On the night of the 13th of May, a party of the enemy attacked and attempted to re-capture a schooner in charge of men from the First New Jersey Cavalry. Five companies, F, G, H, L and M, turned out, and after a brief but sharp skirmish drove off the enemy, brought the schooner in, and rescued the men on board, several of whom were wounded. Colonel Bayard 
having been appointed a Brigadier General, Lieutenant Colonel Jones was elected Colonel, and First Major Barrows, Lieutenant Colonel. On the 25th of May, when M'Dowell commenced his advance overland to join M'Cellan, the regiment crossed the Rappahannock-at Fredericksburg, and marching rapidly towards Richmond, reached on the evening of the 27th a point on the Pamunky River, within fifteen miles of M'Clellan's right wing, the enemy falling back as it advanced, and the whole route showing evidences of a hasty retreat. At this juncture, when all were jubilant over the prospect of soon joining the grand army, orders were received to return immediately to Fredericksburg. Stonewall Jackson, cutting loose from the rebel army, was in the Shenandoah Valley with a heavy force, and M'Dowell was ordered to the support of Banks and Fremont, concentrating in Jackson's front. Re-crossing the river on the 28th, it marched with the brigade, via Catlett's Station andThoroughfare Gap to Front Royal, which was reached on the 1st of June. With but an hour's rest, the command proceeded at full gallop towards Strasburg, and when near the town crossed the Shenandoah River, where it came up with Jackson and skirmished with his rear until dark. General M'Dowell not having arrived upon the ground, the brigade, consisting of a battalion of theBucktails, the Second Maine Battery, the First New Jersey Cavalry, and the First Pennsylvania Cavalry, proceeded alone, and driving the enemy's rear guard out of Strasburg, were soon after joined by the advance of Fremont's army, entering from another direction. A gallop of six miles brought the command again upon the enemy's batteries."Near Woodstock another attack was made on the rear guard. The extreme rear was held by Caskie's Battery, supported by about two hundred men from Patton's command, as sharpshooters. This was regarded by Ashby as sufficient to hold the enemy in check; and his cavalry was quietly pursuing its way, in advance of the artillery, when the enemy's horsemen gallantly charged through the sharp-shooters, captured some of the cannoneers and nearly succeeded in cutting off the retreat of a rifled piece. It was withdrawn, however, beyond Woodstock. Thus for eight days it was constantly under the fire of his guns, making his "retreat" says Cooke, "one long battle between the Confederate rear and the Federal vanguard."Bayard's Brigade was pressing hotly to strike Jackson, and delay him until General Shields reached Port Republic, there to intercept his retreat, and no efforts were spared to break through the obstinate impediment which Ashby, who commanded the rear guard presented, and force Jackson to turn and defend himself.At Harrisonburg a severe fight occurred, in which the First New Jersey first, and later the Bucktails and the First Cavalry engaged a vastly superior force of the enemy, inflicting severeloss. On the 8th, the command participated in the battle of Cross Keys, but being reserve was but slightly engaged. On the following day it led the advance of the centre column to Port Republic, where it arrived too late to arrest the flames to which the enemy had'consigned the bridge across the Shenandoah. On the 10th, the command returned down the valley, and after a halt of two days at Mount Jackson, returned through Front Royal to Manassas, which place it reached on the 23d, having been engaged-thirty days in incessant and fatiguing duty, having in that time marched nearly four hundred miles, and skirmished and fought almost constantly, in the face of a powerful and vigilant foe, led by his most trusted leaders. Suffering severely in this campaign, the regiment remained at Manassas two weeks to rest and re-fit. It then marched with the advance of Pope, who had recently been placed in command of the army of Northern Virginia, to Culpepper, whence it made various marches and performed important duty. On the 1st of August, General Bayard advanced to the Rapidan, where he was engaged for eight days in guarding the fords for several miles along the river against a wily foe, and watching at all points inland for his approach from above and below. Jackson finally advanced in force, and on the night of the 7th of August, forced a crossing at several points and attempted in the darkness to capture the entire brigade; but was so skillfully baffled as to succeed in carrying off but two men. On the first alarm the outpost rallied upon the reserve, holding the enemy in check until the regiment withdrew to Robertson River. When within two miles of the stream, the different detachments of the brigade on picket were rapidly withdrawn, and before they were all in, the advance of Jackson's army came dashing up the road.
Captain Taylor, at the time, was in conversation with General Bayard, and before they were aware of the enemys presence, a shower of bullets came whistling by them. General Bayard cried out to the Captain "deploy your squadron at once, and hold the enemy in check until the brigade is safely over the ford. Men never obeyed an order more promptly nor behaved more gallantly than they did in deploying under a heavy fire of musketry; they held the enemy in check until the brigade was safely over. Its loss was two killed and two wounded. The command slowly withdrew towards Cedar Mountain, and though under a brisk fire of artillery supported by Jackson's whole force, by skillful manuevering, the enemys pursuit was so completely baffled, that nearly the whole day was spent in moving the eight miles, from the point of attack on the previous evening. Here the command formed and held the position until General Bank's force arrived, keeping a determined front and slowly giving ground as the weight of the enemy's overwhelming force pushed it back. The regiment was in front on the following day as advance skirmishers and supported Knapp's battery. At a crisis in the battle, this battery was in imminent peril. A charge of the cavalry was ordered. The first battalion, under Major Falls, dashed upon the enemy, broke his lines of infantry, and turning, fought its way back. Of the two hundred and sixteen men who charged, only seventy-one returned mounted, so severe was the enfilading fire of the enemy's infantry from right to left. The advance of the enemy was checked, and the battery saved.
The third battalion, commanded by Colonel Barrows, after the battle had opened, was withdrawn from the skirmish line, and stationed in rear of the centre. The second, posted on the extreme right, was at one time entirely cut off, but succeeded in eluding the trap prepared for it, and came in under cover of night. Upon the retreat of Pope, on the 19th of August, Bayard's command,now increased to five regiments, formed the rear guard. Contesting the ground stubbornly until it reached the Rappahannock, the enemy suddenly attacked with great impetuosity, with the design of cutting off retreat. The First New Jersey and Second New York Cavalry, unexpectedly struck while forming were broken and thrown into confusion. The First Pennsylvania having passed on in advance, upon the first alarm, drew up in line ready to receive an attack, and stood one half in the open field and the other concealed*by a wood. As the enemy came on, the regiment charged on him from the front, and sweeping around came suddenly upon his rear. The other two regiments having now rallied and re-formed, joined in the charge, completing his utter route. After crossing the river, which was effected without molestation, a detachment of four companies, under Major Ray, was sent to Beverly Ford, on picket. Upon being relieved, it was suddenly attacked while scattered, the horses having been turned loose to graze; but rallying with great steadiness, the command was withdrawn without loss. On the evening of the 28th, the regiment having the advance of Sigels command, moved between Jackson's rear and Longstreet's advance, on the Thoroughfare Gap Pike, capturing nearly two hundred prisoners of Jackson's stragglers. The same night the regiment, with Ricketts' Division of infantry, held the Gap for six hours against the attacks of Longstreet. On the following morning, Colonel Jones made a reconnoissance toward Centreville, and received the fire of a light battery which opened the battle of Bull Run. During the two days of fighting, the regiment was posted on the extreme left of the army, and as it fell back towards Washington, was engaged with other cavalry in arresting the stampede. With a force of one hundred horses and two hundred available men, it went into camp near Munson's Hill, on the first of September, and picketed the approaches to the city, where it remained six weeks, detachments being sent out occasionally for special duty. In September, Lieutenant Colonel Barrows resigned, and was succeeded by Captain John P. Taylor, of Company C. Upon the return of M'Clellan's army from the Maryland campaign, the regiment, with other cavalry, moved in advance along the Blue Ridge, occasionally skirmishing with the enemy, and arrived at Rappahannock bridge on the night of the 8th of November, in time to save it from destruction by the enemy. The regiment, now in command of Lieutenant Colonel Taylor, approached stealthily and surprised the enemy, driving him from his camp, capturing all his tents, officers' arms, clothing and camp equipments.
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