With the exception of a skirmish with Wade Hampton’s division of Cavalry at Stevenburg, Va., in the early part of November, and several demonstrations on the enemy’s lines on the Rapidan at "Raccoon," "Summerville" and "Morton’s" Fords, in which the regiment participated, no active duty was assigned to the Sixth Cavalry from the 1^st of November, 1863, to the latter part of February, 1864. On the 28^th February, leaving camp at Stevensburg, it started on the cavalry raid to Richmond, under General Kilpatrick. Its Division being attacked near Meehanicsville on the night of the 2d of March, it was obliged to retire, a portion of the Sixth Cavalry forming a part of the rear guard. Having succeeded in joining the forces at New Kent C. H., the regiment moved down the Peninsula, and embarking on transports, proceeded to Alexandria, whence it returned to its brigade was transferred to the 1^st Cavalry Division, and during the ensuing campaign was known as the 1^st Brigade of that Division. The camp was moved to Culpepper, where, on the 3d of May, companies M. and I., which had been operating in the Shenandoah during the past year, rejoined the regiment. On the 6^th, near Chancellorsville, the command became engaged, the enemy making desperate efforts to drive it from its position without success, the rebels being repulsed at all points and finally driven from the field in great disorder. On the 7^th the regiment was engaged in skirmishing. On the 8^th, the entire corps was massed, and in the morning of the 9^th, under General Sheridan, started on the raid to the rear of the rebel army, the 1^st Brigada being in the advance. Arriving at Beaver Dam Station, the command captured three trains laden with supplies and two locomotives. In addition to these a large amount of stores. A considerable number of arms and tents were captured. After supplying the command, the remaining property, valued at several millions of dollars, was destroyed. A portion of the Virginia Central R.R. track was also torn up. On the 11^th, the brigade participated in the engagement with the enemy’s cavalry at Yellow Tavern, where the latter were routed and driven from the field. On the 12^th the regiment dismounted, and crossed on the ties of the railroad bridge in the face of a heavy fire of musketry and artillery, and assisted in driving the enemy from their works at Meadow Bridge. The next day the command marched to Bottom’s Bridge, whence on the 14^th, it proceed to Malvern Hill and opened communications with out forces on the James River. On the 17^th, the command started on its return to the army. At Hanover Court House it destroyed trestle bridges, a portion of the railroad track and telegraph line, and captured commissary stores, rejoining the Division at the White House on the 21^st, where it crossed the Pamunky. On the 25^th, the command joined the army of the Potomac at Chesterfield Station. On the 26^th the regiment marched with the brigade to the enemy, routing them with a heavy loss. The brigade marched on the 28^th to Hawes’ Shop, and thence down the Richmond road, where finding our cavalry engaged, the command participated in the action. The Sixth took part in a decisive charge on the enemy’s lines, driving the rebels from their position and compelling them to leave the ground strewn with their dead and wounded. The loss of the regiment was very severe. Out of 140 men engaged, one-fourth were killed or wounded in less than teen minutes. The battle was fought in thick woods with the men dismounted. Engaging in the raid of Sheridan’s forces toward Gordonsville, the regiment on the 11^th of June participated in the battle of Trevillian’s Station, charging the enemy repeatedly and capturing many prisoners, most of whom, however, were recaptured. From the time it crossed the James, June 28^th, the loss of the regiment was 29 killed, 60 wounded and 64 missing, a total of 153. On the 3d of Qaugust the Sixth embarked to Halltown, where it arrived on the 10^th. On the morning of the 11^th, the regiment marched beyond Opequan Creek, towards Winchester. A battalion of the regiment became engaged and repelled a charge of the enemy, saving a Union battery from capture. On the 15^th the command moved to Cedarville, and on the following day one battalion participated in the repulse of rebel infantry and cavalry that had attacked in force the camp of the 1^st Division near Front Royal. In a charge this battalion captured a number of prisoners. On the 25^th, the regiment participated in the engagement at Kearneysville and Shepardstown. Being cut off from the main, body and nearly surrounded by the enemy, the command retired across the Potomac, whence it returned to the South side of the river via Harper’s Ferry. From the 25^th of August to the 15^th of September, the regiment was actively employed. It took part in the engagements at "Leetown" and "Smithfield," made several; reconnaissance in which the enemy were encountered, served as General Sheridan’s escort, engaged in the pursuit of Mosby’s guerrillas, and participated in all the marches and countermarches that occurred during this period of the Shennandoad campaign. On the 19^th of September, the Sixth, at Sever’s Ford, on Opequan Creek, charged across an open space in the face of a galling fire from the enemy. Who were strongly posted behind breastworks. Driving the enemy, before it, the regiment moved to near Winchester, where it participated in several charges on the rebel infantry and cavalry; assisted in breaking their lines and in capturing prisoners, artillery and rebel colors. Of the former the regiment captured more than its entire number engaged. From the 19^th to the 23d, the Sixth was engaged in the pursuit of the enemy. On the 24^th, it came upon Wickham’s brigade of rebel cavalry in the Luray Valley, charged and assisted in routing them. On the 26^th, the regiment crossed the Shenandoah at Fort Republic and skirmished with the enemy, but finding them in force, withdrew. It remained in the vicinity of Port Republic, Cross Keyes and Mt. Crawford until the 6^th of October, when it fell back with our troops to to Timbersville, on the 7^th to Woodstock, and on the 8^th to Fisher’s Hill. The enemy keeping up an annoying pursuit, the Sixth, supported by the Seventh (Mich.) Cavalry, turned upon the enemy and drove them upon the run back to Woodstock. The regiment was also engaged in action on the 9^th, charging and routing the force opposed to it. Going into camp at Cedar Creek, it remained there, with the exception of a reconnaissance to Front Royal on the 15^th, until the battle of Middletown (or Cedar Creek) on the 19^th of October. In this action, the regiment participated. Having repelled the rebel attacks, it charged and broke their lines, capturing many prisoners and a stand of colors. The rebel infantry opposed to it were routed. The regiment took part in the pursuit to Woodstock, but returned to Cedar Creek, where it was encamped October 31^st, 1864. The regiment is (1864) in 1^st Division Cavalry Corps, Middle Military Division, and is commanded by Col. James H. Kidd.

On November 1^st, 1864, this regiment was with the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Shenandoah, and lay at Camp Russell, near Winchester, Va., making preparations to go into winter quarters, and was engaged in the usual picket service, and in scouting, until the 27^th of February, 1865, when it formed part of the force with which General Sheridan made his movement against General Early’s army, and on the rebel communications in the direction of Gordonsville and Richmond, and at that date moved with the cavalry corps towards Staunton; and on the 8^th of March the regiment participated in an engagement with a part of the rebel cavalry under General Rosser, near Louisa Court House, and assisted in routing it, and in capturing the town, in which a large amount of property was destroyed, including the railroad depot, with rolling stock and telegraph office. It also participated in taking up the track and destroying the railroad property on the line of the Lynchburg and Gordonsville railroad, and in the destruction of the locks, aqueducts and mills on the line of the James River Canal. The command having reached White House Landing March 19^th, in time to take part in the final battles of the Army of the Potomac, soon after, with the cavalry corps, took position on the left of the line of that army, and on the 30^th the regiment became engaged with the rebel cavalry, and assisted in driving them within their works at Five Forks. It was also engaged with the enemy at the same point on the 31^st, and on April 1^st; and on the 2d, at the South Side Railroad; and on the 4^th, at Duck Pond Mills; on the 6^th, at the battle of the Ridges, or Sailor’s Creek; and on the 8^th and 9^th, at Appomattox Court House. After the surrender of Lee, the rebel General Pickett, who was taken prisoner in one of these engagements, spoke of a charge made by this regiment, which he witnessed, as being the "bravest he ever had seen." After Lee’s surrender, the regiment moved with the cavalry corps to Petersburg, Va., and then made an expedition into North Carolina; from thence it marched via Petersburg and Richmond to Washington D.C., and on the 23dof May participated in the review of the Army of the Potomac. Immediately thereafter, with the Michigan Cavalry Brigade, it was ordered West, and proceeded by rail via Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and Ohio and Mississippi Rivers by steamer, to St. Louis, and thence by steamer via the Missouri River, to Fort Leavenworth. At that point it received orders to cross the plains, which produced much justifiable dissatisfaction in the command; but the regiment recollecting its noble record, and adhering to it former high degree of discipline, and faithful observance of orders, and keeping in view the honor of its State, commenced its march across the Plains, and marched to Fort Kearney, thence to Julesburg, and from there to Fort Laramie; at that point the regiment was divided into detachments by order of General Connor; one to constitute a part of the "Left Column Powder River Expedition," one to remain at Fort Laramie, and the other to escort a train to the Black Hills. The Powder River detachment, on reaching that point, found that the Indians, which it had been sent in search of, had managed to escape, and while there it built a fort, known as Fort Reno. On that expedition, Captain O. F. Cole, of Co. "G." lost his life; having heedlessly strayed a long way from the column, he was surprised by Indians, and shot to death with arrows. From this point a small detachment of the command was sent to guard a train to Virginia City, Montana, and falling in with a large war party of Arrappahoe Indians, became surrounded by them, and were "corralled" for twelve days, but finally succeeded in getting intelligence of their condition to General Connor, when reinforcements were sent to their relief. Sergeant Hall, of Company "L." and Private Evans, of Company "F." having volunteered, succeeded in carrying the intelligence referred to, a distance of fifty miles, through a wild and to them unknown country, swarming with hostile Indians, and thereby saved the detachment. On the 17^th of September, on orders issued by Major General Dodge, the men of the regiment whose term consolidated with the First Michigan Cavalry, and the regiment was then ordered to Fort Leavenworth, and was there mustered out of service on the 24^th of November, 1865, when it proceeded to Michigan, arriving on the 30^th of November at Jackson, when it was paid off and disbanded.