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2nd
Massachusetts Cavalry
in the Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Second Cavalry. — Cols., Charles Russell Lowell, Caspar Crowinshield
; Lieut.-Cols., Henry S. Russell, Caspar Crowinshield, William H. Forbes, William H.
Rumery; Majs., Caspar Crowninshield, DeWitt C. Thompson, William H. Forbes, George
Blagden, Archibald McKendry, William M. Rumery, William C. Manning, John T. Richards,
Henry E. Alvord. This regiment was organized during the winter of 1862-63, and was
mustered into service at varying dates from Dec, 1862, to May, 1863. Co. A, the first
organized, was raised in California by Capt. J. Sewell Read and was mustered in at San
Francisco, Dec. 10. It reached Boston on Jan. 3, and was applied on the quota of that
city. Four more companies were mustered in at Readville during January and February and
the five companies, under the command of Maj. Crowninshield, left the state on Feb. 12,
and went into camp at Gloucester Point, opposite Yorktown, Va. Of the remaining seven
companies, three more were recruited at Camp Meigs, Readville, during March and April. A
battalion of four companies was furnished by California, being raised by Maj. Thompson,
and reached the general rendezvous at Readville, April 16. The last of the regiment left
for Washington on May 11, moved to Poolesville, Md., on June 23 and went into camp. The
total number on the regimental rolls was 91 officers, and 2,000 enlisted men. It lost
during service by accident or disease, 2 officers, 69 enlisted men; killed and died of
wounds, 8 officers and 66 enlisted men; died as prisoners, 66 — total 211. Pending
the formation of the remaining companies, the detachment at Gloucester Point saw
considerable active service. Previous to the middle of May, portions of the command were
engaged in several raids and reconnoissances and on the 15th, three companies reported to
Gen. Gordon at West Point, remaining under his command until June 1. The five companies
shared in a rapid raid on the 19th, started on the 24th on an expedition which took them
to within 13 miles of Richmond, and in which a large number of prisoners, including Gen.
W. H. F. Lee, and a large amount of supplies and stores were captured. After sharing in
another raid of a similar nature during the first week in July, with the forces under Gen.
Dix, the command finally returned to the old camp at Gloucester Point. On Aug. 6, this
detachment joined the main body at Centerville, Va., and the 2nd was united with the 13th
and 16th N. Y. cavalry to form a brigade under the command of Col. Lowell. On Sept. 15,
the 3d battalion was detached under command of Maj. Thompson, and moved to Muddy brook,
Md., where it remained until the following spring. During this time, the 2nd was kept busy
guarding the Federal supply trains from the sudden attacks of the daring troopers of
Mosby, the severest encounter taking place at Coyle tavern, where the regiment lost
several in killed, wounded and prisoners. It then moved to Vienna, Va., and remained there
during the succeeding autumn and winter. On Feb. 22, 1864, a scouting party of 125, under
Capt. Read, was surprised at Dranesville and lost 10 killed, 7 wounded, and 57 prisoners,
Capt. Read being among the slain. On July 6, it suffered another disaster at Mt. Zion
Church, near Aldie, when a detachment of 100, under Maj. Forbes, was attacked by Mosby's
forces and badly routed, 8 being killed, 9 wounded and 38 captured. Capt. Stone was
mortally wounded, and Maj. Forbes was among the prisoners. The Confederate Gen. Early was
engaged at this time in his famous raid which threatened Washington and the 2nd was called
to the defense of the capital. It was almost constantly in action during August as part of
the 3d brigade, 1st cavalry division, and on Sept. 9 was transferred to the reserve
brigade of the 1st division, largely composed of regulars, the brigade being commanded by
Col. Lowell. It was in numerous skirmishes prior to the battle of Winchester, Va., and was
heavily engaged in this action, after which it moved then to the Luray valley, where it
captured a battleflag and some prisoners. On Sept. 28 it was again heavily engaged at
Waynesboro and in the action near Round Top mountain, Oct. 8, and the following day near
Woodstock it performed brilliantly. It won high commendation for its part in the battle of
Cedar creek, but met with a sad loss in the fatal wounding of Col. Lowell, who had just
been commissioned a brigadier-general. Lieut.-Col. Crowninshield then assumed the command
of the brigade, which followed in pursuit of the enemy as far as Mount Jackson. It was
engaged in guard and scouting duty, until the close of the year, when it went into winter
quarters at Winchester, Va., with 15 officers and about 500 men present for duty. Of the
others 200 were in Southern prisons; 200 absent, wounded or sick; and more than 100 absent
on detached service. On Jan. 20, 1865, 175 recruits were added to the regiment, and on
Feb. 27, it left camp with the rest of the cavalry, under the personal lead of Gen.
Sheridan, to join the Army of the Potomac before Petersburg. This move occupied 20 days
and was full of exciting incidents for the 2nd. Following the evacuation of Richmond, it
moved in pursuit of the enemy until the surrender at Appomattox, then returned to
Petersburg and encamped there until April 24, when it started on a movement against Gen.
Johnston's army in North Carolina. News of Johnston's surrender was soon received and the
regiment moved toward Washington, where, after taking part in the grand review in May, it
went into camp in Fairfax county, Va., until July 20, 1865, when it was mustered out at
Fairfax Court House. Two days later it left for home, and the men were finally paid and
discharged at Readville on Aug. 3, after a period of 30 months spent in the most active
and arduous service. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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