Record of Events Cards for Company B, 1st Potomac Home Brigade (Maryland) Cavalry, USA   1861 Stationed at Frederick, Maryland, September 4, 1861. September 4. – Muster-in roll of Captain William Firey’s Company, in the Second Regiment (Home Brigade) of Maryland Volunteers, commanded by Colonel William P. Maulsby, called into service of the United States by proclamation of the President from September 4, 1861 (date of this muster) for the term of three years, unless sooner discharged . . . . R.S. SMITH, Major, Twelfth Infantry, Mustering Officer. Stationed at Cumberland, Maryland, October 31, 1861. Stationed at Springfield, [West] Virginia, December 31, 1861. 1862 Stationed at Big Cacapon, Camp [illegible], January-February 1862. Stationed at Romney, [West] Virginia, March-April 1862. The company was present at the battle of Winchester; employed on the night preceding the battle as patrols on the Strasburg Road and in the morning drove in the pickets of the enemy and skirmished with their advance guard. Ordered from thence to Martinsburg and from this point to Cumberland to report to General [Robert Cumming] Schenck, who forwarded the company to Moorefield and again remanded them back to Romney under the command of Colonel [Stephen Wheeler] Downey [3rd PHB Md Inf], by whose orders they have engaged in several scouts, one of which two of the company were killed and three or four of the enemy and as many of the latter were wounded. The enemy lost Colonel Parsons, one of their prominent leaders in this county, who was present at the fight and whose death may justly be attributed to it, although not resulting from any perceivable wound or violence. Stationed at Burlington, [West] Virginia, May-June 1862. Stationed at Camp Clear Spring, August 31, 1862 Stationed at Clear Spring, Maryland, September-October 1862. September 27-28. Marched from New Creek, [West] Virginia to the junction of the roads leading to Romney and Moorefield and there found and joined Colonel [Andrew Thomas] McReynolds’ Cavalry [later the Lincoln Cavalry of the 1st NY] and preparatory to moving on to Moorefield, where the Rebel Colonel Imboden had some 800 troops, but on the evening of September 28, were ordered by Brigadier-General [Benjamin Franklin] Kelley to pul back to New Creek, distance going and returning, forty-six miles. October 9. – By order of Major General [George Brinton] McClellan, we left our camp at New Creek, [West] Virginia. October 11. – Joined General [Jacob Dolson] Cox’s Brigade in pursuit of Rebel cavalry commanded by General Stuart, but on arriving at Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, we were ordered to Clear Spring, Washington County, Maryland, where we have since been guarding the fords on the Potomac from Dam No. 5 to Cherry Run. Stationed at Martinsburg, [West] Virginia, November-December 1862. October 12-December 22. – We were on picket duty guarding the Potomac from Back Creek down to Dam No. 5, a distance of ten miles. During this time, two attempts were made to capture out pickets but were unsuccessful and on the night of October 20, eleven of my men crossed and captured two mounted Rebel pickets and six horses fully equipped. None were hurt on either side. In obedience from Major-General Kelley, we broke camp at Clear Spring, Maryland and crossed the Potomac at McCoy’s Ferry and pitched our tents in Martinsburg, [West] Virginia. December 23. – The company went on a scout to Shepherdstown and back; distance traveled was twenty miles but found no Rebels. December 26. – My company in connection with the First Battalion of the First Regiment, New York Cavalry under command of Captain [Joseph Ketcham] Stearns was ordered to Winchester and expected to have a brush with the Rebels there, but in this we were disappointed. December 27-29. – Left Winchester and went down the Berryville Turnpike expecting to intercept troop of Rebel cavalry under command of Captain Baylor of Charlestown but after charging through the town and picking up stragglers, we ascertained that the troop had passed through one and one-half hours before our arrival. We then proceeded to Charlestown and from thence to Martinsburg, making a march of sixty-two miles in two days and bringing with us five prisoners, ten horses and an ambulance without any loss or accident on our side. 1863 Stationed at Martinsburg, [West] Virginia, January-February 1863. January 2. – My company, with six companies of the First New York Cavalry, went on a scout to Smithfield and there met 150 of the Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry that came up from Kearneysville, but the Rebel cavalry we had intended surrounding received tidings of our coming and made their escape. We remained about four hours while the country around was visited by our scouts but could not ascertain the whereabouts of the Rebels. We then returned to Martinsburg, having traveled thirty miles, and arrived at 11 p.m. January 3. – At 1:30 a.m. we were summoned to our saddles to join eight companies of First New York Cavalry and proceeded to Winchester, where we arrived shortly after daylight. We found no enemy in the vicinity. Remained here doing picket duty. January 7. – Returned to Martinsburg, a distance of twenty-two miles. January 27. – Fifty-two of my company went on a scout as per orders of Colonel Smith, commanding post. Passed through Darkesville and Javettstown and from thence took a southwestern direction. Scoured the mountains in the neighborhood of Back Creek but succeeded in catching only one Rebel. Some others succeeded in eluding us by taking to the mountains. We returned to camp the same day after a ride of fifty miles. Stationed at Martinsburg, [West] Virginia, March-April 1863. March 21. – We left our camp at Martinsburg, [West] Virginia and joined Companies A, C, and D at Kearneysville, [West] Virginia, where the battalion was the first to gather. March 28. – A detachment of my company went up the Potomac as far as Six John’s Run and collected all the boats and skiffs at Williamsport and Harper’s Ferry and put them into the hands of the commandant of those posts in conformity to an order from Brigadier-General [Benjamin Stone] Roberts at Harper’s Ferry. April 8. – I received orders to march my company to Martinsburg, [West] Virginia. We have been doing picket duty since and at present am the only company here as the One Hundred Twenty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteers Battery, attached, were ordered to Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Stationed at Martinsburg, [West] Virginia, April 13, 1863. Stationed at Martinsburg, [West] Virginia, April 13, 1863. Stationed at Martinsburg, [West] Virginia, May-June 1863. June 14. – While stationed at this post with two regiments of infantry, the whole command of Colonel Smith, we were attacked by the advance of Lee’s Army. After skirmishing with the enemy the greater portion of the day, in the evening they massed their cavalry on the Winchester Road for a charge. Unfortunately for us, all of our troops, infantry and artillery, were drawn up on an eminence to the left of the Charlestown Road, leaving the Winchester Road to be defended by scarcely 100 men, cavalry and infantry. The enemy cavalry charged up the Winchester Pike and, seeing the charge, we sent to the commanding officer for a piece or two of artillery but none was sent. The consequence was the enemy came on in spite of [illegible] and a running fight was kept up throughout the town, which on the Williamsport Road ended in a hurried retreat. Our artillery, from the hill by the Charlestown Road, came on in the rear of our retreating cavalry and was captured by the enemy. We crossed the river at Williamsport and camped for the night. June 15. – In the morning, learning that the enemy moved across at Dam No. 5, we started for that point to harass him. With a squad of twenty-five men on the road met a small squad of the enemy; dashed after them but ran into a large force of Rebels hidden behind a hill and the fences close by. Lieutenant [Jacob A.] escaped, and the rest retreated unhurt. From this point kept watch of the enemy, in conjunction with Captain [William H.] Boyd of the New York Cavalry, as far as Harrisburg and on their retreat followed them back to the same point, capturing nearly 200 prisoners, with not more than 100 men all told. Stationed at Martinsburg, [West] Virginia, July-August 1863. Station not stated, September-October 1863. Stationed at Loudoun Heights, Virginia, November-December 1863. 1864 Stationed at Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, January-February 1864. Stationed at camp near Frederick, Maryland, March-April 1864. Stationed Remount, Camp Pleasant Valley, Virginia, April 30-August 31, 1864. Stationed at Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, September 15, 1864. September 15. – Muster-out roll of Captain William Firey’s Company (B), in the First Regiment of Potomac Home Brigade, Maryland Cavalry Volunteers, commanded by Colonel Henry A. Cole, called into the service of the United States by the President, thereof, a Frederick city, Maryland (the place of general rendezvous) on September 4, 1861 to serve for the term of three years from the date of enrollment, unless sooner discharged, from the date herein specified (when last paid) to September 15, 1864 when mustered out by reason of expiration of term of service. The company was organized by Captain William Firey at Clear Spring, Maryland in the month of August 1861 . . . . JERE HORTON Second Lieutenant, Thirty-fourth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, Assistant Commissary of Musters, First Division, Department of West Virginia, Mustering Officer. Stationed at Hedgesville, West Virginia, September-December 1864. 1865 Stationed at Martinsburg, West Virginia, January-April 1865. Stationed at Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, June 28, 1865. June 28. – Muster-out roll of Captain Jonathan L. River’s Company (B), in the First Regiment of Potomac Home Brigade, Cavalry Volunteers, commanded by Colonel Henry A. Cole, called into the service of the United States by the president, thereof, at Frederick, Maryland (the place of general rendezvous) on the date herein specified. . . . LEWIS DIETZ, Captain, Fifth Artillery Volunteers, Assistant Commissary of Musters, Military Division, Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, Mustering Officer Return to Joseph Lake McKinney Union Soldier Profile Return to the Cole's Cavalry, SVR Website Robert H. Moore, II Copyright © 2006-2008.