October 4, 1862, Col. James W. Savage received authority from the State to recruit this regiment. It was organized at New York city to serve three years. A number of the men enlisted for the Abohbot Cavalry were transferred to its Company D, November 29, 1862, and in August, 1863, the men enlisted for the 21st Regiment Veteran Volunteers, reorganizing, were also transferred to the regiment. A number of the men enlisted by Capt. G. S. Coddington for the 20th Battery were transferred to this regiment. The companies were mustered in the United States service in New York city, A November 19, 1862, B March 31, 1863, C February 17, 1863, F April 28, 1863; at Buffalo, D and E February 14, and L February 16, 1863. May 20, 1863, the regiment was reorganized as follows: Company A was formed of parts of original Companies A and G; B of parts of original Companies A, B and I; C of original Company C and parts of original Companies D and I; D of original Company E and part of original Company G; E of parts of original Companies F, G and H; F of original Companies D and K; Company L retained its designation. Companies G, H and I were reorganized and mustered in United States service at New York city, Company G August 7th, Company I September 22d; at Buffalo, Company H August 27, 1863. Companies K (second) and M were mustered in at Buffalo, September 10, and at New York city, November 24, 1863, respectively. From September, 1863, to December, 1864, a howitzer section, manned by members of the regiment, formed part of the latter.
The companies were recruited principally: A, originally intended for the 5th Cavalry, at Fulton and Oswego; B at Ogdensburg, Cuba, Copake, Clifton Park, Charlton, Claverack, West Troy, Albany and Hudson; C at Austerlitz, Hudson, Hillsdale, Chatham and New York city; D, E, H, old and new, K and L at Buffalo; F at New York city, Plattsburgh, Fort Covington, Dickinson and Rouse's Point; G and I, old, at New York city; G new, at New York city, Syracuse, Oswego, Hudson and Troy; I, new, at New York city, Oswego, Troy and Syracuse; and M at Buffalo, New York city, Troy and Niagara.
The regiment left the State by detachments, the first in May, 1863, and was entirely in the field by December of that year; it served in the Department and District of North Carolina, 18th Corps; and from March, 1865, with the Provisional Corps; with the 23d Corps from April, 1865, and July 19, 1865, commanded by Lieut.-Col. Philip G. Vought, it was honorably discharged and mustered out at Raleigh, N. C.
During its service it lost by death, killed in action, 2 officers, 20 enlisted men; died of wounds received in action, 1 officer, 16 enlisted men; died of disease and other causes, 5 officers, 178 enlisted men; total, 8 officers, 214 enlisted men; aggregate, 222; of whom 1 officer and 84 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy.
The regiment, or portions of it, took part in the following engagements, etc.:
(This table was scanned from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912.) Return to 12th Cavalry Home Page