1st Regiment, New Jersey Cavalry

Brief History
Organized at Trenton, New Jersey, August 14, 1861, as Halsted's Cavalry. Company F mustered out at Washington, May 25, 1865. The rest of the regiment mustered out at Cloud's Hills, Virginia, July 24, 1865.

For more information on the history of this unit, see:


 * The Civil War Archive section, 1st Regiment Cavalry, (accessed 26 July 2012).


 * The Wikipedia article, 1st New Jersey Volunteer Cavalry, (accessed 26 July 2012).

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 5,863 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘New Jersey in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * New Jersey in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for New Jersey, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Godfrey, Carlos E. (Carlos Emmor). Sketch of Major Henry Washington Sawyer : First Regiment, Cavalry, New Jersey Volunteers, a Union soldier and prisoner of war in Libby Prison under the sentence of death. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of Americqa, c1992),.


 * Longacre, Edward G. Jersey cavaliers : a history of the First New Jersey Volunteer Cavalry, 1861-1865. (Hightstone, New Jersey : Longstreet House, c 1992),.


 * United States. Army. New Jersey Cavalry Regiment, 1st. The history of the First New Jersey Cavalry : Sixteenth Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992),.


 * United States. Army. New Jersey Cavalry Regiment, 1st (1861-1865). Report of the operations of the First New Jersey Cavalry from the 28th of March to the 15th of May, 1865 : with a portion of the number of engagements in which the regiment has participated, and a complete roster of the commissioned officers. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of Americqa, c1992),.