The 4th Iowa Cavalry Regiment was a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

that served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

Service

The 4th Iowa Cavalry was organized at Camp Harlan in

Mount Pleasant, Iowa Mount Pleasant is a city in and the county seat of Henry County, Iowa. The population was 9,274 in the 2020 census, an increase from 8,668 in the 2010 census. It was founded in 1835 by pioneer Presley Saunders. History The first permanent s ...

, beginning in September 1861, and mustered in for three years service under the command of

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

Asbury B. Porter. Companies A, E, and F mustered November 23; Companies B, C, D, I, K, and M mustered November 25; Company G mustered November 27; Company L mustered December 24; and Company H mustered January 1, 1862. The regiment was attached to 2nd Division, Army of Southwest Missouri,

Department of Missouri The Department of the Missouri was a command echelon of the United States Army in the 19th century and a sub division of the Military Division of the Missouri that functioned through the Indian Wars. History Background Following the successful ...

, to July 1862. District of Eastern Arkansas, Department of Missouri, to December 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, District of Eastern Arkansas,

Department of the Tennessee Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

, to January 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, XIII Corps, Department of the Tennessee, to May 1863. Unattached,

XV Corps 15th Corps, Fifteenth Corps, or XV Corps may refer to: *XV Corps (British India) * XV Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I * 15th Army Corps (Russian Empire), a unit in World War I *XV Royal Bav ...

Army of the Tennessee An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

, to August 1863. Winslow's Cavalry Brigade, XVII Corps, to May 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, XVI Corps, to July 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, District of West Tennessee, to November 1864. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, Wilson's Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to December 1864. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, District of West Tennessee, to February 1865. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to June 1865. Department of Georgia to August 1865. The 4th Iowa Cavalry mustered out of service at

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, on August 10, 1865, and was discharged at

Davenport, Iowa Davenport is a city in and the county seat of Scott County, Iowa, United States. Located along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state, it is the largest of the Quad Cities, a metropolitan area with a population of 384,324 and a ...

, on August 24, 1865.

Detailed service

Duty at Camp Harlan until February 1862. 1st Battalion moved to St. Louis, Mo., February 26, 2nd Battalion February 28 and 3rd Battalion March 3, 1862. At

Benton Barracks Benton Barracks (or Camp Benton) was a Union Army military encampment, established during the American Civil War, in St. Louis, Missouri, at the present site of the St. Louis Fairground Park. Before the Civil War, the site was owned and used by th ...

, Mo., until March 10. Ordered to Rolla, Mo., March 10; thence to Springfield, Mo., and duty there until April 14. Expedition to Salem, Mo., March 12–19, 1862 (Companies F and L). Ordered to join Curtis at Batesville, Ark., April 14. Skirmish at Nitre Cave, White River, April 18 (Companies G and K). Talbot's Farm, White River, April 19 (Companies E, F, G, and K).Skirmish at Talbot's Ferry.
Encyclopedia of Arkansas Online. Accessed 11 August 2022. Skirmish, White River, May 6. Little Red River June 5. (Company F detached for duty with Chief Commissary and as provost guard at Helena, Ark., May 1862 to April 1863.) Mt. Olive June 7, 1862 (Company F). Gist's Plantation July 14, 1862 (Company F). March to Helena, Ark., June 11-July 14. Duty at Helena until April 1863. Polk's Plantation September 20, 1862 (Company D). Expedition from Helena to LaGrange September 26 (2 companies). Jones' Lane or Lick Creek October 11 (Companies A, G, and H). Marianna and LaGrange November 8. Expedition from Helena to Arkansas Post November 16–21, and to Grenada, Miss., November 27-December 5. Oakland, Miss., December 3. Expedition to Big and Little Creeks March 6–12, 1863. Big Creek March 8. St. Charles and St. Francis Counties April 8. Moved to Milliken's Bend, La., April 28–30. Reconnaissance to Bayou Macon May 1–4. March to New Carthage May 5–8. (Company G detached on courier duty at Young's Point, La., during May.) Fourteen-Mile Creek May 12–13. Mississippi Springs May 13. Hall's Ferry May 13 (detachment). Baldwyn's Ferry May 13 (detachment). Jackson May 14. Haines Bluff May 18 (Company B). Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4. Engaged in outpost duty against Johnston between Big Black and Yazoo Rivers. Mechanicsburg May 24 and 29. Expedition from Haines Bluff to Satartia and Mechanicsville June 2–8 (detachment). Barronsville June 18. Bear Creek or Jones' Plantation June 22 (Companies A, F, I, and K). Big Black River, near Birdsong Ferry, June 22 (detachment). Hill's Plantation, near Bear Creek, June 22. Messenger's Ferry, Big Black River, June 26. Advance on Jackson July 5–10. Siege of Jackson July 10–17. Near Canton July 12. Bolton's Depot July 16. Bear Creek, Canton, July 17. Canton July 18. Raid from Big Black on Mississippi Central Railroad and to Memphis, Tenn., August 10–22. Payne's Plantation, near Grenada, August 18. Panola August 20. Coldwater August 21. Expedition to Yazoo City September 21-October 1 (detachment). Brownsville September 28. Morris Ford, near Burton, September 29. Expedition toward Canton October 14–20. Brownsville October 15. Canton Road, near Brownsville, October 15–16. Near Clinton and Vernon Cross Roads October 16. Bogue Chitto Creek October 17. Robinson's Mills, near Livingston, October 17. Louisville Road, near Clinton and Brownsville, October 18. Expedition to Natchez December 4–17 (Companies C, H, I, K, L, and M). Near Natchez December 7. Meridian Campaign February 3–28, 1864. Big Black River Bridge, February 3. Raymond Road, Edwards Ferry, Champion Hill, Baker's Creek and near Bolton's Depot February 4. Jackson and Clinton February 5. Brandon February 7. Morton February 8. Meridian February 9–13. Hillsborough February 10. Tallahatta February 13. Meridian February 14. Near Meridian February 19. Veterans on furlough March 4 to April 24. Reported at Memphis, Tenn., April 24. Non-veterans at Vicksburg, Miss., until April 29; then moved to Memphis. Sturgis' Campaign against Forrest April 30-May 12. Sturgis' Expedition to Guntown, Miss., June 1–13. Ripley June 7. Brice's Cross Roads, near Guntown, June 10. Ripley June 11. Smith's Expedition to Tupelo, Miss., July 5–21. Near Ripley July 7. Cherry Creek July 10. Plenitude July 10. Harrisburg Road July 13. Tupelo July 14–15. Old Town or Tishamingo Creek July 15. Smith's Expedition to Oxford, Miss., August 1–30. Tallahatchie River August 7–9, Hurricane Creek and Oxford August 9. Hurricane Creek August 13, 14 and 19. College Hill August 21. Oxford August 22. (Forrest's attack on Memphis August 21, Company G.) Moved to Little Rock, Ark., September 2–9. Campaign against Price in Arkansas and Missouri September 17-November 30. Moved to Batesville and Pocahontas, Ark.; thence to Cape Girardeau, St. Louis, Jefferson City and Independence, Mo.. Trading Post and Fort Scott, Kansas, Pea Ridge and Fayetteville, Ark., Tahlequah and Webber's Falls, Indian Territory, returning via Pea Ridge, Springfield and Rolla to St. Louis. Engaged at Brownsville September 28. Morris Bluff September 29 (Company D). Little Blue October 21. Independence October 22. Westport, Big Blue and State Line October 23. Trading Post October 25. Marias Des Cygnes, Osage, Mine Creek October 25. Charlot Prairie October 25. At St. Louis until December 9; then at Louisville, Ky., until February 1865. A detachment at Memphis, Tenn., September 1 to December 20, 1864. Scout near Memphis November 10. Skirmish on Germantown Pike, near Memphis, December 14, detachments of Companies A and B. Grierson's Raid on Mobile & Ohio Railroad December 21, 1864, to January 5, 1865. Okolona, Miss., December 27, 1864. Egypt Station December 28. Franklin January 2, 1865. Rejoined regiment at Louisville, Ky., January 15, 1865. Dismounted men of the regiment moved from Memphis, Tenn., to Louisville, Ky., January 2, 1865. Moved to Gravelly Springs, Ala., February 1865, and duty there until March 20. Expedition to Florence March 1–6. Wilson's Raid to Macon, Ga., March 20 to May 10. Company G served as escort to General

Emory Upton Emory Upton (August 27, 1839 – March 15, 1881) was a United States Army General and military strategist, prominent for his role in leading infantry to attack entrenched positions successfully at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House during the ...

, Commanding Division. Montevallo March 30. Near Montevallo March 31. Six-Mile Creek March 31. Ebenezer Church April 1. Selma April 2. Fikes Ferry, Cahawba River, April 7. Wetumpka April 13. Columbus, Ga., April 16. Capture of Macon April 20. Duty at Macon and Atlanta, Ga., until August.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 254 men during service; 4 officers and 51 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 5 officers and 194 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

* Colonel Asbury B. Porter * Colonel

Edward Francis Winslow Edward Francis Winslow (September 28, 1837 – October 22, 1914) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War and later railroad executive. Biography Early life Winslow was born September 28, 1837 in Augusta, Maine. In 1856 ...

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

Simeon D. Swan - commanded at the siege of Vicksburg * Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Drummond - After leaving the regiment, Drummond joined the

5th Cavalry Regiment The 5th Cavalry Regiment ("Black Knights") is a historical unit of the United States Army that began its service on August 3, 1861, when an act of Congress enacted "that the two regiments of dragoons, the regiment of mounted riflemen, and the t ...

, which he commanded during the

Battle of Five Forks The Battle of Five Forks was fought on April 1, 1865, southwest of Petersburg, Virginia, around the road junction of Five Forks, Dinwiddie County, at the end of the Siege of Petersburg, near the conclusion of the American Civil War. The Union Ar ...

where he was killed in action. *

Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

Abial R. Pierce - commanded at the battles of Westport and Mine Creek

Notable members

* Sergeant Norman F. Bates, Company E -

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

recipient for action at

Columbus, Georgia Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee County, with which it ...

* Private Edward J. Bebb, Company D - Medal of Honor recipient for action at Columbus, Georgia * Private Richard H. Cosgriff, Company L - Medal of Honor recipient for action at Columbus, Georgia * Private Nicholas Fanning, Company B - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the battle of Selma * Private John H. Hays, Company F - Medal of Honor recipient for action at Columbus, Georgia * Private James P. Miller, Company D - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the battle of Selma * Corporal Richard H. Morgan, Company A - Medal of Honor recipient for action at Columbus, Georgia * Private Charles D. Swan, Company K - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the battle of Selma * Corporal

Newton Earp Newton Jasper Earp (October 7, 1837 – December 18, 1928) was an American pioneer born in Kentucky in 1837. He was the eldest child of Nicholas Porter Earp and Abigail Storm. He was the half-brother of Old West lawmen Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan ...

, Company F - Oldest son of

Nicholas Porter Earp Nicholas Porter Earp (September 6, 1813 – February 12, 1907) was the father of well-known Western lawmen Virgil, Wyatt, and Morgan, and their lesser-known brothers James, Newton and Warren Earp. He was a justice of the peace, a farmer, c ...

, and older sibling of Western lawmen

Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: t ...

, Morgan and

Wyatt Earp Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American lawman and gambler in the American West, including Dodge City, Deadwood, and Tombstone. Earp took part in the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, during which law ...

References

* Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. * Gantz, Jacob. ''Such Are the Trials: The Civil War Diaries of Jacob Gantz'' (Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press), 1991. * ''Roster and Record of Iowa Soldiers in the War of the Rebellion: Together with Historical Sketches of Volunteer Organizations, 1861-1866'' (Des Moines, IA: E. H. English, State Printer), 1908-1911. * Scott, William Forse. ''Roster of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, 1861-1865: An Appendix to "The Story of a Cavalry Regiment"'' (New York: J. J. Little), 1902. * * Vanorsdol, James O. ''Four Years for the Union'' (S.l.: s.n.), 1888. ;Attribution * {{CWR Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union Army from Iowa 1861 establishments in Iowa

Service

Detailed service

Casualties

Commanders

Notable members

See also

References