John F. Noble, aged 20 years, enlisted for a period of three years at Syracuse, New York on 16 December 1863 for a bounty of $300 to be paid in five installments. Recruit Noble was subsequently assigned to Company B, 22nd New York Cavalry when the regiment was formed on 5 January 1864. Called the "Rochester Regiment" and recruited by Samuel J. Crooks who had previously raised the 8th New York Cavalry, the 22nd New York left its home state in early March 1864 with Crooks in command. On arrival in Washington, D.C. the regiment was assigned to IX Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. Completely green and untested, portions of the 22nd would panic on 7 and 8 May during their first combat actions in the Wilderness. Further disgrace resulted when Colonel Crooks was ordered to place himself under arrest, accused of forwarding false information about the location of the enemy. The crowning insult occurred in the dark of night on 7 May, when members of the 22nd were unhorsed and their fresh horses taken by veterans of the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry. It is not known whether Private John Noble was one of the unfortunate riders thus unceremoniously dismounted. Despite its initial run of bad luck, the 22nd would see much hard fighting before mustering out at Winchester, Va. under the command of Colonel Horatio B. Reed. From October 1864, the regiment served with the Army of the Shenandoah and from February 1865 with the cavalry division, Army of West Virginia. By this time, the 22nd New York had distinguished itself at Kearneysville, Dinwiddie Court House and White Oak Swamp. At Waynesboro on 2 March 1865 Captain Christopher Bruton, Corporal Harry Harvey and Privates George Ladd and Michael Crowley were awarded the Medal of Honor for distinguished gallantry. Its campaigns cost the regiment 207 deaths, including 87 who died while in prison. Based on his military service record, John Noble was present in the ranks from the day he enlisted through 1 August 1865 when the 22nd New York was mustered out of service. Although Private Noble had thus avoided both the distinction of being killed in action as well as the Medal of Honor, on discharge from service Noble was still awaiting payment of his final two bounty installments. The 1862 image shows a column of Federal cavalry.