The 4th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War, primarily in the Western Theater. It was later mounted and became the 4th Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment.

History

The 4th Wisconsin was raised as an infantry regiment at Camp Utley in Racine and was mustered into Federal service on July 2, 1861. It was first assigned to garrison duty in Maryland, then in February 1862 was transferred to

Newport News, Virginia Newport News () is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the 5th most populous city in Virginia and 140th most populous city in the Uni ...

. It became part of the Army of the Gulf and was subsequently sent to New Orleans, Louisiana. During the following year, the 4th Wisconsin participated in several expeditions against Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Port Hudson, Louisiana. It saw action in the Siege of Port Hudson from May to July 1863. On September 1, 1863, the regiment was reorganized as the 4th Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment, which it served as through the remainder of the war.

Total enlistments and casualties

The 4th Wisconsin Regiment initially mustered 1,058 men and later recruited an additional 994 men, for a total of 2,052 men during its service. The regiment lost 9 officers and 158 enlisted men killed in action or mortally wounds, plus another 2 officers and 113 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 282 fatalities.

Commanders

* Colonel Halbert E. Paine (May 27, 1861March 13, 1863) was promoted to brigadier general. * Colonel Sidney A. Bean (March 17, 1863May 29, 1863) was killed in action at the

Battle of Port Hudson The siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana, (May 22 – July 9, 1863) was the final engagement in the Union (American Civil War), Union campaign to recapture the Mississippi River in the American Civil War. While Major General#United States, Union Gen ...

. * Colonel Frederick A. Boardman (June 3, 1863May 3, 1864) was killed in action at Comite River, Louisiana. ** Colonel Joseph Bailey (June 1863) was designated colonel of the regiment by General Nathaniel P. Banks, but the promotion was deemed illegal. Bailey later served on Banks' staff, was promoted to brigadier general, and received an honorary brevet to major general.

Notable people

File:Halbert_Eleazer_Paine2.jpg , Halbert E. Paine File:Sidney A. Bean.png , Sidney A. Bean File:HarrisonCHobart.jpg , Harrison C. Hobart File:Knute Nelson photograph Civil War.jpg , Knute Nelson *

A. Constantine Barry Alfred Constantine Barry (July 15, 1815March 5, 1888) was an American educator, politician, and Universalist minister. He was Wisconsin's 4th Superintendent of Public Instruction and served one term in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing ...

was chaplain of the regiment. Before the war he had served as

Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin The Superintendent of Public Instruction, sometimes referred to as the State Superintendent of Schools, is a constitutional officer within the executive branch of the Wisconsin state government, and acts as the executive head of the Department of ...

. He would later serve as a Wisconsin state legislator. *

William D. Hoard William Dempster Hoard (October 10, 1836November 22, 1918) was an American politician, newspaper publisher, and agriculture advocate who served as the 16th governor of Wisconsin from 1889 to 1891. Hoard is called the "father of modern dairyin ...

, musician, received a medical discharge but later returned to the service in the 1st New York Artillery Regiment. After the war, he was elected the 16th

governor of Wisconsin The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's army and air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Wiscons ...

. * Harrison Carroll Hobart was captain of Co. K but left the regiment in July 1862 to join the 21st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, where he was promoted to colonel and later received an honorary brevet to brigadier general. After the war he was an unsuccessful candidate for

in 1865. Earlier in life, he had been a Wisconsin state legislator and had been speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly. * Oscar Hugh La Grange was briefly captain of Co. B, but was transferred to the

1st Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment The 1st Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment was a volunteer cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment is most notable as one of two cavalry regiments credited with the final capture of Confederate preside ...

in November 1861, where he rose to become colonel and received an honorary brevet to brigadier general. * Knute Nelson was a corporal in Co. B and was wounded and captured at the Siege of Port Hudson. Later in life, he became the 12th governor of Minnesota and a four-term United States Senator. * Otto Puhlman was a sergeant in Co. C, but transferred to the

19th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment The 19th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army 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 Un ...

in February 1862, and eventually rose to the rank of captain. After the war, he served in the Wisconsin Legislature and was the first mayor of Plymouth, Wisconsin. *

Wilbur M. Root Wilbur Marsellus Root (December 27, 1842 – March 3, 1916) was an American businessman, newspaper editor, and politician. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Root settled in Plymouth, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, in 1849. Root served in the 4th Wiscon ...

was enlisted in Co. C. After the war became a Wisconsin state legislator, police chief, and sheriff.

References

External links

4th Wisconsin Volunteers