[1] Othniel De Forest, of New York City, began recruiting for a federal volunteer regiment of cavalry during July 1861.

Banks also stationed about 1,000 infantry men 10 miles (16 km) east at Front Royal under the command of Colonel John R.

[22] Vought's men arrived at Front Royal about one hour after Kenly was attacked by a division under the command of General Richard S. Ewell that was sent to reinforce Jackson's "Stonewall Brigade".

[31] Colonel De Forest and six companies were assigned rear guard duty plus the additional task of destroying any supplies that could not be salvaged.

[32] After De Forest began moving north, he discovered that his command and additional soldiers had their route on the Shenandoah Pike blocked by Confederate troops, which caused them to be separated from Banks' main force.

De Forest used mountain roads west of the pike to evade the Confederates, and eventually reunited a battery and 32 wagons of supplies with Banks at Williamsport—a retreat of 84 miles (135 km) that ended in the relative safety of Maryland.

[33] While De Forest moved north on the mountain roads, Banks was attacked several times on the Valley Pike while hurrying to Winchester.

His outnumbered army was soundly defeated at Winchester on May 25, and he escaped across the Potomac River mostly because Jackson's men and horses were exhausted from the chase.

[note 6] Eventually it was discovered that Confederate spy Belle Boyd played an important role in Banks' defeat by providing information to her side from inside Union lines.

[note 7] The regiment's most prominent actions of July and August in terms of casualties were at Barnett's Ford and Orange Court House.

[38] At Orange Court House, brigade commander General Samuel W. Crawford sent the regiment at a slow pace into a seemingly empty town—only to have it ambushed by Confederates under cover.

[39] Colonel De Forest was harassed by a dozen Confederates, but was saved by bugler Conrad Bohrer of Company I who fell and died from a saber wound after his horse was shot.

[58] Late at night on March 9, Mosby conducted a raid at Fairfax Courthouse that was intended to capture Colonel Percy Wyndham and horses.

[64] Captain Krom's courage and fighting ability at Warrenton Junction were complimented in a New York newspaper that said he was wounded in the leg and face, and his horse killed, yet he "used his sabre with terrible effect upon the enemy".

[70] Hammond responded with "his accustomed coolness" and led the resistance (which included a charge with sabers drawn) until Farnsworth and Kilpatrick arrived.

[93] Private Loron F. Packard of Company G was awarded the Medal of Honor for rescuing a soldier from three Confederates at Raccoon Ford on November 27.

[94] In Davies' December 3 report, he praised the 5th New York's Captain Krom, whose battalion held off the enemy at Raccoon Ford for six days.

The plan was for Kilpatrick's main Union force to attack Richmond from the north as a diversion, while Dahlgren's command approached from the south.

The regiment, commanded by Hammond, was detached from Wilson's division with orders to proceed down the Orange Plank Road to Parker's Store and establish a picket line to guard the approach from Mine Run (west).

[122] On June 20, Grant decided to "cut the enemy's lines of communication south", and the Wilson-Kautz Raid was conducted to accomplish this goal.

Wilson was instructed to "avoid the observation of the enemy", and targets included the rail line that ran from Petersburg to Lynchburg and the Richmond and Danville Railroad.

In the return trip, Wilson's force lost two battles and found his path back to Union lines blocked by Confederate troops.

[126][127] In a desperate attempt to return to safety, artillery was spiked, supply wagons burned, and ambulances were abandoned with wounded that would become prisoners.

The dismounted men were sent to a camp in the District of Columbia and eventually fought at Maryland Heights, Rockville, Toll Gate, Poolesville, Snicker's Ferry, and Kernstown.

They proceeded on the next day through Leesburg and Snicker's Gap and reached Sheridan's Army of the Shenandoah near Opequon Creek about 2 miles (3.2 km) from Winchester.

During his tenure, he had a bone in his right hand broken from a bullet and his right leg cracked above the ankle from a shot that hit his saber scabbard.

[131] Bacon commanded the regiment for only a short time, resigning effective September 12 (White was released from a Confederate prison on that day).

[153] Corporal John Walsh of Company D recaptured the flag of the 15th New Jersey Infantry that the Confederates had captured earlier in the day and was awarded the Medal of Honor.

[167] The majority of the regiment was in Winchester at the time of Lee's surrender, although a small number of men were escorts for Sheridan and Custer at Appomattox.

[188] Also during the first half of 1863, the men were issued some Remington Model 1858 and Starr revolvers which fired the same ammunition as their Army caliber Colts, that being .44 Cal.