On the 9th of May, General Sheridan commenced his grand raid upon Richmond, and on the first day crossed the Massaponax, Ny, Po and Ta rivers. At Childsburg the enemy made a vigorous attack. The regiment was supporting the Sixth Ohio, as rear guard to the column. Finding that the pressure was becoming so strong that a stand must be made, Colonel Taylor threw his regiment into line of battle, a battalion on each side of the road, and one in reserve.It was scarcely in position, when the Sixth Ohio was broken, and came in disorder through Taylor's forming ranks, closely followed by the rebel cavalry, one of whom dashed forward, and seizing the colors, demanded the surrender of the regiment. But scarcely had he uttered the word when he fell dead. The captain of the charging column was killed by a ball from Colonel Taylor's revolver. The charge of this advance squadron, who were all killed or wounded, with the exception of two, was immediately followed by an entire regiment. The flanking battalions had not yet fired, and, as the enemy came dashing forward within range, the well-directed volleys from two hundred carbines, sent them reeling to the rear. At dark the line was withdrawn, and the march continued. Heavy skirmishing in front, and on the right flank, occurred on the following day. At Ashland, where the brigade was sent to destroy the Station, at Hungary Station, and at Yellow Tavern, the enemy were met in considerable force, and handsomely repulsed. Marching all night, daylight found the command moving down the Brock Road, within two and-a-half miles of Richmond. At Richmond Heights, near Meadow Bridge, the enemy appeared in heavy force. His attacks were made with great skill, and with a full knowledge of the ground. But every effort to break the lines of the division proved futile, and he was driven back with heavy loss. The fighting continued from daylight until eleven A. M., when, apparently disheartened, by his repeated repulses, he withdrew, and the corps moved on through Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mill, crossed Bottom's Bridge, and reached the James River, at Haxall's Landing. Here the regiment, having the advance, was fired on by the gunboats, being mistaken for the enemy. Remaining three days, the command marched via White House, and Aylett's, and re-joined the army at Chesterfield Station, on the 25th.
It was immediately placed in advance and again crossed the Pamunky at Hanovertown. At Hawes' Shop, the regiment was ordered out on scout and soon met the enemy. The Third Battalion, under Captain Litzenburg, immediately charged, clearing the road and driving the enemy back a half mile, where the line was formed, the Third Battalion holding the road, the First on the right of it and the Second on the left. Dismounting under a heavy fire, the regiment advanced to the attack. The division soon came up and the fighting became general. For seven hours the position was held, and so rapid and constant was the firing, that during this time, the regiment, though scarcely two hundred engaged, expended upward of eighteen thousand rounds of ammunition. At half past four P. M., the division was re-inforced by Custar's Brigade, and the whole line dashed forward, driving the enemy three miles, and strewing the track of his routed columns with hundreds of his dead and wounded. Occupying the centre of the line, and holding the road where the heaviest of the fighting occurred, the loss of the regiment was severe.
At Barker's Mills a battery, supported by infantry, was encountered. The regiment was ordered from the rear to the head of the column to charge and capture it. The position was found to be impregnable, but the regiment moved forward under a raking fire of artillery and infantry, and took position in close range of the enemy's works, and held it until relieved by heavy lines of infantry. The loss in men and horses was very severe. As soon as the cavalry could be spared from its place at the front, Sheridan was again in the saddle, and his legions in motion for the Trevillian raid. Striking the Virginia Central Railroad near Trevillian Station, the command proceeded to destroy the road. While the destruction was in progress, the regiment was ordered to report to General Torbert, commanding the First Division, and was placed in support of a battery, where it was exposed to heavy shelling, but not otherwise engaged. Having accomplished the destruction of the road for many miles, the column returned to White House, where the enemy appeared in force. Crossing the river the column was dismounted and formed to receive the enemy's attack. Here the First Cavalry was sent on foot a mile on the enemy's flank to capture or compel the removal of a gun which was very troublesome to the skirmishers. In obedience to orders, but contrary to the judgment of the officers of the regiment, it was pushed rapidly forward without protection of skirmishers on either flank, along a narrow strip of cleared land, skirted on all sides by dense woods. Scarcely had the attack opened in front when the enemy advanced from the woods on either side, and opened a galling fire on flanks and rear. Fairly entrapped, the regiment was immediately formed to cut its way out, and by coolness and desperate fighting escaped from the toils into which it had been drawn; but with a loss of three officers and thirty-five men killed, wounded and prisoners. The admirable dispositions made for the withdrawal, and the cool and determined bravery exhibited by both officers and men, elicited the warmest commendations.
At Saint Mary's Church the enemy's cavalry was again met in full force, supported by a column of infantry. After a severe engagement, in which our line fell back, fighting as it went, and successfully withdrawing all its artillery and trains, a position was finally taken, which was successfully held, and the enemy gave up the contest. The column now advanced to the James River, and encamped at Wyandotts Landing. Here closed General Sheridan's second grand raid, the corps having been absent from the army nineteen days, and engaged in either marching, or fighting, during the entire period, without a single day's respite. "Of the sixty-one days which had elapsed since the commencement of Grant's grand campaign against Richmond, fifty-four had been spent by the cavalry in either marching, scouting, picketing, or fighting. Being much of the time in the immediate presence of the enemy, we were subject to that unceasing vigilance which keeps every energy to its utmost tension, and wears away the spirits and the strength more rapidly than the heavy toils of steady and constant labor; such as the slow, cautious, and wearisome march, now halting, now marching again, now forming, dismounting and standing to horse, then re-mounting, changing position and forming again; aroused at nightand hurried into line, to spend the drowsy hours until morning, in the saddle, hungry and jaded; a whole day without an opportunity of'cooking coffee,' and then when a moment's leisure is had, and the tempting and grateful beverage is almost prepared, hurried away from the untasted meal to hours more of the fatiguing duty.".
On the 27th of August the command crossed the James and rested; but only for a brief period. The bugle again sounded for the march, and the corps was soon on its way to the left of our lines, now posted in front of Petersburg. At Ream's Station, on the 12th of July, the enemy's lines were encountered, and after a spirited contest, lasting several hours, which fully developed his strength and position, the command was withdrawn, and returned to its former camp. On the 26th, crossing the Appomattox, near Point of Rocks, it proceeded to the James, and in conjunction with the Second Corps, moved over on a pontoon bridge near Bermuda Hundred. At Malvern Hill a severe engagement ensued, in which the First Cavalry, dismounted, met the enemy's infantry, and was compelled by superior numbers to retire with a loss of threemen killed and fifteen wounded. Upon being relieved by the infantry, the cavalry again returned to its old position in front of Petersburg. On the 30th of July the command again took up the line of march, and met the enemy strongly posted at Lee's Mills. After a sharp fight he was dislodged and precipitately retreated. Returning the regiment was again north of the James. In the absence of Colonel Taylor and Lieutenant Colonel Gardner, occasioned by sickness, it was under command of Captain Newman. A week's hard service of picketing and scouting, and the engagement at Gravel Hill, "twin sister to Malvern Hill," ensued. Returning to the south side of the James, it again marched towards the Weldon Railroad, where the regiment participated in its last encounter with the enemy, near Ream's Station. On the 29th of August, a camp was established on the Jerusalem Plank Road, near the left of the army. The term of service of the regiment having now expired, an order for its relief from duty was received on the 30th. The veterans and recruits, four hundred and one in number, organized in a battalion of four companies, were left in command of Major Falls, and were subsequently consolidated with the veterans of the Sixth and Seventeenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, forming the Second Provisional Cavalry. Withdrawing from the front on the 1st of September, the regiment proceeded to Philadelphia, where, on the 9th, it was mustered out of service.
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