Organized at Trenton, N. J, under authority of the War Department August 14, 1861, as Halsted's Cavalry. Left State for Washington, D.C.; four Companies August 24 and six Companies August 31, 1861. Attached to Heintzelman's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. Wadsworth's Command, Military District of Washington, to May, 1862. Bayard's Cavalry Brigade, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to June, 1862. Bayard's Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Corps, Pope's Army of Virginia, to September, 1862. Bayard's Cavalry Brigade, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1862. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division. Army of the Potomac, to February, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, to May, 1865. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Dept. of Washington, to July, 1865.

SERVICE.—

·    Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C., till May, 1862.

·     Reconnaissance to Pohick Church, Va.. December 18, 1861 (1 Co.).

·    Lee's House. Occoquan Bridge, January 29, 1862 (Detachment).

·    Transferred to State of New Jersey and designated 1st Cavalry February 19, 1862.

·    Rappahannock River May 13.

·    Staunton and Strasburg Road June 1-2.

·    Woodstock June 2.

·    Harrisonburg June 6.

·    Battle of Cross Keys June 8.

·    Reconnaissance to James City July 22-24.

·    Operations about Orange Court House July 29.

·    Barnett's Ford August 1.

·    Slaughter House August 8.

·    Battle of Cedar Mountain August 9.

·    Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia August 16-September 2.

·    Rappahannock Station August 19.

·    Brandy Station, Stevensburg and Raccoon Ford August 20.

·    Fords of the Rappahannock August 21-23.

·    Warrenton August 26.

·    Faquier White Sulphur Springs August 27.

·    Thoroughfare Gap August 28.

·    Bull Run August 30.

·    Germantown and Centreville August 31.

·    Chantilly August 31.

·    In Defenses of Washington September.

·    Reconnaissance from Upton's Hill to Leesburg September 16-18 (2 Cos.).

·    Expedition from Centreville to Warrenton September 29 (Detachment).

·    Expedition to Thoroughfare Gap October 17-18.

·    Near Upperville October 29 (Detachment).

·    Aldie and Mountsville October 31.

·    Salem, New Baltimore and Thoroughfare Gap November 4.

·    Rappahannock Station November 7, 8 and 9.

·    Snicker's Ferry, Berryville, November 30.

·    Near Dumfries December 11, Battle of FrederIcksburg December 12-15, Near Chantilly December 29.

·    Near Fairfax Court House and Middleburg January 26.

·    Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.

·    Stoneman's Raid April 29-May 8.

·    Brandy Station and Beverly Ford June 9.

·    Aldie June 17.

·    Middleburg June 19.

·    Upperville June 21.

·    Dover June 22.

·    Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3.

·    Emmettsburg, Md., July 4.

·    Old Antietam Forge, near Leitersburg, July 10.

·    Reconnaissance to Ashby's Gap July 11-14.

·    Ashby's Gap July 12.

·    Near Harper's Ferry July 14.

·    Shephardstown July 14-16.

·    Scout to Goose Creek July 25-27.

·    Rixeyville Ford August 5.

·    Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan September 13-17.

·    Culpeper Court House September 13.

·    Bristoe Campaign October 8-22.

·    Skirmishes at James City October 8-10.

·    Near Warrenton October 11.

·    Warrenton or White Sulphur Springs October 12-13.

·    Brentsville October 14.

·    Auburn and Bristoe October 14.

·    Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8.

·    Near Warrenton November 11.

·    Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.

·    New Hope Church November 27.

·    Parker's Store November 29.

·    Reconnaissance from Bealeton and Front Royal January 1-4, 1864.

·    Scout from Warrenton to Piedmont February 17-18.

·    Near Piedmont February 18 (Detachment).

·    Custer's Raid into Albemarle County February 28-March 1.

·    Near Charlottesville February 29.

·    Stannardsville March 1.

·    Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15.

·    Todd's Tavern May 5-6.

·    Wilderness May 6-7.

·    Todd's Tavern May 7-8.

·    Corbin's Bridge May 8.

·    Sheridan's Raid May 9-24.

·    Davenport and Childsburg May 9.

·    North Anna River May 9-10.

·    Ground Squirrel Church and Yellow Tavern May 11.

·    Ashland May 11.

·    Brooks' Church or fortifications of Richmond May 12.

·    Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28.

·    Hawes' Shop May 28.

·    Totopotomoy May 28-31.

·    Cold Harbor May 31-June 1.

·    Sumner's Upper Bridge, Sheridan's Trevillian Raid, June 7-24.

·    Trevillian Station June 11-12.

·    Newark or Mallory's Cross Roads June 12.

·    Black Creek or Tunstall Station June 21.

·    White House of St. Peter's Church June 21.

·    St. Mary's Church June 24.

·    Near Petersburg June 29-July 12.

·    Lee's Mills, Warwick Swamp, July 12.

·    Demonstration north of the James July 27-29.

·    Deep Bottom July 27-28.

·    Malvern Hill July 28.

·    Ream's Station August 8.

·    Demonstration north of the James August 13-20.

·    Strawberry Plains August 14-18, Gravel Hill August 14.

·    Weldon Railroad August 18-21.

·    Dinwiddie Road, near Ream's Station, August 23.

·    Ream's Station August 25.

Old members mustered out at Trenton, N. J., September 16, 1864.

·    Belcher's Mills September 17.

·    Poplar Springs Church September 29-October 2.

·    Arthur's Swamp September 30-October 1.

·    Vaughan Road October 1.

·    Boydton Plank Road or Hatcher's Run October 27-28.

·    Reconnaissance to Stony Creek November 7.

·    Warren's Raid on Weldon Railroad December 7-12.

·    Bellefield Station December 9-10.

·    Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5-7, 1865.

·    Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9.

·    Dinwiddie Court House March 30-31.

·    Five Forks April 1.

·    Payne's Cross Roads and Amelia Springs April 5.

·    Sailor's Creek April 6.

·    Farmville April 7.

·    Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army.

·     Expedition from Burkesville to Danville and South Boston April 23-27.

·     Moved to Washington, D.C., May 2-12.

·    Grand Review May 23.

·    Company "F" mustered out at Washington May 25, 1865.

·    Mustered out at Cloud's Hills, Va., July 24, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 12 Officers and 116 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 4 Officers and 185 Enlisted men by disease. Total 317.

Battle Report Filed By Lt. Col. Joseph Karge, Commanding the

1st New Jersey Cavalry

CAMP NEAR MOUNT JACKSON, VA.,
June 13, 1862.

GENERAL: In compliance with your request I have the honor to sub-reit the following report concerning the regiment and its operations, commencing June 2, until date:

June 2, immediately after reveille, I received your verbal orders (being then encamped 1½ miles the other side of Strasburg) to proceed with one battalion of cavalry (about 200 men strong) to reconnoiter the immediate vicinity of Strasburg from an impending hill, quarter of a mile from the above-named place. I followed up your orders, and the result was that, finding no enemy in sight, I sent Lieutenant Sawyer, of Company D, with a platoon, to the town, deploying meantime my skirmishers  in all the neighboring woods, reporting facts to you. In consequence of this I received your orders to proceed with my whole command to town, Lieutenant-Colonel Kane, of the Pennsylvania. Sharpshooters, following me with his detachment. Just before I reached the interior of the town I was joined by Colonel Wyndham, to whom I immediately reported the state of things, suggesting meantime that by appearances the enemy could not be far off, and it would be advisable to start in immediate and hot pursuit. Colonel Wyndham immediately put himself at the head of the battalion, which had been reduced somewhat from its original number by sending out skirmishers and a platoon to reconnoiter the town, which as yet had not joined the battalion, and started in a lively trot along the Staunton road, myself remaining in town in order to await the arrival of the regiment and dispose of the prisoners, 40 in number, taken by Lieutenant Sawyer.

In less than an hour the regiment made its appearance, and we started, by your orders, in hot pursuit of the enemy. Having trotted pretty briskly along the pike about 6 miles, encountering all the time captured prisoners, and finding the road strewn with arms, blankets, and knapsacks, we closed up with Colonel Wyndham, coming toward us with a detachment of about 25 of his men, having left the remainder of the battalion drawn up in line on the right hand of the road, under command of Major Cumming. The colonel inquired for you. I stated to him that I had seen you only a little while ago at the head of our column, and did not know where you could be found at this very moment. He went to the rear in search of you, ordering me to advance.

I immediately ordered all available carbineers to the front and was approaching a heavy oak wood. Before we got fairly through it the first report of a gun greeted our ears and a sharp buzz of a shell flew over our heads. This very moment the colonel made his appearance at the head of the column, encouraging the men by words and action, who did not show the slightest signs of fear. Immediately after a second report was heard, and the shell fell about 15 feet on the right of the head of our column, scattering its fragments in all directions and grazing the leg of one of the buglers riding close to me. The column was halted, and, in order to get out of the range, drawn up in line about 150 yards on the left side of the road in a heavy grove of timber, waiting meantime for our artillery. Shell and shot came thick and fast through the woods, tearing down limbs and slicing trees, doing no damage to either men or beasts. Finally a battery of six guns came up, and, taking position, commenced forthwith its operation. Emboldened by this, our boys rushed forward with a wild hurrah over fences and fields under a perfect deluge of shell, Major Beaumont taking a part of the First Battalion through a ravine, so as to fall on the enemy's left flank. Myself, with some of the Second and Third Battalions, crossed the field in an oblique direction, aiming directly for the enemy's battery, which had its position on an eminence on the edge of a heavy oak timber. We were not more than 600 yards off-- the ground favoring us-- when the enemy limbered up and moved off with his pieces, being supported by two divisions of cavalry. In less than a minute I lost sight of him in the dense woods. I proceeded with my men to the pike, which I perceived about 300 yards on my right. I will mention here that while moving toward the enemy's battery we were in imminent danger from our own battery, whose shell fell close to us on all sides.

Leading my men, as I stated above, to the pike, I heard a sharp platoon fire on my right, which lasted about two minutes, and shortly after this I saw Major Beaumont"s men rally on a hill on the right of the pike and hastening to a dense wood for protection. I formed my men, consisting of about 60 men, in a gully close to the left on the pike, having in my front a row of buildings, and still farther on a heavy timber. Colonel Wyndham joined me there with the rest of the regiment, and after a few minutes' delay we proceeded onward, following the pike. Colonel Wyndham put himself at the head of about 50 men, mostly belonging to Company D, and proceeded hastily into the woods, ordering me to follow with the remainder. In less than ten minutes I heard a sharp volley of musketry in my front, and shortly afterward straggling bodies of men were falling back on the road. I stopped and rallied them on the left of the road in the woods. In doing so the enemy opened fire upon us with its batteries, and I have to report the loss of a horse, which was shot under me by a shell bursting between the forelegs, shattering the former and cutting off entirely one of the hind legs; also lacerating his chest. Our own batteries had reached at this moment the ground and opened their fire, which silenced the enemy's.

Our loss amounted to 1 killed and 5 men severely wounded, besides several horses lost.

A drenching rain set in, with a heavy storm, and this ended the action of the day. The regiment encamped for the night on the other side of the woods in sight of the town of Woodstock.

Next morning we marched onward, passing Woodstock and Eden-burg. At the latter place we found the bridges burned; had to ford the stream, which was accomplished without accident. Marched all day without encountering the enemy until we reached Mount Jackson. Two miles this side of Mount Jackson the regiment received your orders to advance, the First Pennsylvania Cavalry leading the van, in order to save the bridge over the Shenandoah, which was then on fire. We arrived just in time to behold the smoldering timber of the bridge, and the remains of a private of the First Pennsylvania, killed by a shell. The enemy was secreted, throwing occasionally shell, which did no further damage. The bridge being burned and the stream swollen by wash-out rains, we encamped on the banks, waiting for the construction of a pontoon-bridge, which, after a delay of forty-eight hours, was effected, and the army crossed over on Thursday, June 5. We proceeded about 7 miles and halted for encampment 1 mile beyond New Market.

Friday morning the march was resumed, and for the first time we advanced in proper battle array, the artillery and infantry in the center, following the pike, the cavalry on the flanks, toward Harrisonburg.

About 3 p.m. our advanced troops reached the former-mentioned place, and having placed our artillery in position so as to command the surrounding country, you gave orders both to Colonel Wyndham and myself to proceed with our regiment and a part of the Fourth New York Mounted Rifles, consisting of four companies, through the town, and take possession of such a position 1¼ miles beyond the town as would insure us a good reconnoitering point. Furthermore, you stated that if we should encounter cavalry to try to scatter it; but if infantry, to fall back. We succeeded in carrying out your orders without meeting any opposition, drew up our line on an eminence, and were waiting for further orders. Meantime reports came in from scouts that a body of the enemy's cavalry had formed on the other side of the woods right in front of us, and by their representations were urging strongly on Colonel Wyndham to pursue them. The colonel objected, but finally, through some unexplained reasons, he gave the order forward, and our wearied horses and men took up again the march, and onward we went, "wad-dling" through bottomless roads. We had proceeded about 3¼ miles,  partly by platoons, partly by fours, as the nature of the ground would allow it, when a sudden fire was opened on us on our right in an oblique direction. The first division, consisting of Company A, bravely rushed onward, Major Beaumont at the head. Colonel Wyndham, at the head of another division followed, and myself at the head of the rest of the regiment. The roar of musketry had now opened fairly, and, as far as I can judge in the moment of confusion, I saw fire in our front and on both flanks. The first two platoons suddenly emerged from the woods in a retrograde movement, threatening to throw the rest of the column in confusion which followed. Colonel Wyndham made an oblique movement to the left. I followed, and when in the act of tearing down fences in order to get into a belt of woods which separated us from the enemy, and from behind which he was discharging his deadly missiles, the colonel disappeared from my sight, and I was left alone among a headless mass of men and horses.

All the officers, as far as I could see, behaved bravely in trying to rally their men, but of no avail. They retreated without order and in the greatest confusion-- for the most part panic-stricken.

Our loss in killed, wounded, and missing amounts to 32.

The regiment mourns for one of its noblest officers in the person of Captain Haines, who was shot through the body in the moment when he nobly was endeavoring to rally his men.

Colonel Wyndham, Captains Shelmire, of Company A, and Clark, of Company G, were taken prisoners.

The standard of the regiment fell into the enemy's hands after the horse was shot and the standard-bearer himself wounded in the face.

In killed the regiment lost but 4 men. The rest evidently were all taken prisoners.

My own horse was shot by a Minie-rifle ball in the hip, which proves of little consequence.

Our retreat lasted for 1½ miles, when the men again came to their senses and rallied.

Among the officers I especially noticed Captains Boyd and Brodrick, who behaved very coolly and judiciously, being the last in their retreat also Captain Kester deserves all praise for his personal bravery.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

 JOSEPH KARGÉ,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding First New Jersey Cavalry.

 Brigadier-General BAYARD,

Commanding Cavalry Brigade.