1st Regiment New York Dragoons

The 1st New York Dragoons was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Service

Originally mustered into service as the 130th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment it was converted to cavalry on July 28, 1863 and designated as the 19th Regiment New York Volunteer Cavalry. The men were recruited from Allegany, Livingston, and Wyoming counties. The 19th Cavalry was officially re-designated as the 1st Regiment of Dragoons on September 10, 1863. ^[1] The term dragoon generally refers to mounted infantry or light cavalry.

Originally assigned to the Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac the Dragoons moved to the Army of the Shenandoah with General Philip Sheridan.

During its service, the 1st New York Dragoons fought in 64 battles, captured 19 pieces of artillery and four Confederate battle flags.^[2] After marching in the Grand Review at Washington D.C. at the close of the Civil War, the Dragoons were mustered out of service at Cloud’s Mills, Virginia on June 30, 1865.

Medals of Honor

Two enlisted men and one officer of the 1st New York Dragoons were awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Civil War.

• Corporal Chester B. Bowen
• Commissary Sergeant Andrew J. Lorish
• First Lieutenant William W. Winegar

Total strength and casualties

The regiment suffered 4 officers and 127 enlisted men who were killed in action or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 142 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 274 fatalities; of whom 36 enlisted men died in Confederate prisons.^[3]

Commanders

• Colonel Alfred Gibbs
• Colonel Thomas Jones Thorp

See also

• List of New York Civil War regiments

Notes

1. ↑ http://dmna.ny.gov/historic/reghist/civil/cavalry/1stDrag/1stDragMain.htm New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center
2. ↑ Bedgood
3. ↑ http://dmna.ny.gov/historic/reghist/civil/cavalry/1stDrag/1stDragMain.htm New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center

References

• The Civil War Archive
• New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center - Civil War – 1st Dragoons Regiment
• Bedgood, Deana (2010). Civil War History and Roster of the First New York Dragoons. Denver, Colorado: Outskirts Press. ISBN 1432750305. 

External links

• Thomas J. Thorp on Findagrave
• Regimental history of the First New York Dragoons by Rev. J.R. Bowen
• George D. Benedict letters, 1863-1864 (1863) He served in the 1st New York Dragoons in Virginia and Maryland and he writes about himself and his friends military life, battle news, picket duty, food, pay, and health.