The Frontier Cavalry was a volunteer cavalry

Cavalry

Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...

 regiment

Regiment

A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...

 in the Union Army

Union Army

The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...

 during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

. It was organized under special authority of the War Department, to serve on the northern frontier

Frontier

A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary. 'Frontier' was absorbed into English from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"--the region of a country that fronts on another country .The use of "frontier" to mean "a region at the...

 of New England

New England

New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...

 for one year. It was created in response to the St. Albans raid

St. Albans raid

The St. Albans Raid was the northernmost land action of the American Civil War, taking place in St. Albans, Vermont on October 19, 1864.-Background:In this unusual incident, Bennett H. Young led Confederate States Army forces...

, which occurred on October 19, 1864.

From October 1864 until January 1865, the northern frontier was guarded by a provisional force consisting, at least in Vermont

Vermont

Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...

, of recently returned veterans, militia

Militia

The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...

, cadets from Norwich University

Norwich University

Norwich University is a private university located in Northfield, Vermont . The university was founded in 1819 at Norwich, Vermont, as the American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy. It is the oldest of six Senior Military Colleges, and is recognized by the United States Department of...

, and other volunteers. These groups were replaced by a regiment of cavalry and members of the Veteran Reserve Corps

Veteran Reserve Corps

The Veteran Reserve Corps was a military reserve organization created within the Union Army during the American Civil War to allow partially disabled or otherwised infirmed soldiers to perform light duty, freeing able-bodied soldiers to serve on the front lines.-The Invalid Corps:The corps was...

.

The regiment of cavalry (formally known as the 26th New York Cavalry) consisted of seven companies from New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, three from Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

, and two from Vermont, Companies F and M. The Vermont companies were stationed at Burlington

Burlington, Vermont

Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....

 and then St. Albans

St. Albans, Vermont

Places named St. Albans, Vermont:*St. Albans , Vermont, town in Franklin County, Vermont, established in 1763**St. Albans Raid, 1864*St. Albans , Vermont, city in Franklin County, Vermont, established in 1902...

, and the others along the Canadian

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 border in New York.

The Field and Staff Officers of the regiment included two Vermonters, Maj.

Major

Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...

 Josiah Grout, Jr., of Barton, late of the 1st Vermont Cavalry

1st Vermont Cavalry

The 1st Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Cavalry was a three years' cavalry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Eastern Theater from November 1861 to August 1865, in the Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac....

, and Regimental Commissary Elisha May, of Concord

Concord, Vermont

Concord is a town in Essex County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,196 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Berlin, NH–VT Micropolitan Statistical Area, and contains the villages of North Concord and Miles Pond.- History :...

, late of the 2nd Vermont Infantry

2nd Vermont Infantry

The 2nd Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Infantry was a three year' infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the eastern theater, predominantly in the VI Corps, Army of the Potomac, from June 1861 to July 1865...

.

The 1st Vermont Company of Frontier Cavalry, Company M, was recruited in Rutland

Rutland (town), Vermont

Rutland is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,054 at the 2010 census. Rutland completely surrounds the city of Rutland, which is incorporated separately from the town of Rutland.-History:...

, on January 4, 1865, and left for Burlington the next day. The subsequently moved to St. Albans on February 24, and returned to Burlington on June 27 for discharge.

The 2nd Vermont Company, Company F, was recruited in Burlington on January 3. They also moved to St. Albans on February 24, and returned for discharge on June 27, 1865.

Both companies were organized at Burlington by Vermont Adjutant & Inspector General Peter T. Washburn

Peter T. Washburn

Peter Thacher Washburn was a lawyer, politician and Adjutant and Inspector General of the State of Vermont during the American Civil War.-Early life:...

in early January 1865, and were quartered in the barracks at the old fair grounds until midwinter, while they waited for new barracks to be completed there. The two companies remained in St. Albans until the end of June, when they were mustered out due to the end of the war.

The companies, 206 strong, never engaged the enemy, and only lost two men, an officer who resigned in March, and an enlisted man who deserted.