4th Kentucky Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 4th Kentucky Infantry Regiment was an infantry
regiment
that served in the Confederate States Army
during the American Civil War
. It was part of the First Kentucky Brigade
.
, under the command of Colonel
Robert P. Trabue.
After organization and muster, the regiment moved north into Kentucky
to occupy Bowling Green
. The 4th Kentucky Infantry first saw action at the Battle of Shiloh
, losing 49% of its strength in the two-day battle. The regiment retreated to Corinth, Mississippi
after the battle and was ordered to Vicksburg, Mississippi
to aid in the defenses there. The 4th Kentucky Infantry received orders to reinforce General Braxton Bragg
who was engaged in the Kentucky Campaign
. The regiment was north of Knoxville, Tennessee
, just 20 miles from Cumberland Gap
, when it was ordered to return to Murfreesboro, Tennessee
due to Bragg's loss and subsequent retreat following the Battle of Perryville
on October 8, 1862.
The regiment came under heavy fire at the Battle of Stones River
on January 2, 1863. Having been ordered by Bragg to attack an area that division commander Major General John C. Breckinridge
had reconnoitered and determined to be too heavily defended, the First Kentucky Brigade led the charge. Although initially successful, the brigade was met by heavy Union Army
artillery fire. The 4th Kentucky Infantry lost several men, including two color-bearers, but fared better than the other brigade regiments. Brigade commander Brigadier General Roger Hanson
was also mortally wounded in the attack.
Later that same year, the First Kentucky Brigade was ordered back to Vicksburg, to help relieve the siege. The brigade arrived after the fall of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, and fell back to Jackson, Mississippi
where they were attacked in mid-July. At the Battle of Chickamauga
the 4th Kentucky Infantry and 6th Kentucky Infantry
charged a part of the federal line, defended by the 15th Kentucky Infantry
and Bridges' Illinois Battery. The two regiments routed the infantry and captured two cannons, turning them on the fleeing enemy. Weeks later, the 4th Kentucky Infantry was called upon to guard the Confederate army's retreat following the Battle of Missionary Ridge
. The army retreated to Dalton, Georgia
and went into winter quarters.
The First Kentucky Brigade became part of the Atlanta Campaign
on May 7, 1864 when they left their winter camps and took up positions on Rocky Face Ridge
. The regiment became part of the fighting retreating force as Major General
William T. Sherman pushed the Confederates further back toward Atlanta
. At the Battle of Dallas
near New Hope Church, the First Kentucky Brigade made an unsupported charge, losing 51% of its strength. At the Battle of Jonesboro on August 31, 1864 the brigade was ordered to attack the entrenched federal position. At an unseen deep ravine, the attack came to a halt. It was there that the 4th Kentucky Infantry lost its color-bearer, who had carried the colors since the beginning of the war. The following day, the Confederates were overwhelmed when two-thirds of a Union Army division attacked and began to surround their positions. Many of the men of the 2nd Kentucky Infantry
, 6th Kentucky Infantry, and 9th Kentucky Infantry
were captured. The remnants of the brigade fell back and managed a successful defense against the Union assault, bringing it to a halt. On September 4, only 500 men were present for duty in the entire First Kentucky Brigade.
The 4th Kentucky Infantry was afterward ordered to Griffin, Georgia
and converted to mounted infantry
. The regiment was engaged in delaying tactics during Sherman's March to the Sea
, following him all the way to Savannah, Georgia
, finally moving to Augusta, Georgia
in early 1865. The regiment's last engagement was on April 29, 1865 in a skirmish near Stateburg, South Carolina
. The regiment was ordered to Washington, Georgia
and surrendered on May 7, 1865.
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 Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
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 part of the First Kentucky Brigade
Orphan Brigade
The Orphan Brigade was the nickname of the First Kentucky Brigade, a group of military units recruited from the Commonwealth of Kentucky to fight for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. The brigade was the largest Confederate unit to be recruited from Kentucky during...
.
Service
The 4th Kentucky Infantry was organized in August 1861, at Camp Boone in Montgomery County, TennesseeMontgomery County, Tennessee
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The county seat is Clarksville. The population was 172,331 at the 2010 census. It is one of the four counties included in the Clarksville, TN–KY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, under the command of Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Robert P. Trabue.
After organization and muster, the regiment moved north into Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
to occupy Bowling Green
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Bowling Green is the third-most populous city in the state of Kentucky after Louisville and Lexington, with a population of 58,067 as of the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Warren County and the principal city of the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area with an estimated 2009...
. The 4th Kentucky Infantry first saw action at the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
, losing 49% of its strength in the two-day battle. The regiment retreated to Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,054 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alcorn County. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835.- History :...
after the battle and was ordered to Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
to aid in the defenses there. The 4th Kentucky Infantry received orders to reinforce General Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
who was engaged in the Kentucky Campaign
Confederate Heartland Offensive
The Confederate Heartland Offensive or Kentucky Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in East Tennessee and Kentucky in 1862 during the American Civil War...
. The regiment was north of Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, just 20 miles from Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap is a pass through the Cumberland Mountains region of the Appalachian Mountains, also known as the Cumberland Water Gap, at the juncture of the U.S. states of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia...
, when it was ordered to return to Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
due to Bragg's loss and subsequent retreat following the Battle of Perryville
Battle of Perryville
The Battle of Perryville, also known as the Battle of Chaplin Hills, was fought on October 8, 1862, in the Chaplin Hills west of Perryville, Kentucky, as the culmination of the Confederate Heartland Offensive during the American Civil War. Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg's Army of Mississippi won a...
on October 8, 1862.
The regiment came under heavy fire at the Battle of Stones River
Battle of Stones River
The Battle of Stones River or Second Battle of Murfreesboro , was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War...
on January 2, 1863. Having been ordered by Bragg to attack an area that division commander Major General John C. Breckinridge
John C. Breckinridge
John Cabell Breckinridge was an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Kentucky and was the 14th Vice President of the United States , to date the youngest vice president in U.S...
had reconnoitered and determined to be too heavily defended, the First Kentucky Brigade led the charge. Although initially successful, the brigade was met by heavy 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...
artillery fire. The 4th Kentucky Infantry lost several men, including two color-bearers, but fared better than the other brigade regiments. Brigade commander Brigadier General Roger Hanson
Roger Hanson
Roger Weightman Hanson was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The commander of the famed "Orphan Brigade," he was mortally wounded at the Battle of Murfreesboro. He was nicknamed "Old Flintlock."-Early life:Hanson was born in Clark County, Kentucky...
was also mortally wounded in the attack.
Later that same year, the First Kentucky Brigade was ordered back to Vicksburg, to help relieve the siege. The brigade arrived after the fall of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, and fell back to Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
where they were attacked in mid-July. At the Battle of Chickamauga
Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
the 4th Kentucky Infantry and 6th Kentucky Infantry
6th Kentucky Infantry
The 6th Kentucky Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It was part of the First Kentucky Brigade.-Service:...
charged a part of the federal line, defended by the 15th Kentucky Infantry
15th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry
The 15th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 15th Kentucky Infantry was organized at New Haven, Kentucky and mustered in for a three year enlistment on December 14, 1861 under the command of Colonel...
and Bridges' Illinois Battery. The two regiments routed the infantry and captured two cannons, turning them on the fleeing enemy. Weeks later, the 4th Kentucky Infantry was called upon to guard the Confederate army's retreat following the Battle of Missionary Ridge
Battle of Missionary Ridge
The Battle of Missionary Ridge was fought November 25, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the Union victory in the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 24, Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant assaulted Missionary Ridge and defeated the...
. The army retreated to Dalton, Georgia
Dalton, Georgia
Dalton is a city in Whitfield County, Georgia, United States. It is the county seat of Whitfield County and the principal city of the Dalton, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of both Murray and Whitfield counties. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 33,128...
and went into winter quarters.
The First Kentucky Brigade became part of the 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...
on May 7, 1864 when they left their winter camps and took up positions on Rocky Face Ridge
Battle of Rocky Face Ridge
The Battle of Rocky Face Ridge was fought May 7–13, 1864, in Whitfield County, Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union army was led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and the Confederate army by Gen. Joseph E. Johnston...
. The regiment became part of the fighting retreating force as Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
William T. Sherman pushed the Confederates further back toward Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. At the Battle of Dallas
Battle of Dallas
The Battle of Dallas was a series of engagements during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. They occurred between May 26 and June 4, 1864, in and around Dallas, Georgia, between Lt. General William J. Hardee's Confederate corps and the Union defense line, held by the XV Corps under Maj....
near New Hope Church, the First Kentucky Brigade made an unsupported charge, losing 51% of its strength. At the Battle of Jonesboro on August 31, 1864 the brigade was ordered to attack the entrenched federal position. At an unseen deep ravine, the attack came to a halt. It was there that the 4th Kentucky Infantry lost its color-bearer, who had carried the colors since the beginning of the war. The following day, the Confederates were overwhelmed when two-thirds of a Union Army division attacked and began to surround their positions. Many of the men of the 2nd Kentucky Infantry
2nd Kentucky Infantry
The 2nd Kentucky Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It was part of the First Kentucky Brigade.-Service:...
, 6th Kentucky Infantry, and 9th Kentucky Infantry
9th Kentucky Infantry
The 9th Kentucky Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It was part of the First Kentucky Brigade.-Service:...
were captured. The remnants of the brigade fell back and managed a successful defense against the Union assault, bringing it to a halt. On September 4, only 500 men were present for duty in the entire First Kentucky Brigade.
The 4th Kentucky Infantry was afterward ordered to Griffin, Georgia
Griffin, Georgia
Griffin is a city in and the county seat of Spalding County in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 23,643.-Geography:Griffin is located at ....
and converted to mounted infantry
Mounted infantry
Mounted infantry were soldiers who rode horses instead of marching, but actually fought on foot . The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry...
. The regiment was engaged in delaying tactics during Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted around Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War...
, following him all the way to Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, finally moving to Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
in early 1865. The regiment's last engagement was on April 29, 1865 in a skirmish near Stateburg, South Carolina
Stateburg, South Carolina
Stateburg is a census-designated place in the High Hills of Santee in Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,264 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Sumter, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The regiment was ordered to Washington, Georgia
Washington, Georgia
Washington is a city in Wilkes County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,295 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Wilkes County...
and surrendered on May 7, 1865.
Commanders
- Colonel Robert P. Trabue - died February 1863
- Colonel Joseph P. Nuckols - commanded at the battle of Chickamauga
- Colonel Thomas W. Thompson - commanded at the battle of Chickamauga as majorMajor (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
See also
- List of Kentucky Civil War Confederate units
- Kentucky in the Civil WarKentucky in the Civil WarKentucky was a border state of key importance in the American Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln recognized the importance of the Commonwealth when he declared "I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky." In a September 1861 letter to Orville Browning, Lincoln wrote "I think to lose...