The 1st New Jersey Cavalry Regiment was organized at Trenton, New Jersey, under authority of the United States Department of War on August 14, 1861, by William Halstead, a former congressman who served as first Colonel of the regiment.
[1] Twelve enlisted soldiers of the regiment performed actions which later earned them the Medal of Honor.
These men included: The regiment was mustered out at Cloud's Hills, Virginia, on July 24, 1865.
It was composed of existing cavalry troops throughout the state when it was established in 1913.
While it is informally considered to be the successor to the 1st New Jersey Volunteer Cavalry, the official lineage was not carried over due to the nearly half-century lapse in regimental structure.