4th United States Colored Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 4th United States Colored Infantry Regiment was an African American
unit of the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. A part of the United States Colored Troops
, the regiment
saw action in Virginia
and North Carolina
, taking part in the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign
, the capture of Fort Fisher
and Wilmington, North Carolina
, and the Carolinas Campaign
.
, Virginia
, on October 1 before moving to Yorktown, Virginia
. 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 on February 8, an expedition to Bottom's Bridge in aid of Brigadier General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick
'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
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 Richmond-Petersburg Campaign
. At Petersburg, the unit was involved in the Second Battle of Petersburg
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
from September 28 to September 30, and the Battle of Fair Oaks on October 27 and October 28. Three men of the regiment received the Medal of Honor
for their actions at Chaffin's Farm: Christian Fleetwood
, 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
, North Carolina
, from December 7 to December 27, 1864 and the successful Second Battle of Fort Fisher
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
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 re-assigned to the X Corps
and took part in General William Tecumseh Sherman
's Carolinas Campaign
. 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
, 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
General Joseph E. Johnston
and his army at Bennett Place
, 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.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
unit of 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...
. A part of the United States Colored Troops
United States Colored Troops
The United States Colored Troops were regiments of the United States Army during the American Civil War that were composed of African American soldiers. First recruited in 1863, by the end of the Civil War, the men of the 175 regiments of the USCT constituted approximately one-tenth of the Union...
, the 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...
saw action in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, taking part in the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign
Siege of Petersburg
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...
, the capture of Fort Fisher
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....
and Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
, and the Carolinas Campaign
Carolinas Campaign
The Carolinas Campaign was the final campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. In January 1865, Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman advanced north from Savannah, Georgia, through the Carolinas, with the intention of linking up with Union forces in Virginia. The defeat of ...
.
History
Organized at Baltimore, Maryland from July 15 to September 1, 1863, the 4th Regiment was first sent to Fort MonroeFort Monroe
Fort Monroe was a military installation in Hampton, Virginia—at Old Point Comfort, the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, on October 1 before moving to Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
. As part of the XVIII Corps
XVIII Corps (ACW)
XVIII Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War.- Origins and makeup :The XVIII Corps was created on December 24, 1862, and initially composed of five divisions stationed in North Carolina, making it one of the largest in the Union Army , placed under the command of General...
, the unit participated in several expeditions and engagements: an expedition to Mathews County
Mathews County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 8,978 people, 3,932 households, and 2,823 families residing in the county. The population density was 108 people per square mile . There were 5,333 housing units at an average density of 62 per square mile...
from October 4 to October 9, 1863, Wistar's Expedition against Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
from February 6 to February 8, 1864, action at New Kent Court House on February 8, an expedition to Bottom's Bridge in aid of Brigadier General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick
Hugh Judson Kilpatrick
Hugh Judson Kilpatrick 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 a failed political candidate for the U.S...
's cavalry from March 1 to March 4, an expedition into King and Queen County
King and Queen County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,630 people, 2,673 households, and 1,897 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 3,010 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
from March 9 to March 12, and an expedition into Mathews
Mathews County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 8,978 people, 3,932 households, and 2,823 families residing in the county. The population density was 108 people per square mile . There were 5,333 housing units at an average density of 62 per square mile...
and Middlesex
Middlesex County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,932 people, 4,253 households, and 2,913 families residing in the county. The population density was 76 people per square mile . There were 6,362 housing units at an average density of 49 per square mile...
Counties from March 17 to March 21.
In May 1864, the 4th left Yorktown and took part in Brigadier General Benjamin F. Butler
Benjamin Franklin Butler (politician)
Benjamin Franklin Butler was an American lawyer and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and later served as the 33rd Governor of Massachusetts....
's operations on the south side of the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
and against Petersburg
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
and Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. The regiment saw action in a skirmish at Bermuda Hundred
Bermuda Hundred, Virginia
Bermuda Hundred was the first incorporated town in the English colony of Virginia. It was founded by Sir Thomas Dale in 1613, six years after Jamestown. At the southwestern edge of the confluence of the Appomattox and James Rivers opposite City Point, annexed to Hopewell, Virginia in 1923, ...
on May 4 and served the rest of Butler's campaign at Spring Hill
Spring Hill
-Australia:*Spring Hill, New South Wales , a small town near the city of Orange*Spring Hill, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane*Spring Hill, New South Wales , a suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales-United States:* Spring Hill, California...
on the Appomattox River
Appomattox River
The Appomattox River is a tributary of the James River, approximately long, in central and eastern Virginia in the United States, named for the Appomattocs Indian tribe who lived along its lower banks in the 17th century...
. 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 Richmond-Petersburg Campaign
Siege of Petersburg
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...
. At Petersburg, the unit was involved in the Second Battle of Petersburg
Battle of Petersburg II
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 . Union forces under Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant attempted to capture Petersburg, Virginia, before Gen. Robert E...
from June 15 to June 18 and the Battle of the Crater
Battle of the Crater
The Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg. It took place on July 30, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George G. Meade The...
on July 30. Later, the 4th moved towards Richmond and took part in an engagement at Dutch Gap
Dutch Gap
Dutch Gap is located on the James River in Chesterfield County, Virginia near the site of the lost 17th-century city of Henricus.In 1611, Sir Thomas Dale, according to a method he had learned while campaigning in Holland, cut a ditch across a portion of land behind town...
on September 7, the Battle of Chaffin's Farm
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 September 29–30, 1864, as part of the Siege of Petersburg in the American Civil War.-Background:...
from September 28 to September 30, and the Battle of Fair Oaks on October 27 and October 28. Three men of the regiment received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for their actions at Chaffin's Farm: Christian Fleetwood
Christian Fleetwood
Christian Abraham Fleetwood , was a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army, an editor, a musician, and a government official...
, Alfred B. Hilton
Alfred B. Hilton
Alfred B. Hilton was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm.-Biography:...
, and Charles Veale
Charles Veale
Charles Veale or Veal was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm.-Biography:...
.
In December the unit was assigned to the newly-formed XXV Corps
XXV Corps (ACW)
XXV Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was unique in that it was made up almost entirely of African-American troops, which had previously belonged to the X and XVIII Corps....
and took part in the failed attack on Fort Fisher
First Battle of Fort Fisher
The First Battle of Fort Fisher, was a siege fought from December 23 to December 27, 1864, was a failed attempt by Union forces to capture the fort guarding Wilmington, North Carolina, the South's last major port on the Atlantic Ocean...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, from December 7 to December 27, 1864 and the successful Second Battle of Fort Fisher
Second Battle of Fort Fisher
The Second Battle of Fort Fisher was a joint assault by Union Army and naval forces against Fort Fisher, outside Wilmington, North Carolina, near the end of the American Civil War...
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
Battle of Wilmington
The Battle of Wilmington was fought February 11 – February 22, 1865, during the American Civil War. It was a direct result of the Union victory at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher.-Background:...
at Fort Anderson from February 18 to February 20, and the capture of Wilmington
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
and action at Northeast Ferry on February 22, 1865.
In March 1865, the 4th Regiment was re-assigned to the X Corps
X Corps (ACW)
X Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served during operations in South Carolina in the Department of the South, and later in Benjamin Butler's Army of the James, during the Bermuda Hundred and Petersburg Campaigns.-History:...
and took part in General William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
's Carolinas Campaign
Carolinas Campaign
The Carolinas Campaign was the final campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. In January 1865, Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman advanced north from Savannah, Georgia, through the Carolinas, with the intention of linking up with Union forces in Virginia. The defeat of ...
. The unit saw action during the advance on Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro is a city in Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 37,597 at the 2008 census estimate. It is the principal city of and is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The nearby town of Waynesboro was founded in 1787 and Goldsboro was...
, 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, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, 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
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
General Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
and his army at Bennett Place
Bennett Place
Bennett Place, sometimes known as Bennett Farm, in Durham, North Carolina was the site of the largest surrender of Confederate soldiers ending the American Civil War, on April 26, 1865.-History:...
, 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.