The 4th United States Colored Infantry Regiment was an

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...

unit of 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 of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

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 ...

. A part of the United States Colored Troops, the

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 conscript ...

saw action in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

and

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

, taking part in the

Richmond-Petersburg Campaign The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the Siege of Petersburg, it was not a cla ...

, the capture of

Fort Fisher Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865. The fort was located on one of Cape Fear Rive ...

and

Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is t ...

, and the

Carolinas Campaign The campaign of the Carolinas (January 1 – April 26, 1865), also known as the Carolinas campaign, was the final campaign conducted by the United States Army (Union Army) against the Confederate States Army in the Western Theater. On January ...

History

Organized at

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, from July 15 to September 1, 1863, the 4th Regiment was first sent to

Fort Monroe Fort Monroe, managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the National Park Service as the Fort Monroe National Monument, and the City of Hampton, is a former military installation in Hampton, Virgi ...

, on October 1 before moving to

Yorktown, Virginia Yorktown is a census-designated place (CDP) in York County, Virginia. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1682. Yorktown's population was 195 as of the 2010 census, while York Co ...

. As part of the XVIII Corps, the unit participated in several expeditions and engagements: an expedition to Mathews County from October 4 to October 9, 1863, Wistar's Expedition against Richmond from February 6 to February 8, 1864, action at

New Kent Court House New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

on February 8, an expedition to

Bottom's Bridge Bottoms Bridge is a small unincorporated community in New Kent County, Virginia, United States. Located on U.S. Route 60 and State Route 33 in modern times, it was named for a crossing of the Chickahominy River between New Kent and Henrico Co ...

in aid of Brigadier General

Hugh Judson Kilpatrick Hugh Judson Kilpatrick (January 14, 1836 – December 4, 1881) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, achieving the rank of brevet major general. He was later the United States Minister to Chile and an unsuccessful cand ...

's cavalry from March 1 to March 4, an expedition into King and Queen County from March 9 to March 12, and an expedition into Mathews and

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbour ...

Counties from March 17 to March 21. In May 1864, the 4th left Yorktown and took part in Brigadier General Benjamin F. Butler's operations on the south side of the James River and against Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia. The regiment saw action in a skirmish at Bermuda Hundred on May 4 and served the rest of Butler's campaign at Spring Hill on the Appomattox River. While there, the men of the unit built Fort Converse and defended the fort against an attack on May 20. From June to December 1864, the 4th Regiment participated in the

. At Petersburg, the unit was involved in the

Second Battle of Petersburg The Second Battle of Petersburg, also known as the Assault on Petersburg, was fought June 15–18, 1864, at the beginning of the Richmond–Petersburg Campaign (popularly known as the Siege of Petersburg). Union forces under Lieutenant General U ...

from June 15 to June 18 and the Battle of the Crater on July 30. Later, the 4th moved towards Richmond and took part in an engagement at Dutch Gap on September 7, the

Battle of Chaffin's Farm The Battle of Chaffin's Farm and New Market Heights, also known as Laurel Hill and combats at Forts Harrison, Johnson, and Gilmer, was fought in Virginia on September 29–30, 1864, as part of the siege of Petersburg in the American Civil War. ...

from September 28 to September 30, and the

Battle of Fair Oaks The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, nearby Sandston, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was th ...

on October 27 and October 28. Three men of the regiment received the

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 valo ...

for their actions at Chaffin's Farm:

Christian Fleetwood Christian Abraham Fleetwood (July 21, 1840 – September 28, 1914), was an African American non-commissioned officer in the United States Army, a commissioned officer in the District of Columbia Army National Guard, D.C. National Guard, an editor ...

, Alfred B. Hilton, and Charles Veale. In December the unit was assigned to the newly formed XXV Corps and took part in the failed attack on Fort Fisher,

, from December 7 to December 27, 1864, and the successful

Second Battle of Fort Fisher The Second Battle of Fort Fisher was a successful assault by the Union Army, Navy and Marine Corps against Fort Fisher, south of Wilmington, North Carolina, near the end of the American Civil War in January 1865. Sometimes referred to as the "Gi ...

from January 7 to January 15, 1865, where the regiment was involved in the assault and capture of the fort. The 4th then participated in several other engagements in the area, Sugar Loaf Hill on January 19, Sugar Loaf Battery on February 11, the

Battle of Wilmington The Battle of Wilmington was fought February 11–22, 1865, during the American Civil War, mostly outside the city of Wilmington, North Carolina, between the opposing Union and Confederate Departments of North Carolina. The Union victory in Ja ...

at Fort Anderson from February 18 to February 20, and the capture of Wilmington and action at Northeast Ferry on February 22, 1865. In March 1865, the 4th Regiment was reassigned to the

X Corps 10th Corps, Tenth Corps, or X Corps may refer to: France * 10th Army Corps (France) * X Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars Germany * X Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army * ...

and took part in General

William Tecumseh Sherman William Tecumseh Sherman ( ; February 8, 1820February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), achieving recognition for his com ...

. The unit saw action during the advance on Goldsboro, North Carolina, starting on March 6 and occupied Goldsboro after its capture on March 21. The regiment saw further action at Cox's Bridge on March 23 and March 24 and participated in the advance on

Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southe ...

, starting on April 9 and the occupation of Raleigh after the city's fall on April 14. With the end of the war at hand, the men of the 4th witnessed the surrender of

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

General

Joseph E. Johnston Joseph Eggleston Johnston (February 3, 1807 – March 21, 1891) was an American career army officer, serving with distinction in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848) and the Seminole Wars. After Virginia secede ...

and his army at

Bennett Place Bennett Place is a former farm and homestead in Durham, North Carolina, which was the site of the last surrender of a major Confederate army in the American Civil War, when Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to William T. Sherman. The first meetin ...

, North Carolina, on April 26, 1865. The unit served out the rest of its term in the Department of North Carolina. The 4th was mustered out on May 4, 1866, after about three years of existence. The regiment lost a total of 292 men during its service; three officers and 102 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded and one officer and 186 enlisted men died of disease.

Members

* J. Murray Hoag (1843–1917), commissioned 2nd Lieutenant of the 4th United States Colored Infantry Regiment, 1863

References

*{{cite web , url = http://www.nps.gov/rich/historyculture/4thusct.htm , title = 4th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry , work = Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System , publisher = National Park Service , access-date =October 17, 2010, archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101021210638/http://www.nps.gov/rich/historyculture/4thusct.htm, archive-date=October 21, 2010 , url-status= live United States Colored Troops Civil War units and formations Military units and formations established in 1863 1863 establishments in Maryland Military units and formations disestablished in 1866

History

Members

See also

References