | Kearneysville |
| October 16-17 | Charlestown |
| October 21 | Near Lovettsville, Near Wheatland |
| October 22 | Snickersville |
| November 2-3 | Union and Bloomfield |
| November 3 | Ashby’s Gap, Upperville |
| November 7 | Waterloo Bridge |
| December 1 | Ellis Ford |
| December 12-15 |
Fredericksburg |
| December 11-15 | Reconnaissance from Yorktown (Detachment) |
| December 12 | Matthews County Court House |
| December 13 | Buena Vista |
| December 14 | Wood’s Cross Roads |
| December | Main body attached to 2nd Brigade, Pleasonton’s Cavalry Division, Army of the Potomac |
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1863
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| January – February | Companies B & C assigned as Headquarters Escort for 9th Corps |
| January 7-9 | Expedition from Yorktown to West Point and White House (Detachment) |
| January 8 | Pamunkey River |
| February | Main body attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac |
| April 7 | Expedition to Gloucester Court House (Detachment) |
| April 11 | Fort Magruder (Detachment) |
| April 27-May 6 |
Chancellorsville Campaign |
| April 29 | Germanis and Richard’s Fords, Crook’s Run |
| April 30 |
Spottsylvania Court House (Alsop’s Field)Lieutenant Colonel McVicar was killed leading the regiment in a nighttime charge to break out after being surrounded behind Confederate lines. Captain William L. Heermance took over the regiment and successfully completed the charge, although he was twice wounded and then captured. Captain George M. Van Buren then took command and led the regiment back to Union lines around Chancellorsville. Captain William Beardsley rejoined the regiment the next day, having become separated from the main body during the fighting in the dark, and took over as senior captain. The regiment lost 51 casualties killed, wounded and missing.
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| May 1-5 |
Battle of ChancellorsvilleThe regiment lost 21 men killed, wounded and missing. |
| May 7 | West Point (Detachment) |
| June 5 | Warwick River |
| June 9 |
Battle of Brandy StationThe regiment was commanded by Major William E. Beardsley while Colonel Thomas Devin commanded the brigade. |
| June 21 | Upperville |
| June 22 | Middleburg |
| June 24-25 | Haymarket |
| June 24-July 7 |
Dix’s Peninsula Campaign (3rd Battalion) |
| July 1-3 |
Battle of GettysburgThe 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 6th New York Cavalry Regiment were commanded at Gettysburg by Major William Elliott Beardsley while Colonel Thomas Devin commanded the brigade. They brought 407 men to the field, picketing the west side of Gettysburg on June 30 and holding back Confederate infantry until relieved by the Union First Army Corps on July 1st. They then shifted east to cover the York Road, eventually retiring to south of town near the Peach Orchard on Emmitsburg Road. Company A was assigned to 3rd Corps HQ, Companies D & K to 2nd Corps HQ, Company L to the 1st Cavalry Division, 2nd Brigade, Provost Guard, and Companies F & H were at Yorktown, Virginia. The regiment lost one man killed, three wounded and eight missing. From the monument at Gettysburg:Regiment at Gettysburg.Arrived June 30, 1863. July 1st skirmished dismounted, on this line until arrival of 1st Corps and the rest of the day on right of the York Road, then retired to Cemetery Hill, one squadron being among the last Union troops in Gettysburg on that day. Bivouacked in Peach Orchard that night, and engaged enemy’s skirmishers on the morning of July 2 until relieved by troops of the 3rd Corps. Then moved to Taneytown and on the third to Westminster, from which place moved with the Division (Buford’s) in pursuit of the enemy, met and engaged them July 8th at Boonsboro, Md., holding that position. |
| Ju’ly 1-7 | (3rd Battalion – Companies F & H) Expedition from White House to Bottom’s Bridge |
| July 2 | Crump’s or Baltimore Cross Roads (3rd Battalion) |
| July 6 |
Williamsport |
| July 8 |
Boonsboro |
| July 9 | Benevola or Beaver Creek, Md. |
| July 10-13 |
Funkstown |
| July 14 |
Falling Waters |
| July – August | Company A was assigned to the 22nd Corps, Department of Washington |
| July 21-22 |
Manassas Gap |
| July 23 |
Wapping Heights |
| July 25 | Barber’s Cross Roads |
| July 31-August 1 | Kelly’s Ford |
| August 1-3 | Brandy Station |
| September 13-17 | Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan |
| September 13 | Culpeper Court House |
| September 14-15 | Raccoon Ford |
| September 19 | Raccoon Ford |
| September 21-23 | Reconnaissance across the Rapidan |
| September 22 | Jack’s Shop, Madison Court House |
| October 9-22 |
Bristoe Campaign |
| October 10 | Raccoon and Morton’s Fords |
| October 11 | Kelly’s Ford and Stevensburg |
| October 12 | Brandy Station or Fleetwood |
| October 14 | Near Bristoe Station |
| October 15 | Oak Hill |
| October 17-18 | Culpeper |
| October 24-26 | Bealeton |
| November 7-8 | Advance to line of the Rappahannock |
| November 8 | Muddy Run |
| November 26-December 2 |
Mine Run Campaign |
| November 29 | Parker’s Store |
| December 16 | The 6th New York Cavalry Regiment reenlisted as Veteran Volunteers at Culpeper Court House, Virginia. |
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1864
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| February 6-7 | Demonstration on the Rapidan, Barnett’s Ford |
| February 28- March 4 |
Kilpatrick’s Raid on Richmond |
| February 29 |
Near Taylorstown, Beaver Dam Station, Frederick’s Hall and South Anna Bridge |
| March 1 |
Defenses of Richmond |
| March 2 | Aylett’s |
| March 3 | Kings and Queens Court House |
| March 11 | Carrollton’s Store |
| May-June |
Rapidan Campaign |
| May 5-7 |
Battle of the Wilderness |
| May 6 | Brock Road and the Furnaces |
| May 7-8 |
Todd’s Tavern |
| May 8 |
Battle of Spottsylvania Court House |
| May 9-24 |
Sheridan’s Raid to James River |
| May 9-10 |
North Anna |
| May 11 | Ground Squirrel Church and Yellow Tavern |
| May 12 | Fortifications of Richmond and Meadow Bridge |
| May 17 | Jones’ Bridge |
| May 26-28 | On line of the Pamunkey |
| May 27 | Crump’s Creek and Hanovertown |
| May 28-31 |
Totopotomoy |
| May 28 |
Haw’s Shop |
| May 30 | Old Church and Mattadequin Creek |
| May 31-June 6 |
Cold Harbor |
| May 31-June 1 | Bethesda Church |
| June 7-24 |
Sheridan’s Trevillian RaidThe regiment lost 63 men killed, wounded and missing. |
| June 11-12 |
Trevillian Station |
| June 12 | Newark or Mallory’s Cross Roads |
| June 21 | White House or St. Peter’s Church |
| June 21 | Black Creek or Tunstall’s Station |
| June 23 | Jones’ Bridge, Charles City Court House |
| June 26-July 30 |
First Assault on Petersburg |
| July 27-28 |
Deep Bottom |
| August 7- November 28 |
Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign.Attached to the Second Brigade, First Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Shenandoah, Middle Military Division. Major William E. Beardsley command the regiment while Colonel Thomas Devin commanded the brigade. |
| August 10 and 13 | Berryville |
| August 11 | Toll Gate near White Post and Newtown, Front Royal |
| August 12 | Cedar Creek |
| August 15 | Colonell Devin was breveted brigadier general. |
| August 16 |
Cedarville, Guard Hill or Front Royal and Crooked Run
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| August 21 | Charlestown |
| August 25 | Kearneyville and near Shephardstown |
| August 28 | Leetown and Smithfield |
| August 29 | Smithfield Crossing Opequan |
| September 3 | Berryville |
| September 13 | Bunker Hill |
| September 15 | Sevier’s Ford, Opequan Creek |
| September 19 |
Battle of WinchesterThe regiment was commanded by Major William E. Beardsley.
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| September 20 | Middletown and Strasburg |
| September 21 |
Fisher’s Hill |
| September 23 | Near Edenburg |
| September 23-24 | Mr. Jackson |
| September 24 | New Market |
| September 26-27 | Port Republic |
| September 29 | Waynesboro |
| October 2 | Mt. Crawford |
| October 8-9 |
Tom’s Brook, “Woodstock Races” |
| October 14 |
Hupp’s Hill near Strasburg |
| October 19 |
Battle of Cedar CreekThe regiment was commanded by Captain George E. Farmer.
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| October 20 | Woodstock |
| November 11 | Near Kernstown |
| November 12 | Newtown |
| November 22 | Hood’s Hill |
| November 28-December 3 | Expedition from Winchester into Faquier and Loudoun Counties |
| December 19-28 | Expedition to Gordonsville |
| December 23 | Jack’s Shop near Gordonsville |
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1865
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| January 18 | Lovettsville |
| February 27- March 25 |
Sheridan’s Raid from Winchester |
| March 2 | Waynesboro, Occupation of Staunton |
| March 3 | Charlottesville |
| March 11 | Goochland Court House |
| March 28-April 9 |
Appomattox Campaign |
| March 30-31 |
Dinwiddie Court House |
| April 1 |
Batttle of Five ForksGeneral Sheridan presented the regiment with a flag emblazoned “Five Forks” |
| April 2 |
Fall of Petersburg, Scott’s Cross Roads |
| April 3 | Deep Creek |
| 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 23-29 | Expedition to Danville |
| May | Moved to Washington, D.C. |
| May 23 | Grand Review |
| June 17 | The 6th New York Cavalry Regiment consolidated with the 15th New York Cavalry Regiment to form the 2nd Regiment Provisional Cavalry. |
| August 9 | Mustered out at Louisville, Ky. |
Captain William Laing Heermance was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. His citation reads: “Took command of the regiment as its senior officer when surrounded by Stuart’s Cavalry. The regiment cut its way through the enemy’s line and escaped, but Capt. Heermance was desperately wounded, left for dead on the field and was taken prisoner.”