Overview
The 22nd New York Cavalry (Three Years’ Service), also known as the Rochester Cavalry, was a Union regiment organized at Rochester, New York. The regiment was mustered into United States service between December 20, 1863, and February 23, 1864, for a term of three years. Its companies were recruited from Monroe, Erie, Chautauqua, Livingston, Steuben, Onondaga, Orleans, Wayne, Chenango, Delaware, and Otsego counties. The 22nd New York Cavalry served primarily in the Eastern Theater and was noted for its active participation in several major campaigns and battles, despite its relatively short period of service.
Organization & Service
The 22nd New York Cavalry was organized at Rochester, New York, and mustered into federal service between December 20, 1863, and February 23, 1864. After organization, the regiment left the state in March 1864. Its initial assignment was with the 9th Army Corps. Shortly thereafter, it was attached to the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division, Army of the Potomac, and participated in the Overland Campaign, including the Wilderness operations.
Following October 1864, the regiment served with the Army of the Shenandoah during the campaigns in the Shenandoah Valley. In February 1865, it was transferred to the Cavalry Division, Army of West Virginia. The 22nd New York Cavalry was engaged in several significant actions, including heavy fighting at Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Wilson’s Raid to the South Side and Danville Railroads, and the battle of Nineveh. The regiment’s final engagements occurred at Fort Holly, New Market, and Rude’s Hill, Virginia. The unit was mustered out and honorably discharged at Winchester, Virginia, on August 1, 1865, under the command of Colonel Horatio B. Reed.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
- Wilderness Campaign (May 1864)
- Spotsylvania
- Cold Harbor
- Wilson’s Raid to the South Side and Danville Railroads
- Kearneysville
- Dinwiddie Court House
- White Oak Swamp
- Battle of Nineveh
- Waynesboro
- Fort Holly
- New Market
- Rude’s Hill
Casualties
- Killed or died of wounds: 3 officers, 22 enlisted men
- Died of disease, accidents, and other causes: 1 officer, 178 enlisted men
- Total deaths: 204
- Died in prison: 87 enlisted men (included in total deaths)
Casualty figures are based on official reports and Dyer’s Compendium.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Samuel J. Crooks
- Colonel George C. Cram
- Colonel Horatio B. Reed
- Lieutenant Colonel Johnson B. Brown
- Lieutenant Colonel Horatio B. Reed
- Lieutenant Colonel Peter McLennan
- Major Peter McLennan
- Major Benjamin Bennett
- Major Charles C. Brown
- Major Theodore Schlick
- Major George R. French
Notable acts of gallantry: Captain Christopher Bruton, Corporal Henry Harvey, and Private George Ladd were awarded Medals of Honor for capturing battle flags at Waynesboro.
Regimental Roster
The complete roster of the 22nd New York Cavalry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and additional service details where available.
To view the full roster, visit the 22nd New York Cavalry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes XXXVI, XXXVII, XXXIX, XLIII
- New York State Adjutant General’s Report
- Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Fox, William F. Regimental Losses in the American Civil War
- Contemporary wartime reports and regimental records