The 4th Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment was a volunteer

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 that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Earlier in the war, it had been organized as the

4th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment 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 Wis ...

Service

The 4th Wisconsin Cavalry was originally organized as the

Racine, Wisconsin Racine ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located on the shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Root River. Racine is situated 22 miles (35 km) south of Milwaukee and approximately 60 ...

, on July 2, 1861. The regiment was redesignated the 4th Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment on August 22, 1863. The regiment mustered out of Federal service at

Brownsville, Texas Brownsville () is a city in Cameron County in the U.S. state of Texas. It is on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the border with Matamoros, Mexico. The city covers , and has a population of 186,738 as of the 2020 census. It ...

, on May 2, 1866, and disbanded at Madison, Wisconsin, on June 19, 1866.

Total strength and casualties

The 4th Wisconsin Cavalry initially recruited 1,047 officers and men. An additional 998 men were recruited as replacements, for a total of 2,045 men. The regiment suffered 11 officers and 106 enlisted men killed or died from wounds in action, and 3 officers and 311 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 431 fatalities.http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unwicav.htm#4thcav The Civil War Archive website after Dyer, Frederick Henry. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. 3 vols. New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1959.

Commanders

* Colonel Frederick A. Boardman (August 22, 1863May 3, 1864) was killed in action at

Comite River The Comite River (french: Rivière Comité) is a right-bank tributary of the Amite River, with a confluence near the city of Denham Springs, east of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The river is long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high ...

, Louisiana. He had begun the war as major of the 4th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and was promoted to Colonel after the death of Colonel Sidney Bean. * Colonel Joseph Bailey (May 3, 1864November 10, 1864) was promoted to brigadier general. Earlier in the war, he had served as captain of Co. D in the 4th Wisconsin Infantry, and was later major and lieutenant colonel of the regiment. * Lt. Colonel Nelson F. Craigue (June 1864May 28, 1866) mustered out with the regiment. He was designated for promotion to colonel, but was never mustered at that rank.

Notable people

* John W. Gunning was chief bugler of the regiment. After the war he became a Wisconsin state legislator. * Warren P. Knowles I, the grandfather of Warren P. Knowles III, was enlisted in Co. G and rose to the rank of captain. * George Wilbur Peck was enlisted in Co. L and later commissioned 2nd lieutenant. After the war, he was elected the 29th mayor of Milwaukee and the 17th Governor of Wisconsin. * Joseph B. Reynolds was captain of Co. K. After the war he became a Wisconsin state legislator. * Arthur B. Richards, son of

Daniel H. Richards Daniel Hamilton Richards (February 12, 1808February 6, 1877) was an American newspaper publisher, Democratic politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was the founder and original printer of the '' Milwaukee Advertiser''—the first newspaper pr ...

, was enlisted in Co. L and died of disease at Baton Rouge. * William Henry Young was enlisted in Co. H and was wounded at Port Hudson. He was designated for commission as 1st lieutenant but was never mustered at that rank. After the war he became a Wisconsin state legislator.

References

External links