A FINE WEST VIRGINIA CIVIL WAR MEDAL TO A 1ST LIEUTENANT, 2ND WEST VIRGINA CAVALRY WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENT AT GENERAL LEE’S SURRENDER AT APPOMATTOX COURT HOUSE IN APRIL 1865, PREVIOUSLY A 1ST SERGEANT WITH THE 1ST WEST VIRGINA CAVALRY, HIS REGIMENT COVERED ITSELF WITH GLORY DURING THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN

WEST VIRGINIA CIVIL WAR MEDAL ‘HONORABLY DISCHARGED’ TYPE ‘SAML MCVEY. 1ST LIEUT 2ND REG CAV VOLS’.

Samuel McVay, aged 30 from Lancaster County, PA, enlisted into Captain Gilmore’s Company, 1st West Virginia Cavalry as a Quartermaster Sergeant on 23 October 1861. Promoted 1st Sergeant on 1 December 1862. He reenlisted as a Veteran Volunteer on 13 November 1863, transferring to the 2nd West Virginia Cavalry and was Commissioned 1st Lieutenant of Company D on 26 November 1864. From January 1865 until mustering out on 30 June that year, McVay served as acting Regimental Quartermaster.

Captain Gilmore’s Company was formed as the Pennsylvania Dragoons, became a company in the First (West) Virginia Cavalry before later joining the 2nd West Virginia Cavalry. From ‘History of the Second Regiment, West Virginia Cavalry Volunteers’;

‘George Washington Gilmore formed a company of cavalry independently at the request of General George B McClellan and Gilmore was its captain. Gilmore's company was originally called the Pennsylvania Dragoons and was formed July 1861 with men from Fayette County Pennsylvania. An example of it fighting detached is the Wytheville Raid, where it fought with an additional company from the 1st West Virginia Cavalry, an infantry regiment, and another cavalry regiment. Beginning July 14, 1863, Gilmore's Company served with the 2nd West Virginia Cavalry, and finished its service as Company L of that regiment’.

The 1st West Virginia Cavalry saw a good deal of action during 1862 and from May 1863, were conspicuous for the part they played leading up to, including and after the battle of Gettysburg:

“..In the spring of 1863 the regiment received its Spencer rifles, which added materially to its efficiency in its subsequent fights under the reckless and dashing Kilpatrick. It bore the leading part in repelling a charge of General J.E.B. Stuart’s cavalry in the streets of Hanover, Pennsylvania, taking Colonel Payne and over a hundred of his men prisoners. It covered and held out guns against Stuart’s charge at Hunterstown, Pennsylvania. It was conspicuous for holding the low gap at the left of Round Top the last day’s fight at Gettysburg, against vastly superior numbers; repeatedly repelling assaults, and finally forming an important part of the charging column under the glorious Farnsworth, who penetrated the enemy lines near the Devil’s Den, and hastened the retreat of the Confederate army from the battlefield of Gettysburg. It was also foremost in the charging and fighting of Kilpatrick’s division in its pursuit of Lee’s army. At the pass at Monterey, single-handedly, during the night of the 4th of July, under Major Charles E Capehart, it captured or destroyed upward of eight miles of Lee’s ammunition and supply train, and took as prisoners an entire Confederate brigade, with its commanding general. It also fought with the best at Boonesboro, Hagerstown, Williamsport and Falling Waters…”

During his service with the 2nd West Virginia Cavalry, McVay would also have seen a good deal of active service, in particular during the Appomattox campaign, 28 March to 9 April 1865, the Regiment being present at Appomattox Court House and the surrender of General Lee’s army………

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