2nd New York Cavalry Regiment

The 2nd New York Cavalry Regiment, officially known as the 2nd Regiment, New York Volunteer Cavalry, was a unit of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served with the Army of the Potomac and fought in Stoneman's 1863 raid, the Wilson–Kautz Raid, and the Battle of Appomattox Station.

A soldier from the 2nd New York Cavalry is featured in Chapter XIII of MacKinlay Kantor's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Andersonville (1955).

History

Colonel J. Mansfield Davies was authorized by the War Department to recruit the regiment, unofficially known as the Harris Light Cavalry, on July 25, 1861. Its twelve companies were recruited as follows:

Company A at New York City, Hartford, Connecticut, and Newton, New Jersey,

Company B at Newton and Deckertown, New Jersey,

Companies C and D – known as the Connecticut Squadron – at Hartford,

Company E at New York City, Troy, Fort Edward, and Cambridge, New York,

Company F at Covington, Indiana, Fairfield, Vermont, Troy, and Richfield Springs, New York,

Company G at New York City, Newburgh, and Fort Edward,

Company H at Chambersburg, Indiana,

Company I at Lafayette, Indiana,

Company K at Scranton, Pennsylvania, Hampton, Newark, and Rockaway, New Jersey, New York City, Troy, and Richfield Springs,

Company L at New York City, Hudson, Troy, Fort Ann, Fort Edward and Litchfield, and

Company M at New York City, Newburgh, Plattsburgh and Port Henry.

The regiment was organized at Scarsdale, New York, where it was mustered into Federal service for a term of three years between August 9 and October 8, 1861. The War Department designated the regiment as the 7th United States Cavalry on October 26, but it was transferred to New York state service as the 2nd New York Volunteer Cavalry, as Congress had not provided for a seventh Regular Army cavalry regiment.

After leaving New York during September and October, the regiment served with McDowell's Division of the Army of the Potomac from the latter month, on duty in the defenses of Washington, D.C. It was transferred to the Third Division of the First Corps of the Army of the Potomac in March 1862, and in May briefly became part of King's Division of the Department of the Rappahannock. The 2nd New York Volunteer Cavalry formed part of the Cavalry Brigade of the Second Division of the Third Corps of the Army of Virginia (temporarily redesignated from the First Corps) from June. It was transferred to Bayard's Cavalry Brigade of the Army of the Potomac in September, while Companies A, B, I, and K were detached to the Third Division of the First Corps during September and October.