1st Rhode Island Cavalry Regiment

1st Rhode Island Cavalry Regiment
Active	Between December 1861 and March 1862 to August 3, 1865
Country	United States
Allegiance	Union
Branch	Union Army
Type	Cavalry
Part of	In 1862, Hatch's Cavalry Brigade, Nathaniel Banks' V Corps, Department of the Shenandoah
Engagements	Second Battle of Bull Run Battle of Chancellorsville Gettysburg Campaign Bristoe Campaign Battle of Mine Run

The 1st Rhode Island Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment that participated in the American Civil War. They were badly routed at the Battle of Middleburg, a blemish on an otherwise competent combat record.

History

The 1st Rhode Island Cavalry Regiment was organized between December 1861 and March 1862 at Pawtucket as the 1st New England Cavalry. Late in that month, the regiment was sent to Washington, D.C., and initially assigned to Hatch's cavalry brigade in Nathaniel Banks' V Corps in the Department of the Shenandoah. Throughout the war, the regiment would be a part of many reorganizations of the cavalry, although the majority of its service was with the Army of the Potomac.

Most of the regiment's service in 1862 was in northern Virginia, where it served as scouts to determine enemy movements, as well as foraging for supplies and screening infantry movements. The troopers saw action contesting Stonewall Jackson's cavalry in the Valley Campaign. They fought in the Second Bull Run Campaign, as well as many other battles of note, including service in the cavalry actions surrounding the Battle of Fredericksburg.

In 1863, they participated in the Chancellorsville Campaign, and played an important role in the opening battle of the Gettysburg Campaign at Brandy Station. Shortly thereafter, isolated and alone deep in Confederate territory on a scouting mission, they lost nearly 240 of their 280 remaining men at the June 17 skirmish at Middleburg. The regiment was refitted with new recruits and performed scouting and outpost duty along the upper Potomac River until September, when they rejoined the Army of the Potomac, participating in the Bristoe Campaign and Mine Run Campaign.

The following year, the 1st Rhode Island served in the defenses of Washington, D.C., before eventually returning to the Shenandoah Valley under the command of Philip H. Sheridan. Due to heavy battle losses, the regiment was consolidated to a battalion of four companies on January 1, 1865. They continued serving in the valley for much of the rest of the war before being mustered out at Baltimore, Maryland on August 3, 1865.

During the war, the regiment lost 1 officer and 16 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and 2 officers and 77 enlisted men to disease. Hundreds more were wounded or captured. A total of 2,124 different men served in the regiment at various times, although its field strength normally was less than 500 effectives.

Notable members

• Captain George N. Bliss – Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Waynesboro, September 28, 1864

See also

• List of Rhode Island Civil War units
• Rhode Island in the American Civil War

External links

• National Park Service Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
• The battle of Groveton, August 28, 1862 (1885) at the Internet Archive
• Cavalry service with General Sheridan, and life in Libby prison (1884) at the Internet Archive
• Reminiscences of service in the First Rhode Island Cavalry (1878) at the Internet Archive
• The Battle of Kelly's Ford, March 17, 1863 (1887) at the Internet Archive
• The First Rhode Island Cavalry at Middleburg, Va., June 17 and 18, 1863 (1889) at the Internet Archive
• The Battle of Cedar Mountain: a personal view, August 9, 1862 (1881) at the Internet Archive
• Incidents of cavalry experiences during General Pope's campaign (1883) at the Internet Archive
• Operations of the cavalry corps, middle military division, armies of the United States, from February 27 to March 8, 1865, participated in by the First Rhode Island Cavalry (1896) at the Internet Archive