Consisting of ten companies, the men were recruited from Allegany, Livingston, and Wyoming counties and placed under the command of Col. Alfred Gibbs.

[1] The regiment left New York on August 6, 1862, and arrived in Suffolk, Virginia, on August 13 where it was assigned to the 1st Division, VII Corps of the Army of the Potomac.

The 130th New York was engaged at the Battle of Deserted House and took part in the Siege of Suffolk in April and May 1863.

The 19th Cavalry was officially re-designated as the 1st Regiment New York Dragoons on September 10, 1863.

The 130th New York had the distinction of being the only Union army volunteer regiment which was converted entirely from infantry to cavalry during the Civil War.