4th Kentucky Volunteer Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 4th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
and mustered in for a three year enlistment on October 9, 1861 under the command of Colonel
Speed Smith Fry. In February 1864, the regiment was reorganized at Lexington, Kentucky
as the 4th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry.
The regiment was attached to Thomas' Command, Army of the Ohio
, to November 1861. 2nd Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to December 1861. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Army of the Ohio, to September 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, III Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, Center, XIV Corps, Army of the Cumberland
, to January 1863. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, XIV Corps, to October 1863. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XIV Corps, to June 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to November 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division of Mississippi, to August 1865.
The 4th Kentucky Infantry mustered out of service at Macon, Georgia
on August 17, 1865.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
that served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Service
The 4th Kentucky Infantry was organized at Camp Dick RobinsonCamp Dick Robinson
Camp Dick Robinson was a large Union Army organizational and training center located near Lancaster in rural Garrard County, Kentucky, during the American Civil War...
and mustered in for a three year enlistment on October 9, 1861 under the command of Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Speed Smith Fry. In February 1864, the regiment was reorganized at Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
as the 4th Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry.
The regiment was attached to Thomas' Command, Army of the Ohio
Army of the Ohio
The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. The first army became the Army of the Cumberland and the second army was created in 1863.-History:...
, to November 1861. 2nd Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to December 1861. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Army of the Ohio, to September 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, III Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, Center, XIV Corps, Army of the Cumberland
Army of the Cumberland
The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.-History:...
, to January 1863. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, XIV Corps, to October 1863. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XIV Corps, to June 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to November 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division of Mississippi, to August 1865.
The 4th Kentucky Infantry mustered out of service at Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
on August 17, 1865.
Detailed service
Moved to Crab Orchard, Ky., October 28, 1861, thence to Lebanon, Ky., and duty there until January 1862. Advance on Camp Hamilton January 1–15. Action at Logan's Cross Roads on Fishing Creek January 19. Battle of Mill Springs January 19–20. Duty at Mill Springs until February 11. Moved to Louisville, Ky., thence to Nashville, Tenn., February 11-March 2. March to Savannah, Tenn., March 20-April 7. Expedition to Bear Creek, Ala., April 12–13. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Buell's Campaign in northern Alabama and middle Tennessee June to August. Action at Decatur August 7. March to Nashville, Tenn., thence to Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Bragg August 20-September 26. Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1–16. Battle of Perryville October 8. March to Gallatin, Tenn., and duty there until January 13, 1863. Operations against Morgan December 22, 1862-January 2, 1863. Action at Boston December 29, 1862. Moved to Nashville, Tenn., January 13, 1863, and duty there until June. Expedition toward Columbia March 4–14. Tullahoma Campaign June 24-July 7. Hoover's Gap June 24–26. Tullahoma June 29–30. Elk River July 3. Occupation of middle Tennessee until August 16. Passage of Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga Campaign August 16-September 22. Battle of Chickamauga, September 19–21. Siege of Chattanooga, September 24-November 23. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23–27. Orchard Knob November 23–24. Missionary Ridge November 25. Veterans on furlough January and February 1864. Regiment changed to mounted infantry and reorganized at Lexington, Ky. Moved to Lafayette, Ga., May 16-June 11. At Villenow Valley and Snake Creek Gap, Ga., guarding railroad until July. Lafayette June 24. Near Atlanta June 26. Chattahoochie River July 6–17. McCook's Raid on Atlanta & West Point Railroad and Macon & Western Railroad July 27–31. Lovejoy's Station July 29. Near Newnan July 30. At Kingston, Ga., until September 17. Moved to Nashville, Tenn., thence to Franklin and pursuit of Forrest September 25-October 10. Pulaski, Tenn., September 26, 27 and 29. Muscle Shoals, near Florence, Ala., October 30. Near Shoal Creek, Ala., October 31. Nashville Campaign November-December. Shoal Creek, near Florence, November 5–6. On line of Shoal Creek November 16–20. Fouche Springs November 23. Campbellsville November 24. In front of Columbia November 24–27. Battle of Franklin November 30. Battle of Nashville December 15–16. Lynnville and Richland Creek December 24–25. Pulaski December 25–26. Expedition into Mississippi January 15–21, 1865. Wilson's Raid to Macon, Ga., March 22-May 1. Trion, Ala., April 1. Northport, near Tuscaloosa, April 3. Occupation of Tuscaloosa April 4. Occupation of Talladega April 22. Munford's Station April 23. Rejoin Wilson at Macon May 1. Duty at Macon and in Georgia until August.Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 459 men during service; 1 officer and 118 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 4 officers and 326 enlisted men died of disease.Commanders
- Colonel Speed S. Fry
- Colonel John T. Croxton
- Lieutenant Colonel P. Burgess Hunt
- Major Robert M. Kelly
See also
- List of Kentucky Civil War Units
- Kentucky in the Civil WarKentucky in the Civil WarKentucky was a border state of key importance in the American Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln recognized the importance of the Commonwealth when he declared "I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky." In a September 1861 letter to Orville Browning, Lincoln wrote "I think to lose...