4th US Infantry History 1863 - 1865
Department of the East
Leaving Fayetteville, Virginia, on August 3rd, the Regiment went into camp, on the
Rappahannock river about
half way between Beverly Ford and Rappahannock Station (Orange and Alexandria
Railroad). Moving, by way
of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, on August 13th the Regiment proceeded
to Alexandria, Virginia. On
August 15th, the Regiment embarked, via steamer, for New York City, to assist
in suppressing the riots which
occurred on account of the draft. Arriving about the 18th of August, the
Regiment went into camp in Washington
Square. At this time the Regiment was under the command of Major
Frederick T. Dent.
The Regiment remained in camp, in Washington Square, New York City, until September 12th
when it moved to
Fort Richmond, on Staten Island where it went into camp on the glacis (a slope that
runs downwards from a
fortification) of Fort Tompkins. On January 29th, 1864, under the command of
Captain C H. Brightly, the
Regiment moved, by
steamer, to Fort Wood, Bedloe’s Island, in New York Harbor. The Regiment remained in
barracks at Fort
Wood, until late April, 1864.
Ninth Army Corps
On April 25th, 1864, Headquarters and the organized companies left Bedloe’s Island and
joined the Ninth Corps
(commanded by Burnside) near Alexandria, Virginia. Under the command of Captain
Brightly, the Fourth became
part of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division. As part of the 9th Corps, the 4th
participated in the Battle of the Wilderness
(May 6th), commanded at first by Captain Brightly. Wounded,
Captain Brightly (who later died of his wounds) left
the field and command fell to Captain Thomas A. Martin.
After Captain Martin was wounded command was assumed
by First Lieutenant George M. Randall. On May 7th,
the Ninth Corps, including the Fourth U. S. Regiment, was able
to repulse Confederate troops, commanded by
Hill. At this time the Ninth Corps were strongly entrenched between
the Fifth Corps, commanded by Major
General Gouverneur K. Warren and the Second Corps commanded by Major
General Winfield Scott Hancock.
Later, on May 16th, the Regiment participated in the Battle of Spottsylvania Court House.
Under the command of
Captain Avery B. Cain the Regiment, on May 24th, participated in the Battle of North
Anna. Still under Captain
Cain’s command the Regiment took part in the Battle of Totopotomoy Creek,
Virginia (June 2nd and 3rd, 1864).
From June 17th through June 19th, 1864, the Regiment was engaged with the Fifth Corps in
the attack on Confederate
lines at Petersburg.
June 1864 to May 1866
On June 22nd, 1864, with less than 150 remaining men, the 4th regiment, was ordered to
City Point, Virginia, for duty
as General Grant’s Headquarters Guard. During this period the 4th U.S. was
part of Headquarters, Army of the Potomac.
On March 30th, 1865, the Regiment was ordered to leave City
Point and join the headquarters of General Ulysses S.
Grant in the field as the Army of the Potomac
moved on Petersburg, Virginia. The Regiment continued to move with
General Grant’s headquarters and
was present, on April 9th, at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, for the surrender
of General Lee and the
Army of Northern Virginia.
In early May of 1865, the Regiment was transferred to the Department of Virginia for
provost duty. It moved to Richmond,
Virginia, where it camped in the city’s western suburbs. The Regiment
remained on provost duty outside of Richmond
until July 15th. On July 1st, several companies were
re-organized from recruits received by the Regiment. On the 15th,
headquarters and the organized
Companies (A, C, D, F, G, H, and K) moved by steamer to New York City. Companies
A, D, F, and G,
under the command of Captain Caleb H. Carlton were sent to Fort Wood on Bedloe’s Island, New York
harbor.
Company C, under the command of First Lieutenant Thomas F. Quinn was sent to Sandy Hook, New York and
Companies H and K, under the command of Captain William S. Collier were sent to Battery Barracks, New
York City.
The Regiment remained at these posts through August 31st.
On September 1st, the organized companies and headquarters were ordered to quarters at
Fort Schuyler, New York.
During that month, a detachment, along with a number of additional officers
took a number of the old colors of the
Regiment, including colors carried during the Mexican War and the
War of the Rebellion, and deposited them at the
United States Military Academy at West Point. Also
during September, a number of senior officers assigned to the
Fourth U. S. rejoined the Regiment. These
officers, Colonel (Brevet Brigadier General) Silas Casey, Lieutenant Colonel
(Brevet Brigadier General)
Adam J. Slemmer, and Major Henry M. Judah, had been on detached service,
in command of
volunteer units. The Regiment remained at Fort Schuyler for about 6 weeks.
On October 18th, 1865, headquarters and Companies H and K, commanded by Captain Collier,
proceeded to Detroit,
Michigan, and took post at Fort Wayne, with Colonel Casey as post commander.
On October 22nd, Company D,
commanded by Captain Robert P. McKibbin, took post at Detroit Barracks. On
October 24th, Company G, commanded
by William H. Powell and Company A, under the command of First
Lieutenant John J. S. Hassler, proceeded to Sacket’s
Harbor, New York and took post at Madison Barracks.
On October 28th, Company F, commanded by Captain Cain, took
post at Fort Niagara, New York. Although
unorganized, officers were assigned to Company E (Captain Carlton) and posted
at Fort Ontario, Oswego,
New York. Over the winter, Company E was recruited and organized. Company C, under the
command of First
Lieutenant Quinn, took post at Plattsburg Barracks, New York, with Major Judah as post commander.
The
companies of the Regiment remained at these posts until May of 1866.