11th Cavalry Regiment
Civil War
Scott's Nine Hundred; First United States Volunteer Cavalry

History
The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912.

Left the State: May. 5, 1862
Mustered out: September 30, 1865

Colonel James B. Swain received, October I, 1861, authority from the War Department to recruit this regiment. It was organized on Staten Island and the first ten companies were there mustered in the service of the United States for three years between December, 1861, and May, 1862; Companies L and M were mustered in in August and September, 1862, and joined the regiment in October, 1862, completing its organization. October 25, 1862, the War Department turned the regiment over to the State, and February 20, 1864, it received its numerical State designation.

The companies were recruited principally: A at New York city, Tarrytown and Tomp-kinsville; B at New York city; C at New York city, Utica, Tompkinsville and Binghamton, and at Blairstown and in Warren county, N. J.; D at Canton, Colton, Pitcairn, Potsdam and Ogdensburg; E at New York city, Southampton, Bridgehampton, Quogue, Tompkinsville and Coram; F at New York city, Fulton, Lisle and Brooklyn; G at New York city, Troy, Lisle and Williamsburg, and at Newark, N. J.; H at New York city, Brooklyn, Champlain and Watertown; I at New York city, in Essex and St. Lawrence counties; K at New York city, Auburn, Union Springs, Springport, Ausable Forks, Jay and Seneca Falls; L at New York city, Buffalo, Canton, Lewis and Westport; and M at Buffalo, Canton, Fowler and Gouverneur.

The regiment left the State May 5, 1862, and served in the Military District of Washington and 22d Corps, and a detachment of it in the 8th Corps, Middle Department, from May, 1862; in the Department of the Gulf from March 14, 1864; at La Fourche, La., from May, 1864; at Baton Rouge, La., from June, 1864; in 2d Brigade, Cavalry, Department of the Gulf, from August, 1864; in the Department of the Cumberland from March, 1865.

July 21, 1865, those entitled thereto having been discharged, the regiment was consolidated into a battalion of four companies, A, B, C and D; Company A being formed of Companies A, F, G and K; B of B, E, L and M; C of C, H and I; and D of D and H, and some of the members of Company B. This battalion, commanded by Maj. Geo. W. Smith, was mustered out and honorably discharged September 30, 1865, at Memphis, Tenn.

The regiment, during its service, lost by death, killed in action, 10 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 1 officer, 14 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 3 officers, 319 enlisted men;, total, 4 officers, 341 enlisted men; aggregate, 345; of whom 8 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy. The large number reported drowned is due principally to the foundering of the steamer North America off the coast of Florida, December 22, 1864.

Battles and Casualties Table from Phisterer

Civil War Newspaper Clippings

11th New York Volunteer Cavalry Standard

Unit Roster

Further Reading
This is meant to be a comprehensive list. If, however, you know of a resource that is not listed below, please send an email to int-historians@ng.army.mil with the name of the resource and where it is located. This can include photographs, letters, articles and other non-book materials. Also, if you have any materials in your possession that you would like to donate, the museum is always looking for items specific to New York's military heritage. Thank you.

Bryant, Andy. "The Soldier That Guarded President Lincoln."

Bryant, Andy. "Benjamin G. Hill, 11th Cavalry The Soldier Who Fought For Both the South and the North; The Soldier That Guarded President Lincoln And Friend of William F. Cost."

Calvert, Henry Murray. Reminiscences of a boy in Blue, 1862-1865, by Henry Murray Calvert. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1920.

Eleventh New York "Scott's 900" volunteer cavalry veteran association. [Chicago: Ravens wood press, 1894].

Gammel, Charles. Carl the cavalry boy, his recollections of the rebellion.Utica: [H. Platt Osborne, printer] 1907.

Smith, Thomas West. The story of a cavalry regiment, "Scott's 900," Eleventh New York cavalry, from the St. Lawrence river to the Gulf of Mexico, 1861- 1865, by Thomas West Smith, Private of Troop F. Published by the Veteran association of the Regiment. [Chicago: W. B. Conkey co., 1897].

Woodbridge, George. "11th New York volunteer cavalry regiment (Scott's 900), 1862-1865." Military collector& historian IX (Washington 1960) 114. col. plate (illus.).

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