Dragoons or Cavalry?

[Tricia]

All--

I seem to remember a link provided to this board by, perhaps, Colonel Keogh, one that listed all of the units attached to GAC's Third Cavalry Division during the ACW. From that site, I got the following name:

2nd New York Dragoons--which I have inserted in my manuscript.

After using it in the book, my mentor then informed me that in Urwin's Custer Victorious, the proper name for that particular regiment was the 2nd New York Cavalry. Whatever, I want to get it right--it's just an element that is noted in passing, but it's important.

So which was it ... or were the monikers interchangeable? Anyone?

Thanks,
--t.

[harpskiddie]

Tricia:

According to Richard Wormser, in Yellowlegs, there were no "cavalry" regiments prior to 1850, when two new horse regiments were authorized and so named. Before that all units were light [unarmored] dragoons, simply called dragoons, or mounted rifles.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, a standard nomenclature of "cavalry" was adopted by the Army, when the 1st Dragoons became the 1st Cavalry, 2nd Dragoons the 2nd Cavalry, Mounted Rifles the 3rd Cavalry, and the 1st and 2nd Cavalry the 4th and 5th Cavalry [it's an Army thing].

The state troops, Militia and Volunteer, that were added to the cavalry ranks of the Army [the 6th Cavalry had been added too] had a plethora of titles, some prosaic and some not, some descriptive and others not. There were Hussars, Lancers, Dreadnaughts, Cavalry, Dragoons, Legions, and etc. etc. During the War, it became common to call all of them "cavalry" just so people knew you were talking about a mounted regiment.

The New Yorkers may never have formally changed their regimental name, or altered it on their colors, but they were known as The Second New York Cavalry, and answered to that name when the paychecks and the medals were handed out.

Gordie,
tonight we'll sing the songs, and I can dream of you, my corazon............................................

[rch]

Tricia,

According to "A Compendium of the Civil War," The 2nd NY Cav was originally intended to be a Regular Army regiment and was briefly designated the 7th U. S. Cavalry. It was also known as the "Harris Light Cavalry."

The number of regiments in the division changed frequently. As nearly as I've been able to learn from the Official Records and other sources it was organized as follows:

As of 19 Oct 64

1st Brigade - Pennington
1st Conn
3rd NJ (also called the 1st U. S. Hussars and the Butterflies)
2nd and 5th NY (the 5th was also an Ira Harris regiment)
2nd Ohio
18th Pa

2nd Brigade Wells (BG Chapman was the regular commander of this brigade)
3rd Ind (2 companies) The remanent of 6 companies sent east, the other 6 remained in the west
1st NH (1 battalion) Originally 4 cos called the 1st New England Cavalry and incorporated into the 1st RI Cav. Later they were seperated to form the 1st RI to form a new regiment, but only 7 cos were raised.
8th and 22nd NY Both were organized in Rochester, NY. The 8th was one of the best volunteer regiments of the War.
1st VT another great regiment, reputedly special arrangements were made to keep the regiment mounted on Morgan horses.

The number of companies present with the regiment seemed to have varied from time to time.

Btry M, 2nd US Art was assigned to the division sometime before 31 Dec64 but releived before 28 Feb 65.

The 15th NY joined the 2nd Brigade by 31 Dec 64

The 5th NY and 18th PA of the 1st Brigade were releived of duty with the division by 28 Feb 65.

By 28 Feb Capehart's Brigade from 2nd Div of the Cav Corps of the Army of the Shenandaoh was transferred and assigned to Custer's Division as the 3rd Brigade.

3rd Brigade Capehart
1st NY (Lincoln)
1st, 2nd (7 cos), and 3rd WV

Chapman was also transferred out during the winter.

By 29 Mar the 22nd NY and 1st NH of the 2nd Brigade were releived from duty with the division. I think this was after the Battle of Waynesboro.

Sometime before Waynesboro the 2 cos of the 3rd Ind became Custer's escort and a 2 gun section of M, 2nd US Art was assigned to Custer's Division.

The organization of the division for the Appomattox Campaign was:

Div HQ
Escort - 3rd Ind (2 cos)
M, 2nd US (1 section)

1st Brigade Pennington
1st Conn
3rd NJ
2nd NY
2nd Ohio

2nd Brigade Wells
8th NY
15th NY
1st Vt

3rd Brig Capehart
1st NY (Lincoln)
1st WV
2nd WV (7 cos)
3rd WV

Although the Official Records do not include the 3rd Ind and the section of M, 2nd US Art in the order of battle. Reports and other sources place them with the division.

This is also the form for the division at the Grand Review, except that the artillery section was returned to the Horse Artillery Brigade and paraded with them. The 3rd Ind Cav was credited for being at the Review, but I'm not sure in what capacity. The 15th NY served as Custer's escort for the Review.

rch

[Tricia]

Thanks, rch and Gordie ...

Looks like I'll have to revise my terms a bit ... I was trying to avoid using the word "cavalry" twice on the same page of narrative--which is why I chose a unit supposedly called "dragoons," but it looks like I'll have to reconstruct a couple of sentences to avoid the dreaded "double word" scenario. That's right up there with over-reliance upon adverbs in the world of ritin' sins ... ugh.

Damn army.
--t.

[harpskiddie]

The only thing worse than overutilizing the dreaded adverbs, is the writer painfully making it too obvious that he/she has mightily strained to carefully avoid patently doing so.

Gordie,
then one day a movie scout came to town to take her out......................................

[southfork]

I sometimes use the word 'troopers' when I don't want to redundantly use 'cavalry,' but I don't believe one would ever say the "5th NY Troopers."

[harpskiddie]

"Horse" is a good alternative, since it fits most usage.

Gordie,
Lord A'mighty, I feel my temperature risin' higher and higher.......................................

[ericwittenberg]

Just to clarify....it was the 1st New York Dragoons, who were also designated the 19th New York Cavalry. The designations were interchangeable....

Eric