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5th New York Cavalry
1st Ira Harris Guard

On the 26th of July, 1861 the Secretary of War authorized Col. Othniel DeForest, of New York City, to raise a regiment of cavalry. By the last of Sept. there had been gathered on Staten Island the nucleus of a fine cavalry brigade. From this assemblage of recruits was organized the Fifth New York Cavalry, known as the 1st Ira Harris Guards in honor of Senator Ira Harris of Albany. New York City had contributed liberally of men, though whole companies were raised in Essex, Wyoming, Alleghany, and Tioga counties. A few men were obtained from the States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey. No bounties were paid to recruits; but a bounty of $100 was promised to be paid by the United States at the expiration of service.
On the first of Oct., 1861, on Staten Island, New York Harbor, the field and staff of the regiment were mustered into service for three years by Capt. L. S. Larned of the United States Army. The muster took effect as of this date. Oct. 31st the regiment was inspected for the first time by Lieut. Col. D. B. Sackett of the United States Army. The last company had now been mustered in, and the command stood at a strength of 1,064 men.
In Nov., 1861, the regiment was ordered to Annapolis, Md. On the 28th the men pitched their tents about three miles from the city at "Camp Harris" where they were drilled and instructed by that thorough disciplinarian, Gen John P. Hatch also of the United States Army. The last of March the regiment broke camp, having been ordered to the Shenandoah Valley to report to Gen. Hatch commanding cavalry under Gen. Banks. It found him at Harrisonburg on May 3rd. The regiment served in Banks' campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, its first skirmish being at Port Republic, on May 2nd, 1862. From this time on until the close of the war it saw continuous active service. During July, it did picket and scouting duty along the Blue Ridge and in Central Virginia. On Aug. 2nd, under Gen Crawford, it was engaged in a cavalry battle at Orange Court House, VA. In Pope's campaign it participated in the battles of Cedar Mountain, Groveton, Second Bull Run, and Chantilly.
The fall and winter of 1862 and 1863 were spent in Virginia doing outpost under command of Major Gen. Stahel. In June, 1863 Gen. Pleasanton reviewed Stahel's division, after which the entire force was reorganized, it becoming the famous Third Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac, with Gen. Kilpatrick in command. The First Brigade consisted of the First Vermont, First West Virginia, Eighteenth Pennsylvania, and Fifth New York, Brig. Gen. Farnsworth commanding. Gen. Custer commanded the Second Brigade, which was composed of Michigan regiments.
The division started on the Gettysburg campaign, during which the regiment was constantly engaged. Gen. Farnsworth was killed at Gettysburg and the regiment lost heavily in officers and men at Hanover, Pa, Gettysburg, Monterey Pass, Hagerstown, and Boonsborough.
The Fifth Cavalry, commanded by Col. John Hammond of Crown Point, NY, had already signalized itself under this intrepid leader in the struggles of the Army of the Potomac with its desperate foe, the army of Gen. Lee. On the 30th of June 1863, at Hanover Pa, fourteen miles from Gettysburg this regiment was the first to exchange shots and cross sabres on free soil with the daring and desperate invaders who fought under the celebrated leader of the Confederacy, Gen. J. E. B. Stuart. The accurate military critic, the Comte de Paris, himself a participant in most of our great battles, speaks in his work of our Civil War of this engagement as "the bloody battle of Hanover." The Fifth NY, under Col. Hammond, bore the brunt of the attack, and after repelling the charge, charged the foe and gloriously drove him from the field. The sad and long list of the casualties in killed and wounded gave testament to the character of the conflict. This was the real beginning of the famous battle of Gettysburg, fought on July 1, 2, and 3, 1863. Then this command, with the brigade and division to which it was attached, under Kilpatrick and the lamented Farnsworth, hung upon and harassed the enemy in the vicinity of Gettysburg until the early morning of the 3rd then took a position on the extreme left, the Fifth supporting Elder's Battery. Lieut. Elder was a glorious type of the born soldier, here commanding a battery of the regular army, who only wanted to know "if John Hammond and his famous New York troopers were with him." Here at the base of Big Round Top, just before Pickett made his famous charge, this cavalry went over ground today deemed impassable for horse, gallantly charged the enemy's infantry and in a large degree diverted Lee's forces, so that the grand, historic charge of Pickett proved a brilliant but disastrous failure, and "the blood-flecked tidal wave of fratricidal war" here receded and so continued until it settled into the blessed calm of national peace.
On July 16th the regiment recrossed the Potomac at Harper's Ferry. On Sept. 13th, 1863 it recrossed the Rappahannock at Kelley's Ford, and the same day fought the battle of Culpepper Court House. It participated in all the cavalry fights that fall, south of the Rappahannock, including Russell's Ford, James City, Brandy Station, Groveton, and Buckland Mills. Many of the regiment re-enlisted during January, 1864 and were mustered in as Veteran Volunteers. A thirty days' furlough was promised them, but not given until Gen. Kilpatrick returned from his raid on Richmond in March.
On the 22nd of April, 1864 the Army of the Potomac was reviewed by Lieut. Gen. Grant, on the plains near Stevensburg, Va., and Gen. Sheridan was placed in command of the cavalry corps. May 4th the regiment crossed the Rapidian at Germanna Ford and opened up the battle of the Wilderness. During this campaign the Fifth was engaged daily and their losses at Parker's Store, Wilderness, Milford Station, Ashland were very heavy. During this time 1st Sgt. Sam Wells Sortore was killed by a detachment of the 9th Va Cav. while leading a squad of troopers at Downers Bridge. When ordered to cross the bridge Sgt. Sortore said that he would even though he knew he would be killed in the attempt, he rode to the bridge with his squad and dismounted to replace planks torn up by the Rebel Cavalry, and was shot from the far bank. He walked from the bridge and said to his commander "I am shot", collapsed and died 15 minuets later. He was buried where he fell with only a few of his closest friends to mourn. The regiment carried on and were involved in the Wilson Raid participating at White Oak Swamp, Stony Creek, and Reams' Station.
On the 5ht of August, 1864 they took transport at City Point for Washington, D. C., and arrived at Geisboro Point on the 7th. After six days rest the regiment was detailed to escort a despatch carrier from Washington to Gen. Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley, making a seventy five mile march in twenty- two hours. The regiment was made sad on Aug. 30th by the departure of Col. Hammond, who had been its commandant from its entrance into active campaigning, first as major then as Lieut. Col. By his gallantry in battle and courteous treatment of his men he had won the love and respect of all. The regiment was also an active participant in Sheridan's brilliant campaign in the Shenandoah Valley. At the battle of Cedar Creek on the 19 of Oct., 1864 no regiment equalled the success of the Fifth NY as the following will show:
"Headquarters, First Brigade, Third Cavalry Division
October 21, 1864
Received of the Fifth New York Cavalry commanded by Maj. A. H. Krom, 22 pieces of artillery, 14 caissons, 1 battery wagon, 17 army wagons, 6 spring wagons and ambulances, 83 sets of artillery harness, 75 sets of wagon harness, 98 horses, and 67 mules captured in battle of the 19th of October, 1864 at Cedar Creek, Va.
(signed) A. C. M. PENNINGTON, Jr.
Col. Commanding Brigade."

In November of 1864 the regiment was ordered to act as escort for Gen. Sheridan, and occupied that position until the following April. The following is the last order ever issued to the regiment:

"Headquarters Fifth New York Cavalry,
in the field near Winchester Va.
July 18, 1865.
In compliance with orders from the commanding general the regiment will leave Stevenson's Stating this p. m. at 3 o'clock, enroute to New York City for final discharge. Transportation will be furnished for officers' horses to place of muster-out. The regiment will march for the depot at 12 m. Every officer and enlisted man will be in camp to march promptly at that hour. Enroute home and until final discharge, it is earnestly hoped the regiment will sustain its good name.
After four years of hardship and honor, you return to your State to be mustered out of service, and to return once more to a peaceful life among your friends and loved ones. In a few days you will be scattered, and the Fifth New York Cavalry will be no more. The hardships you have endured, the comforts of which you have been deprived, the cheerful and proud manner in which you have always done your duty, and the success you have met with on the battlefield, have won the admiration of every general officer under whom you have served. Surpassed by none, equalled by few, your record as a regiment is a glorious and honorable one. May your future lives be as prosperous and as full of honor to yourselves as the past four years have been to your country, to your state, and to the Fifth New York Cavalry.
(signed) A. H. White,
Col. Comdg. Fifth New York Cavalry"

The regiment mustered out at Hart's Island, New York Harbor, July 19, 1865. Its enrollment and losses were as follows:
Original number of men, 1,064; recruits added, 1,074; original number of officers, 50; whole number of officers, 124; original officers remaining, 4; officers promoted from the ranks, 36; officers killed and mortally wounded, 8; officers wounded, 22; officers captured, 19; officers who died of disease, 4; officers dismissed by order of the War Department, 5; officers resigned, 37; officers discharged at expiration of service, 13; enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, 95; enlisted men wounded, 236; enlisted men captured, 517; enlisted men killed accidently, 18; enlisted men who died in Rebel prisons, 114; enlisted men who died of disease, 90; enlisted men discharged by reason of wounds, 25; enlisted men discharged by reason of disability, 295; enlisted men discharged at expiration of service, 302; enlisted men transferred to other commands, 103; enlisted men who re-enlisted in 1864, 212; number of battles fought, 52; skirmishes fought, 119; number of wounds received in action, 320; men lost in action and never heard from, 18; men remaining and mustered out with regiment, 694; original veterans remaining, 167; original horses remaining, 7.

The above history of the 5th New York Cavalry was contributed by Lynn Sortore. Thanks Lynn.

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