2nd Mounted Rifles Regiment

Nickname: Governor's Guard

Left the State: March 1864
Mustered out: August 10,1865

The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912.

July 2, 1863, Col. John Fisk received authority to recruit a regiment of infantry; August 24, 1863, this authority was modified, making the organization to be recruited a regiment of mounted rifles. It was organized at Lockport and Buffalo, and the companies were mustered in the service of the United States for three years: at Lockport A and I October 31 and November 2, 1863, respectively; at Fort Porter, Buffalo, B, C, D, E and L January 12th, 26th, 27th, 29th and 25th, respectively; F and G February 5, and H, K and M February 4, 6 and 13, 1864, respectively.

The companies were recruited principally: A at Lockport, Buffalo, Batavia and Ridge-way; B at Caneadea, Centerville, Farmersville, Eagle, Gainesville, Hume, Rushford, Pike and Lockport; C at Lockport, Niagara, Royalton, Attica, Cambria, Tonawanda, Buffalo, Java and Warsaw; D at Buffalo, Collins, Tonawanda and Clarence; E at Buffalo, Lockport, Carlton, Wilson, Cambria and Newfane; F at Lockport, Arcadia, Lyons, Buffalo, Grand Island and Palmyra; G at Thompson, Monticello, Bethel, Callicoon, Liberty and Fallsburgh; H at Buffalo, Amherst, Colden, Grand Island, New Hudson and Tonawanda; I at Lockport, Buffalo and Lewiston; K at Buffalo, Grand Island, Orangeville, Amherst, Tonawanda and Warsaw; L at Barre, Carlton, Gaines, Java, Kendall, Ridgeway and Shelby; and M at Buffalo, Batavia, Danube, Attica, Little Falls, Mannheim, Middlefield, Jordan and Prattsburgh.

The regiment left the State in March, 1864, and served as infantry at and near Washington, D. C., in 22d Corps; in the Provisional Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, from May 15, 1864; in 1st Brigade, 2d Division, 9th Corps, Army of Potomac, from June 11, 1864; in the 2d Brigade, 2d Division, 9th Corps, from September, 1864; mounted in the 3d Brigade, 2d Division, Cavalry, Army of Potomac, from November 16, 1864; in Department of Virginia, from May, 1865.

Commanded by Lieut.-Col. Joseph H. Wood, the regiment was honorably discharged and mustered out, August 10, 1865, at Petersburg, Va., having during its service lost by death, killed in action, 7 officers, 67 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 2 officers, 29 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 1 officer, 112 enlisted men; total, 10 officers, 208 enlisted men; aggregate, 218; of whom 20 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy.

The following is taken from The Union army: a history of military affairs in the loyal states, 1861-65 -- records of the regiments in the Union army -- cyclopedia of battles -- memoirs of commanders and soldiers, Volume II: New York, Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio. Madison, WI: Federal Pub. Co., 1908.

Second Mounted Rifles.—Cols., John Fisk, Louis Siebert; Lieut.- Cols., Jasper N. Raymond, Joseph H. Wood; Majs., William H. Mapes, John D. Numan, Joseph M. Rushmore, John H. Fralick, Henry Runyan, Henry G. Stebbins, Nahum Ward Cady, James M. Watson, Henry F. Pierce. This regiment, known as the Governor's Guard, was organized at Lockport and Buffalo in the summer and early fall of 1862. Col. Fisk had been authorized to recruit a regiment of infantry, but this authority was modified a month later, making the organization a regiment of mounted rifles. The companies of which it was composed were principally raised in the counties of Erie, Niagara, Wyoming, Orleans, Allegany and Wayne, and were mustered into the U. S. service from Oct., 1863, to Feb., 1864, for three years. The regiment left the state in March. 1864; served as infantry attached to the 22nd corps at and near Washington until May; then joined the Army of the Potomac, engaged in the Richmond campaign, where it was first assigned to the provisional brigade, ist division, and later to the ist brigade, 2nd division, 9th corps; saw its first fighting at Spottsylvania Court House; lost heavily at Cold Harbor, where its casualties amounted to 64 killed, wounded and missing; and in the assaults on the Petersburg works in June it again suffered severely, having 18 killed, 82 wounded and 2 missing. At the mine explosion it was again in action with Potter's division, and sustained a loss of 48 killed, wounded and missing. In the action at Poplar Spring Church its casualties were 76. The regiment was now mounted and served with the 3d brigade, 2nd cavalry division (Crook's), Army of the Potomac, losing 33 killed, wounded and missing at Hatcher's run and Nottoway Station. It performed its full share during the campaign leading up to Lee's surrender at Appomattox, its casualties from March 28 to April 9, 1865, amounting to 62 killed, wounded and missing. After the close of the war 202 The Union Army it served in the Department of Virginia until mustered out under the command of Lieut. -Col. Joseph H. Wood, at Petersburg on Aug. 10, 1865. Its losses by death during service were 8 officers and 97 men, killed and mortally wounded; i officer and 112 men died of disease, accidents, in prison, etc.; a total of 218.

2ndMtdRif2003.0196.jpg

2nd Regiment Mounted Rifles, NY Volunteers | Guidon | Civil War

Organized at Lockport and Buffalo, the 2nd Mounted Rifles initially served as infantry until November 1864 when the regiment received their mounts and…

2ndMtdRiflesGuidon2004.0030.jpg

2nd Regiment Mounted Rifles, NY Volunteers | Guidon | Civil War

Organized at Lockport and Buffalo, the 2nd Mounted Rifles initially served as infantry until November 1864 when the regiment received their mounts and…

2ndMtdRiflesStandard2005.0141.jpg

2nd Regiment Mounted Rifles | Standard | Civil War

Organized at Lockport and Buffalo, the 2nd Mounted Rifles initially served as infantry until November 1864 when the regiment received their mounts and…

2ndMtdRiflesStandard2004.0029.jpg

2nd Regiment Mounted Rifles, NY Volunteers | Standard | Civil war

Organized at Lockport and Buffalo, the 2nd Mounted Rifles initially served as infantry until November 1864 when the regiment received their mounts and…

NYSMM Online Resources

Battles and Casualties from Phisterer (pdf)
Battles and Casualties from Phisterer (spreadsheet)

Civil War Newspaper Clippings

Muster Roll

Unit Roster

Search the Museum catalog for this unit

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Other Resources

This is meant to be a comprehensive list. If, however, you know of a resource that is not listed below, please send an email to ng.ny.nyarng.list.historians@army.mil with the name of the resource and where it is located. This can include photographs, letters, articles and other non-book materials. Also, if you have any materials in your possession that you would like to donate, the museum is always looking for items specific to New York's military heritage. Thank you.

      Beyer, Walter F, and Oscar F. Keydel. Deeds of Valor: How America’s Heroes Won the Medal of Honor. The Perrien - Keydel Company, 1902.

      Bush, Watson W. “Letters (1864).” New York State Library. https://www.nysl.nysed.gov/mssc/allcwrec.htm#38.

      Cady, Nahum Ward. Court-martial of Major N. Ward Cady 2d mounted rifles, N.Y. vols., including the offence, defence, sentence, correspondence. [Yates: 1864].

      “Civil War Military Records Collection, 1846-1917.” New York State Library. https://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc21141.htm.

      Erskine, Liza. Rebellion Lay In His Way: Written by the late Liza Erskine, granddaughter, based on Robert Erskine's memoirs. 11 pages.
Edited and donated by Erskine's Great-granddaughter, Katharine Skillen.

      Erskine, Robert. Impressions and Recollection of the American Civil War by an Alien Volunteer: Written entirely for his own amusement forty years after the War was over. 54 pages.
Edited and donated by Erskine's Great-granddaughter, Katharine Skillen.

      Holmes, John. Nine months in Andersonville! Experiences of Captain John Holmes of Mellen, Wisconsin. [190-] 19, (1) p.

      “Nahum Ward Cady.” American Civil War Research Database. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1659951.

      “New York State Historian Transcriptions of Civil War Records.” New York State Archives. https://iarchives.nysed.gov/xtf/view?docId=ead/findingaids/A0257.xml;query=.

      Reeves, Charles E. “Civil War claim agent papers, 1859-1866.” Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/cgi-bin/zgate?present+45416492+Default+4+1+F+1.2.840.10003.5.10+4+/cgi-bin/zgate%3fACTION%3dINIT%26FORM_HOST_PORT%3d/prod/www/data/z3950/oclcmss3.html,zcat.oclc.org,210%26AUTH%3doclcmss.

      Reynolds, Charles. “Letters (1851-1868).” New York State Library. https://www.nysl.nysed.gov/mssc/allcwrec.htm#215.

      Roback, Henry. The veteran volunteers of Herkimer and Otsego counties in the war of the rebellion; being a history of the 152d N.Y.V. With scenes, incidents, etc., which occurred in the ranks, of the 34th N.Y., 97th N.Y., 121st N.Y., 2d N.Y. heavy artillery, and 1st and 2d N.Y. mounted rifles. Press of L.C. Childs & Son,1888.

Items in bold are in the museum's catalog.

 

Photos from the American Civil War Research Database:

Andrew Ackerman. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1659404. Photo courtesy of Wayne Jorgenson.

Henry Bertrand Bernard. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1458162.

Samuel F. Brickley. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1659788.

Joseph A. Briggs. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1659790.

Edwin Buchanan. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1746431.

Watson W. Bush. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1659927.

Nahum Ward Cady. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1659951. Photo from Henry Pomerantz.

William J. Cook. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1660206.

Francis G. Dodge. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1660456.

Adolphus Eichman. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1472667. Photo courtesy of Edward Schoenberger.

Philander D. Ellithorp. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1463346.

Charles W. Flagler. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1660702.

Charles P. Greenman. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1660937. Photo courtesy of HDS Subscriber.

Eugene Grover. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1660944. Photo courtesy of Matthew Fleming.

George W. Hapgood. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1707122.

Otis Hutchins. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1661367.

Peter B. Kelchner. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1474355.

James A. Lewis. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1807502. Photo Courtesy of New York State Military Museum.

Lyman B. Miner. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1475549. Photo Courtesy of New York State Military Museum.

Harvey Pike. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1803515.

Alonzo S. Powell. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1662407.

Aaron Brandt Servers. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1385328. Photo Courtesy of New York State Military Museum.

Harlan J. Swift. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1663121. Photo courtesy of Edward Schoenberger.

John C. Terry. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1476781.

Franklin Tyler. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1663290.

Edward Walters. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1663428. Photo courtesy of Jeff Randolph.

Napoleon Bonaparte Webber. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1663458. Photo Courtesy of New York State Military Museum.

Edward Wildley. 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1663597.