4th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry
Encyclopedia
The 4th Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
on December 24, 1861 and mustered in for a three year enlistment at Bardstown, Kentucky
on January 6, 1862. It was mustered in under the command of Colonel
Jesse Bayles.
The regiment was with the unattached cavalry, Army of the Ohio
, to September 1862. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army of the Ohio, to October 1862. District of Louisville, Kentucky, Department of the Ohio
, to November 1862. District of Western Kentucky, Department of the Ohio, to January 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Army of the Cumberland
, to July 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to November 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to January 1865. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to August 1865.
The 4th Kentucky Cavalry mustered out of service at Macon, Georgia
on August 21, 1865.
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
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 Cavalry was organized at the state fairgrounds in Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
on December 24, 1861 and mustered in for a three year enlistment at Bardstown, Kentucky
Bardstown, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
on January 6, 1862. It was mustered in 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...
Jesse Bayles.
The regiment was with the unattached cavalry, 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 September 1862. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army of the Ohio, to October 1862. District of Louisville, Kentucky, Department of the Ohio
Department of the Ohio
The Department of the Ohio was an administrative military district created by the United States War Department early in the American Civil War to administer the troops in the Northern states near the Ohio River.General Orders No...
, to November 1862. District of Western Kentucky, Department of the Ohio, to January 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, 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 July 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to November 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to January 1865. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to August 1865.
The 4th Kentucky Cavalry 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 21, 1865.
Detailed service
Moved to Bardstown, Ky., January 6, 1862, and duty there until March. Moved from Bardstown to Nashville, Tenn., March 26, 1862, thence to Wartrace, Tenn., April 8, and duty in that vicinity until July. Action at Lebanon May 5. Readyville June 7. Rankin's Ferry near Jasper June 18. Shell Mountain June 21. Battle Creek June 21 and July 5. Murfreesboro July 13 (4 companies). Moved to Tullahoma July 13, and duty there until August. Sparta August 4 (detachment). Raid on Louisville & Nashville Railroad August 19–21 (detachment). March to Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Bragg August 22-September 26. Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1–22. Near Perryville October 6–7. Near Mountain Gap October 14 and 16. Duty on southern border of Kentucky until February 1863. Ordered to Nashville, Tenn., February 9, thence to Murfreesboro and Franklin, Tenn. Expedition to Spring Hill March 4–5. Franklin March 4. Thompson's Station, Spring Hill, March 5. Expedition from Franklin to Columbia March 8–12. Thompson's Station March 9. Rutherford Creek March 10–11. Spring Hill March 19. Near Thompson's Station March 23. Little Harpeth March 25. Near Franklin March 31. Thompson's Station May 2. Franklin June 4. Triune June 9. Tullahoma Campaign June 23-July 7. Uniontown and Rover June 23. Middleton June 24. Fosterville, Guy's Gap and Shelbyville June 27. Expedition to Huntsville July 13–22. Passage of Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga Campaign August 16-September 22. Maysville, Ala., August 21 and 28. Reconnaissance from Alpine, Ga., toward Summerville September 10. Skirmishes at Summerville September 10 and 15. Battle of Chickamauga September 19–21. Moved to Bellefonte, Ala., September 25–30. Operations against Wheeler and Roddy September 30-October 2. Moved to Caperton's Ferry October 2, and duty there until December 2. Moved to Rossville, Ga., December 2–5, and duty there until January 6, 1864. Scout toward Dalton December 12, 1863. Skirmish at Lafayette December 12. Scout to Lafayette December 21–23. Veterans on furlough January to March 1864. Near Chattanooga until May. Atlanta Campaign May to September. Duty in rear of army covering and protecting railroad at Wauhatchie, Lafayette, Calhoun, Dalton and Resaca. At Wauhatchie May 5 to June 18. (A detachment at Lexington, Ky., June 10, 1864.) At Lafayette until August 4. Actions at Lafayette June 24 and 30. At Calhoun August 4 to October 12. Pine Log Creek and near Fairmount August 14. Resaca October 12–13. Near Summerville October 18. Little River, Ala., October 20. Leesburg October 21. Ladiga, Terrapin Creek, October 28. Moved to Louisville, Ky., November 3–9. Operations against Lyon in Kentucky December 6–28. Hopkinsville, Ky., December 16. At Nashville, Tenn., until January 9, 1865. Moved to Gravelly Springs, Ala., and duty there until March. Wilson's Raid from Chickasaw, Ala., to Macon, Ga., March 22-May 1. Six-Mile Creek March 31. Selma April 2. Montgomery April 12. Wetumpka April 13. Fort Tyler, West Point, April 16. Capture of Macon April 20. Duty at Macon and in the Department of Georgia until August.Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 180 men during service; 1 officer and 30 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 148 enlisted men died of disease.Notable members
- MajorMajor (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
John F. Weston - Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient for action near Wetumpka, AlabamaWetumpka, AlabamaWetumpka is a city in Elmore County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 5,726.The city is the county seat of Elmore County, one of the fastest growing counties in the state....
, April 13, 1865
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...