The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912.

August 25, 1863, Col William C. Raulston, formerly Lieutenant-Colonel, 81st N. Y. Volunteers, received authority to reorganize the 24th Volunteer Infantry, then discharged by reason of the expiration of its term of service. September 25, 1863, this authority was modified to read that a regiment of cavalry, this, the 24th, should be organized. The regiment was organized accordingly at Auburn, and its companies were mustered in the service of the United States for three years, A, C, D and E, December 28, 1863; B, F, G, H and I, January 7; K and L, January 19, and M, January 26, 1864.

The companies were recruited principally: A at Fulton and Phoenix; B at Utica, Auburn and Springfield; C at Oswego, Buffalo, Ogdensburg, Auburn and Volney; D at Buffalo, Southport, Baldwin, Orange, Elmira and Catlin; E at Oswego, Scriba, Hastings, Hannibal, Orwell and Parish; F at Buffalo, Taberg, Oswego, Rome and Utica; G at Orwell, Sandy Creek, Amboy, Oswego, New Haven and Lorraine; H at Rochester, Mt. Morris and Canandaigua; I at Oswego, Fulton, Parish, Palermo and Hastings; K at Syracuse, Onondaga, Oswego and Buffalo; L at Canandaigua, Auburn, Rochester, Mt. Morris, Rome and Utica; M at Buffalo, Auburn, Utica, Syracuse and Onondaga.

The regiment left the State February 23, 1864, and served, dismounted, near Washington, D. C, in the 22d Corps from February, 1864; in Marshall's Provisional Brigade, 9th Corps, from May 5, 1864; in the same brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, from May 12, 1864; in the 2d Brigade, 3d Division, 9th Corps, Army of Potomac, from June 11, 1864; in the 2d Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, from September, 1864; mounted in the 1st Brigade, 2d Division, Cavalry, Army of Potomac, from October 20, 1864; in 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Potomac, from May, 1865.

Colonel William C. Raulston was captured by the enemy September 30, 1864; in an attempt to escape, of which he was the leader, he was shot, December 10, 1864, by a Confederate sentinel at Danville, Va., and from the effects of this wound died December 15, 1864, Under the command of Col. Walter C. Newberry the regiment was consolidated, company with corresponding company, with the 10th N. Y. Volunteer Cavalry at Cloud's Mills, Va., July 10, 1865; the new organization receiving the designation "1st Provisional Regiment N. Y. Volunteer Cavalry."

During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 1 officer, 72 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 6 officers, 40 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 1 officer, 133 enlisted men; total, 8 officers, 245 enlisted men; aggregate, 253; of whom I officer and 30 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy