8th New York Volunteer Cavalry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > New York

“Rochester Regiment”

The 8th New York Volunteer Cavalry Regiment lost during the Civil War 13 officers and 92 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded. Five officers and 200 enlisted men died of disease, accidents and other causes, including 3 officers and 70 enlisted men in Confederate captivity. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
Organized at Rochester, N.Y.
November 23 Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, I and K were mustered in to three years Federal service.
November 28-30 Companies G & H were mustered in. The regiment initially only had ten companies instead of the twelve that was standard for cavalry regiments, as Company L had been merged into Company G and Company M merged into H.Moved to Washington, D.C. for duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. attached to Cavalry Brigade, Army of the Potomac
December Many men from Comoany K were transferred to other companies of the regiment.
1862
March Attached to Hatch’s Cavalry Command, Banks’ 5th Corps
March 8 The men remaining in Company K were transferred to Companies A, B and D of the 1st New York Artillery Battalion.
April Attached to Hatch’s Cavalry Brigade, Department of the Shenandoah
May 15-June 17

Operations in the Shenandoah Valley

Attached to Railroad Brigade, 8th Corps, Middle Department
May 24 Berryville
May 24-25 Retreat to Williamsport
May 25

Battle of Winchester
May 25

Stevenson’s Station
May 28-30 Harper’s Ferry
June 25 Captain Benjamin F. Davis of the First United States Cavalry Regiment (West Point Class of 1854) was commissioned Colonel and appointed to command of the 8th New York Cavalry.  Davis was a Mississippian who had stayed loyal to the United States. Two of his brothers died fighting for the Confederacy.
September 4 Near Charlestown
September 8 Summit Point
September 12-15

Siege of Harper’s Ferry

After a heated argument with post commander Colonel Dixon Miles, Colonel Davis led 1,300 Federal cavalry in a daring nightime escape from Harpers Ferry, which Miles had decided to surrender the next morning. Davis, along with Lieutenant Colonel Hasbrouck Davis of the 12th Illinois Cavalry, led their men through the darkness across the pontoon bridge over the Potomac and up a difficult and winding road that ran under the noses of Confederate forces on the bluffs north of the town. They successfully made their way north to Union held territory at Greencastle, Pennsylvania, capturing on the way 40 wagons of Confederate General Longstreet’s ordnance train. For this exploit Davis was promoted to major in the Regular Army.
September 15 Near Williamsport and Greencastle.
September Attached to 5th Brigade, Pleasanton’s Cavalry Division, Army of the Potomac
September 16-17

Battle of Antietam
September 20 Near Shephardstown
September 29 A new Company K was mustered in at Rochester for three years service and sent to the regiment.
October 14 A new Company M was mustered in at Rochester for three years service and sent to the regiment.
October 15 A new Company L was mustered in at Rochester for three years service and sent to the regiment. This brought the 8th New York Cavalry up to the standard 12 company organization.
October 27 Snicker’s Gap
November 20 Uniontown
November 28-30 Companies G & H were mustered in. The regiment initially only had ten companies instead of the twelve that was standard for cavalry regiments, as Company L had been merged into Company G and Company M merged into H.Moved to Washington, D.C. for duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. attached to Cavalry Brigade, Army of the Potomac
November Attached to 1st Cavalry Brigade, Right Grand Division, Army of the Potomac
November 1-2 Philomont
November 2-3 Union and Bloomfield
November 5-6 Barbee’s Cross Roads, Chester Gap and Markham
November 7 Waterloo Bridge
November 10 Corbin’s Cross Roads near Amissville
November 14 Jefferson
November 20 Uniontown
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg
December 30-31 Near Warrenton
1863
January 4 Warrenton
February 9 Somerville
February Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac
February 11 Belle Plains
March 2 Near Dumfries
March 4 Independence Hill, Prince William County
March 29 Near Dumfries
April 1 Beverly Ford
April 15 Beverly Ford, Freeman’s Ford and Hazel Run
April 27-May 8

Stoneman’s Raid
April 29 Kelly’s Ford
April 30 Culpeper
May 1 Rapidan Station
May 2 Ely’s Ford
May 4 Rapidan Bridge
June 9

Battle of Brandy Station

The regiment was commanded by Major Edmund M. Pope while Colonel Davis was in command of the Brigade.

During a Confederate counterattack which had sent much of his brigade in retreat, Colonel Davis engaged in a one on one fight with Confederate Lieutenant O. R. Allen of the 6th Virginia Cavalry. Both men slashed at each other with their sabers while firing their revolvers. Davis was hit in the head with a revolver round and was killed instantly.

The 8th New York lost 12 men killed, 31 wounded and 7 missing. Captain Benjamin F. Foote and Lieutenants Henry C. Cutler, Benjamin C. Efner and James E. Reeves were killed. Brandy Station would be the 8th New York’s most costly battle, suffering the greatest losses of any Union regiment in the battle.

Lieutenant Colonel William L. Markell was promoted to colonel.
June 17 Aldie
June 20 Ashby’s Gap
June 21 Upperville
June 23 Aldie
June 27 Near Middleburg and Upperville
June 30 Fairfield, Pa.,
July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel William L. Markell. It brought 623 men to the field and lost 3 men killed, including Captain Charles D. Follett, 10 men wounded and 21 missing.

From the monument at Gettysburg:

Pickets of this regiment were attacked around 5 a.m., July 1, 1863, by the advanced skirmishers of Heth’s Confederate Division. The regiment engaged the enemy west of Seminary Ridge, with the brigade stubbornly contesting the ground against great odds until about 10:30 a.m., when it was relieved by the advance regiments of the 1st Corps.
July 6

Williamsport and Funkstown
July 8

Boonsboro
July 9 Benevola or Beaver Creek
July 10-13

Funkstown
July 14

Falling Waters
July 21-22

Chester Gap
July 23

Wapping Heights
July 25 Barber’s Cross Roads
July 31-August 1 Kelly’s Ford
August 1, 4 and 10 Brandy Station
September 13-17 Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan
September 13 Culpeper Court House
September 14-15 Rapidan Station
September 19 Raccoon Ford
September 21-23 Reconnaissance across the Rapidan
September 22 Jack’s Shop, Madison Court House
October 1 Germania Ford
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign

The 8th New York lost 48 men killed, wounded and missing during the campaign in October.
October 10 Germania, Raccoon and Morton’s Fords
October 11 Stevensburg and near Kelly’s Station
October 12 Brandy Station
October 15 Oak Hill
October 17-18 Hunter’s Ford
October 24-26 Bealeton
October 27 Snicker’s Gap
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 8 Muddy Run
November 26-December 2

Mine Run Campaign
November 27 Locust Grove
November 29 Parker’s Store
1864
February 6-7 Demonstration on the Rapidan, Morton’s Ford
February 27 Colonel Markell resigned, and Lieutenant Colonel William H. Benjamin took over command of the regiment. He would soon be promoted to colonel.
March 4 James City
March Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac
May-June

Rapidan (Overland) Campaign
May 5 Craig’s Meeting House
May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness
May 7 The Furnaces
May 8 Alsop’s Farm, Spottsylvania
May 9-24

Sheridan’s Raid to James River
May 9-10

North Anna River
May 11

Ground Squirrel Church and Yellow Tavern
May 12 Fortifications of Richmond and Meadow Bridge
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 26 Demonstration on Little Creek
May 28-31

Totopotomoy
May 30 Mechump’s Creek
May 31

Hanover Court House
June 1-12

Battle of Cold Harbor
June 2 Gaines Mill, Totopotomoy and Salem Church and Sumner’s Upper Bridge
June 3

Haw’s Shop

Colonel Benjamin was wounded while leading the regiment. Lieutenant Colonel Edmund M. Pope took command of the regiment.
June 10-11 Old Church
June 12 Riddell’s Shop and Long Bridge
June 13 White Oak Swamp
June 14 Near Harrison’s Landing
June 15 St. Mary’s Church and Malvern Hill
June 17-July 30

Before Petersburg
June 22-30

Wilson-Kautz Raid on South Side & Danville Railroad

The regiment lost 117 men on the raid, most of whom were reported missing.
June 22

Ream’s Station
June 23

Black and White Station and Nottoway Court House

The regiment lost 90 men in a nine hour battle that lasted through the afternoon and night. Captains James McNair and James A. Sayles were killed during the battle with Confederate cavalry under Fitzhugh Lee.
June 25

Staunton Bridge and Roanoke Station
June 27

Columbia Grove
June 28

Sappony Church or Stony Creek
June 29

Ream’s Station

The regiment cut their way through the Confederate encirclement. They were forced to circle around almost to the North Carolina border before returning to Union lines.
August 7-November 28

Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign.

Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Shenandoah, Middle Military Division
August 17 Winchester
August 21 Charlestown Summit Point
August 23 Halltown
August 25 Kearneysville
September 3 Berryville
September 7 Near Brucetown and near Winchester
September 13 Locke’s Ford
September 16 Snicker’s Gap
September 19

Battle of Opequan, Winchester
September 20 Near Cedarville
September 21 Front Royal Pike
September 22 Milford
September 25 Luray
September 26 Staunton
September 29 Waynesboro
September 30 Mr. Crawford
October 7 Columbia Furnace
October 8-9

Tom’s Brook, “Woodstock Races”
October 9 Mr. Olive
October 19

Battle of Cedar Creek
October 29 Original members who did not reenlist were ordered to Rochester to be mustered out.
November 1 The regiment consolidated into a battalion of eight companies. Companies A-E retained their designations. Company K became Company F, L became G, and M was designated H. Enlisted men of the original Company F were transferred to Company A and men of original G were redistributed to Companies B, C, D and M; men of the original H to D and L; and men of I to Company E.
November 10 Near Kernstown
November 12 Newtown and Middle Road, Cedar Creek
November 22 Rude’s Hill, near Mt. Jackson
December 19-22 Expedition to Lacy Springs
December 21 Lacy Springs
1865
February 4-6 Expedition from Winchester to Moorefield, West Virginia.Private William E. Hart of Company B was awarded the Medal of Honor “for extraordinary heroism… in action at Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, for gallant conduct and services as scout in connection with the capture of the guerrilla Harry Gilmore” on February 4.
February 27-
March 25,

Sheridan’s Raid from Winchester
March 3

Battle of Waynesboro

The 8th New York Cavalry was commanded by Major Hartwell B. Compson. In the last fighting in the Shenandoah Valley the remnants of Early’s Confederate Army of the Valley were killed, captured or dispersed. Over 1,500 Confederate prisoners were taken along with 5 pieces of artillery and 10 battle flags

Major Hartwell B. Compson, Second Lieutenants Andrew Kuder and Robert Niven, Sergeants James Congdon, Charles A. Goheen and Daniel Kelly and Corporal Henry H. Bickford were awarded the Medal of Honor for extreme valor in capturing the headquarters flags of Major General Jubal Early and the Army of the Valley.
March 4 Occupation of Charlottesville
March 13 Beaver Dam Station
March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign

The 8th New York lost 31 men killed, wounded and missing in the campaign.
March 30-31

Dinwiddie Court House
April 1

Five Forks

Lieutenant Benjamin F. Chappell was killed.
April 2

Fall of Petersburg
April 3

Namozine Church

Captain Asa L. Goodrich was killed.
April 4 Jettersville
April 6

Sailor’s Creek
April 8

Appomattox Station

First Lieutenant Morton Read was awarded the Medal of Honor “for extraordinary heroism on 8 April 1865, while serving with Company D, 8th New York Cavalry, in action at Appomattox Station, Virginia, for capture of flag of 1st Texas Infantry (Confederate States of America).”

Saddler Joseph E. Sova was awarded the Medal of Honor “for extraordinary heroism on March 29 – 9 April 1865, while serving with Company H, 8th New York Cavalry, in action at Appomattox Campaign, Virginia, for capture of flag.”
April 9
Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.
April 23-29

Expedition to Danville
April 30 New Companies I, K, L and M were created from recruits and mustered in for either one and two years’ service, restoring the regiment to the twelve company organization of a cavalry regiment. Lieutenant Colonel Edmund M. Pope was promoted to colonel.
May March to Washington, D.C.
May 23 Grand Review
June 27 Mustered out and honorably discharged from service under the command of Colonel Edmund M. Pope.