46th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 46th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. It was among scores of regiments that were raised in the summer of 1864 as Hundred Days Men
, an effort to augment existing manpower for an all-out push to end the war within 100 days.
, and mustered in for one-hundred days Federal service on June 10, 1864, as part of a plan to raise short term regiments for service as rear area garrison duty to release veteran troops for Sherman's Atlanta Campaign
. The 46th Iowa garrisoned strategic points on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad.
The regiment was mustered out at Davenport on September 23, 1864.
It suffered 6 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds and 25 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 31 fatalities.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
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...
. It was among scores of regiments that were raised in the summer of 1864 as Hundred Days Men
Hundred Days Men
The Hundred Days Men was the nickname applied to a series of volunteer regiments raised in 1864 for 100-days service in the Union Army during the height of the American Civil War...
, an effort to augment existing manpower for an all-out push to end the war within 100 days.
Service
The 46th Iowa Infantry was organized at Davenport, IowaDavenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
, and mustered in for one-hundred days Federal service on June 10, 1864, as part of a plan to raise short term regiments for service as rear area garrison duty to release veteran troops for Sherman's Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
. The 46th Iowa garrisoned strategic points on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad.
The regiment was mustered out at Davenport on September 23, 1864.
Total strength and casualties
A total of 918 men served in the 46th Iowa at one time or another during its existence.It suffered 6 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds and 25 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 31 fatalities.
Commanders
- ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
David B. HendersonDavid B. HendersonDavid Bremner Henderson , a ten-term Republican Congressman from Dubuque, Iowa, was the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1899 to 1903...
, (future ten-term congressman and Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1899 to 1902)