MARYLAND FIRST POTOMAC HOME BRIGADE (COLE'S CAVALRY) (Three Years)

First Potomac Home Brigade Cavalry. Col., Henry A. Cole; Lieut.-Col., George W. F. Vernon; Majs., A. M. Flory, J. T. Daniel, R. S. Mooney, O. A. Homer. This regiment is better known as 'Cole's cavalry.' Companies A, C and D were organized at Frederick City, and Co. B at Cumberland from Aug. 10 to Nov. 27, 1861, and were mustered in as a battalion for three years under the command of Maj. Henry A. Cole, from whom the regiment took its name. During the winter of 1861-62 the battalion was on duty along the Maryland side of the Potomac, while the Confederate forces occupied the opposite bank, Co. B being actively engaged for a portion of the winter in West Virginia. A part of the battalion was with Gen. Lander in the defense of Hancock, Md., when the surrender of the town was demanded by Stonewall Jackson in the early part of Jan., 1862, and the remainder of the command made a long night march to the relief of the place, resulting in the repulse of the Confederates. To follow the movements of Cole's cavalry in detail would require whole volume. The battalion was composed of men well acquainted with the country along the upper Potomac and in the Shenandoah Valley, hence companies or squadrons were being constantly detached for the purpose of reconnoitering the enemy's positions. Frequent attempts were made by the Confederates to cut off and capture these scouting parties, but by their familiarity with the numerous byroads and bridle paths through the mountains the Marylanders always made their escape. Early in March, 1862, the command crossed the Potomac at Williamsport with Williams' brigade of Banks' army, and remained in the Shenandoah Valley until the following September, when it fell back to Harper's Ferry. Between Bunker Hill and Winchester on March 7, 1862, it lost 1 man killed and 2 wounded, which was the first bloodshed of the Valley campaign of that year. In Nov., 1862, the battalion was attached to the 12th corps, under Gen Slocum, and remained with that command until the corps marched into eastern Virginia, when it was left in the Shenandoah Valley. Scouts from the battalion found their way through the enemy's lines in June, 1863, and notified Gen. Milroy at Winchester that he was about to be surrounded, and after Milroy had been overwhelmed by Lee's army, it was Cole's cavalry that covered the retreat of those who escaped from Winchester. On Feb. 13, 1864, the battalion re-enlisted and the men were granted a thirty days' furlough. They marched to Frederick City, where they were received with great honors by the people, conducted to the city hall and formally welcomed home by Justice Nelson of the supreme court, after which they were tendered a banquet. Upon the reenlistment the war department gave authority to recruit the battalion to a full regiment of twelve companies, and at the expiration of the furlough Cole's cavalry reentered the army as a regiment. It was with Gen. Hunter in his advance upon Lynchburg, after which it was assigned to Merritt's division of Torbert's cavalry corps of the Army of the Shenandoah under Gen. Sheridan, where it was almost constantly engaged until Early was driven from the Shenandoah Valley. It was mustered out at Harper's Ferry on June 28, 1865, at the close of nearly four years of arduous service, proceeded to Baltimore and was there finally discharged. Few regiments of the Union Army can show a larger list of engagements than Cole's cavalry. Either by company, detachments, as a battalion or a regiment, it participated, according to official reports, in eighty battles or skirmishes, including five actions at Winchester, Va., four at Charlestown, two at Martinsburg, two at Kernstown, Antietam, Gettysburg, Catoctin Mountain, Romney, Crampton's gap, Hagerstown, Ashby's gap, two fights at Berryville, Shepherdstown, and in fact in almost all the engagements in the Shenandoah Valley and about Harper's Ferry. During its service the command marched over 7,000 miles and lost 169 men, 47 of whom were killed in battle and 122 died of wounds or in prison. The regiment was made up chiefly of young, unmarried men, active and brave many of whom brought their own horses into the service. On several occasions the regiment, or some detachment of it, received letters of congratulation from the commanding officers of the army for gallant conduct on the field, or for invaluable services in reconnoitering the enemy's position.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 2

Maryland 1st Potomac Brigade Cavalry (Union)

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