The 4th Vermont Infantry Regiment was a three year' infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Eastern Theater, predominantly in the VI Corps, Army of the Potomac, from September 1861 to July 1865. It was a member of the Vermont Brigade.
| 4th Vermont Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
.svg) Flag of Vermont, 1837–1923 | |
| Active | September 21, 1861 to July 13, 1865 |
| Disbanded | July 13, 1865 |
| Allegiance |  United StatesUnion |
| Branch | United States Army Union Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | 1,658 |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel | Edwin H. Stoughton |
| Colonel | Charles B. Stoughton |
| Colonel | George P. Foster |
| Insignia | |
| 2nd Brigade (Vermont Brigade), 2nd Division, VI Corps (Union Army), Army of the Potomac/Army of the Shenandoah (Union) |  |
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History
editIn July 1861, Congress authorized President Abraham Lincoln to call out 500,000 men, to serve for three years unless sooner discharged. The 4th Vermont Infantry was the third of the three years regiments from the state placed in the field as a result of this call, and organized simultaneously with the 5th Vermont Infantry. Nine of its ten companies were recruited from the east side of the state, an important cultural division at the time.[1]
Governor Erastus Fairbanks' first choice to command the regiment was Lt. Col. Peter T. Washburn, who had served with the 1st Vermont Infantry, but he declined; in October 1861, Washburn was appointed adjutant general of the Vermont Militia. Fairbanks' second choice was 2nd Lt. Edwin H. Stoughton, U.S. Army, an 1859 graduate of the United States Military Academy in the 6th U.S. Infantry. He was a native of Bellows Falls. Maj. Harry Niles Worthen of Thetford, late of the 1st Vermont Infantry, was selected lieutenant colonel. John C. Tyler of Brattleboro became major, and Charles B. Stoughton, Edwin's younger brother, became adjutant.
The regiment rendezvoused at Brattleboro by September 14 on the grounds of what is now Brattleboro Union High School. The camp was named "Camp Holbrook," in honor of Governor Frederick Holbrook, of Brattleboro, who had just been elected. On September 21, the regiment, 1048 men strong, was mustered into Federal service, left that evening and arrived in Washington, D.C. the evening of September 23, and went into camp on Capitol Hill. Four days later, the regiment marched to the Chain Bridge, where it joined the 2nd, 3rd and 5th regiments.
On October 9, the Vermont regiments moved to Camp Griffin, about four miles from Chain Bridge. Here, on October 24, the 6th Vermont Infantry arrived, completing the initial organization of the "Old Vermont Brigade."[2]
The history of the regiment from this point on is essentially that of the Vermont Brigade, except for several senior personnel changes. Lieutenant Colonel Worthen and Major Tyler resigned on January 17, 1862. Adjutant Stoughton became lieutenant colonel, and George P. Foster, Captain, Co. G, was promoted to major. Colonel Stoughton was promoted to brigadier general on November 5, 1862; Charles Stoughton became Colonel, Major Foster lieutenant colonel, and Stephen M. Pingree, originally 1st lieutenant, Co. E, became major. After Charles Stoughton was discharged for wounds, Foster became the final commander of the regiment, and Pingree was promoted to lieutenant colonel. Both Charles Stoughton and George Foster would later be brevetted brigadier general for their gallant and meritorious service.
One June 23, 1864, the regiment "suffered the greatest loss of men by capture" it ever experienced. It was engaged with the brigade and the Sixth Corps in a movement against the Weldon Railroad, and was thrown out in front under command of Major Pratt, with a battalion of the eleventh. The enemy broke through the line with a strong force, and surrounded and captured seven officers and 137 men of the Fourth, as well as almost the entire battalion of the Eleventh. The colors of the Fourth were saved by the activity and coolness of the color guard. The officers so captured were Major Pratt, Captains Chapin and Boutin, and Lieutenants Carr, Fisher, Needham and Pierce. Among the killed was Captain William C. Tracy, of Co. G. His dead body was found on the field next day, stripped of arms, watch, money and boots, and surrounded by the muskets of his men, showing that he had rallied his company around him, and that they threw down their arms only when their gallant leader had fallen."[3]
The original members of the regiment, who did not reenlist, were mustered out of the service on September 30, 1864. The First, Second and Third Companies of Sharpshooters transferred to the regiment on February 25, 1865, and the regiment was consolidated into eight companies. One year recruits and others whose term of service was due to expire prior to October 1, 1865, were mustered out on June 19, 1865. The remaining officers and men mustered out of service on July 13.
Medal of Honor
editFive members of the regiment were awarded the Medal of Honor.[4][5]
- Coffey, Robert J., Sergeant, Co. K, "single-handedly captured 2 officers and 5 privates of the 8th Louisiana Regiment (C.S.A.)," at the Battle of Salem Church on May 4, 1863.
- Drury, James, Sergeant, Co. C, "saved the colors of his regiment when it was surrounded by a much larger force of the enemy and after the greater part of the regiment had been killed or captured," at Weldon Railroad, on July 23, 1864
- Hooker, George W., 1st lieutenant, Co. E, "rode alone, in advance of his regiment, into the enemy's lines, and before his own men came up received the surrender of the major of a Confederate regiment, together with the colors and 116 men," at the Battle of South Mountain on September 14, 1862.
- Rich, Carlos H., 1st sergeant, Co. K, "saved the life of an officer," at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5, 1864.
- Wheeler, Daniel D., 1st lieutenant, Co. G, exhibited "distinguished bravery in action where he was wounded and had a horse shot from under him," at the Battle of Salem Church, on May 3, 1863.
Engagements
edit| ENGAGEMENTS | |
|---|---|
| Battle of Lewinsville | September 11, 1861 |
| Battle at Lee's Mills | April 16, 1862 |
| Battle of Williamsburg[6] | May 5, 1862 |
| Battle of Garnett's & Golding's Farm | June 26, 1862 |
| Battle of Savage's Station[7] | June 29, 1862 |
| Battle of White Oak Swamp | June 30, 1862 |
| Battle of Crampton's Gap | September 14, 1862 |
| Battle of Antietam | September 17, 1862 |
| Battle of Fredericksburg | December 13, 1862 |
| Battle of Marye's Heights[7] | May 3, 1863 |
| Battle of Salem Church | May 4, 1863 |
| Second Battle of Fredericksburg[8] | June 5, 1863 |
| Battle of Gettysburg[9] | July 3, 1863 |
| Battle of Funkstown[9] | July 10, 1863 |
| Second Battle of Rappahannock Station | November 7, 1863 |
| Battle of the Wilderness[10] | May 5–10, 1864 |
| Battle of Spotsylvania | May 10-18, 1864 |
| Battle of Cold Harbor | June 1-12, 1864 |
| Second Battle of Petersburg | June 18, 1864 |
| Battle of Reams' Station | June 29, 1864 |
| Fort Stevens (Washington, D.C.) | July 11, 1864 |
| Battle of Charlestown | August 21, 1864 |
| Battle of Opequon (Gilbert's Ford) | September 13, 1864 |
| Battle of Winchester (Opequon) | September 19, 1864 |
| Battle of Fisher's Hill | September 21-22, 1864 |
| Battle of Cedar Creek | October 19, 1864 |
| Siege of Petersburg | March 25, 1865 |
| Third Battle of Petersburg | April 2, 1865 |
Final Statement
edit| FINAL STATEMENT[11] | |
|---|---|
| Original members | 1048 |
| Gain (recruits and transferes) | 642 |
| --- Aggregate | 1690 |
| --- Losses --- | |
| Killed in action | 86 |
| Died of wounds | 73 |
| Died of disease | 201 |
| Died in Confederate prisons | 61 |
| Died from accident | 2 |
| Total of Deaths | 423 |
| Promoted to other regiments | 8 |
| Honorably discharged | 468 |
| Dishonorably discharged | 6 |
| Deserted | 111 |
| Finally unaccounted for | 5 |
| Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps and other organizations | 86 |
| --- Total Losses | 684 |
| Mustered out at various times | 583 |
| Total wounded | 418 |
| Total taken prisoner | 199 |
See also
editReferences
editCitations
edit- ^ "Revised Roster Vermont Volunteers 1892". Northeast Kingdom Civil War Roundtable. September 2011.
- ^ Carl Guarneri, Saint Mary's College History department. The Civil War Letters of Forrest Little: Camp Griffin Archived 2018-04-27 at the Wayback Machine, Saint Mary's College Library
- ^ Benedict (1886), pp. 171–72, Vol. I.
- ^ "Congressional Medal of Honor Society". Congressional Medal of Honor Society. CMOHS. 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
- ^ "Victoria Cross, the Men Behind the Medals: The Comprehensive Guide to the Victoria & George Cross - MOHs". Victoria Cross, the Men Behind the Medals. VCOnline. 2020. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ War Department (1884b), p. 157, Vol. XI-XXIII-I.
- ^ a b Crockett (1921), pp. 510–12, Vol. III.
- ^ Benedict (1886), pp. 142–43, Vol. I.
- ^ a b Benedict (1886), p. 144, Vol. I.
- ^ Coffin (2002), p. 104.
- ^ Adjutant General 1892, p. 141, Vol. VI. Fox 1889, p. 149
Sources
edit- Adjutant General, Vermont (1892). Theodore S. Peck, BGEN (ed.). Revised Roster of Vermont Volunteers and lists of Vermonters Who Served in the Army and Navy of the United States During the War of the Rebellion, 1861-66. Montpelier, VT: Press of the Watchman Publishing Co. p. 886. OCLC 302368404.
- Benedict, George Grenville (1886). Vermont in the Civil War, Chapter I - XX. Vermont in the Civil War. A History of the part taken by the Vermont Soldiers And Sailors in the War For The Union, 1861-5. Vol. I. Burlington, VT: Free Press Association. p. 674. OCLC 2209277.
- Coffin, Howard (2002). The Battered Stars: One State's Civil War Ordeal during Grant's Overland Campaign: from the Home Front in Vermont to the Battlefields of Virginia. Woodstock, VT: Countryman Press. ISBN 9780881504873. OCLC 1147748752.
- Coffin, Howard (1995). Full Duty: Vermonters in the Civil War. Woodstock, VT: Countryman Press. p. 376. ISBN 9780881503494. OCLC 42706499.
- Crockett, Walter Hill (1921). Vermont The Green Mountain State, Chapter XXX-XXXIV. Vol. III. New York, NY: The Century History Company, Inc. OCLC 9412165.
- Dyer, Frederick Henry (1908). A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co. ASIN B01BUFJ76Q.
- Fox, William F (1889). Regimental Losses In The American Civil War 1861-1865. Albany, NY: Albany Publishing Company. pp. 595. OCLC 950982386.
- Poirier, Robert G. (1999). By the Blood of our Alumni: Norwich University Citizen-Soldiers in the Army of the Potomac. Mason City, IA: Savas Pub. Co. ISBN 9781940669083. OCLC 1132347426.
- War Department, U.S. (1880). Operations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Apr 16-Jul 31, 1861. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. II–VIX. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077730186. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1881). Operations in Maryland, Northern Virginia, and West Virginia. Aug. 1, 1861-Mar 17, 1862. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. V–XIV. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077730194. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1884a). The Peninsular Campaign, Virginia. Mar 17-Sep. 2, 1862 - Reports, Mar 17-Jun 24. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XI-XXIII-I. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924079609560. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1884b). The Peninsular Campaign, Virginia. Mar 17-Sep. 2, 1862 - Reports, Jun 25-Sep 2 - Correspondence, etc. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XI-XXIII-II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077730152. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1884c). The Peninsular Campaign, Virginia. Mar 17-Sep. 2, 1862 - Correspondence, etc. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XI-XXIII-III. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077730137. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1887). Operations in Northern Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. September 3-November 14, 1862. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XIX-XXXI-I. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924079609610. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1887). Reports, September 20-November 14, 1862; Correspondence, etc., Sept 3-Nov. 14, 1862. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XIX-XXXI-II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924080772233. OCLC 857196196.
- Scott, Robert N.; Lazelle, Henry M. (1884a). Operations in Northern Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. November 15, 1862 - January 25, 1863. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XXI–XXXIII. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077723017. OCLC 857196196.
- Scott, Robert N.; Lazelle, Henry M. (1884b). Operations in Northern Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. January 26-June 3, 1863 - Reports. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XXI-XXXVIII-I. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077723017. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1889). Operations in Northern Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. January 26-June 3, 1863 - Correspondence, etc. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XXI-XXXVIII-II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077723017. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1889). Operations in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Department of the East. June 3-August 3, 1863 - Reports. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XXVII-XXXIX-I. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077699761. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1889). Operations in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Department of the East. June 3-August 3, 1863 - Correspondence, etc. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XXVII-XXXIX-II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077728255. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1889). Operations in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Department of the East. June 3-August 3, 1863 - Correspondence, etc. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XXVII-XXXIX-III. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077700262. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1890). Operations in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. August 4-December 31, 1863, - Reports. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XXIX-XLI-I. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077699886. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1890). Operations in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. August 4-December 31, 1863, - Correspondence, etc. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XXIX-XLI-II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077728263. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1891). Operations in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. January 1-April 30, 1864. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XXXIII–XLV. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077699811. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1891). Operations in Northern West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. May 1-August 3, 1864 - Reports, Union and Confederate Correspondence, etc. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XXXVII-XLIX-I. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077728289. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1891). Operations in Northern West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. May 1-August 3, 1864 - Union and Confederate Correspondence, etc. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XXXVII-XLIX-II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924077723041. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1893). Operations in Northern West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. August 4-December 31, 1864. - Reports, Union and Confederate Correspondence, etc. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XLIII-LV-I. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924080776929. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1893). Operations in Northern West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. August 4-December 31, 1864. - Union and Confederate Correspondence, etc. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XLIII-LV-II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924079601096. OCLC 857196196.
- War Department, U.S. (1894). Operations in Northern and Southeastern Virginia, North Carolina (January 1-31), West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. January 1-June 30, 1865. Section 1 - Reports. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Vol. XLVI-LVIII-II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/coo.31924079575332. OCLC 857196196.
External links
edit- Vermont in the Civil War
- Vermont National Guard Library and Museum
- Vermont Military Records Project, Vermont Public Records Division
- A Melancholy Affair at the Weldon Railroad
