| Unit Name: | 1st Delaware Infantry Regiment 1st Delaware Veteran Infantry Regiment |
| Dates: | May 22, 1861 – July 12, 1865 |
| Allegiance: | Union |
| Branch: | Union Army |
| Type: | Infantry |
| Role: | Infantry |
| Size: | 4,206 (total) |
| Command Structure: | Dix's Command—Department of the Potomac |
| Equipment: | Springfield Model 1842 |
| Battles: | American Civil War |
| Notable Commanders: | Henry Hayes Lockwood John William Andrews Thomas Alfred Smyth Edward P. Harris Daniel Woodall Joseph C. Nicholls |
The 1st Delaware Infantry Regiment, later known as the 1st Delaware Veteran Infantry Regiment was a United States volunteer infantry regiment raised for Union Army service in the American Civil War. Part of the II Corps it served in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.[1]
When the Civil War began in April 1861, there were only about 16,000 men in the U.S. Army, and many Southern soldiers and officers were already resigning and joining the new Confederate States Army. With this drastic shortage of men in the army, President Abraham Lincoln called on the states to raise a force of 75,000 volunteers for three months to put down the insurrection in the South. Accordingly, the 1st Delaware Infantry Regiment was raised at Wilmington, Delaware, on May 22, 1861, and mustered into Federal service on May 28. The regiment comprised 37 officers and 742 enlisted men under the command of Colonel Henry H. Lockwood.[1] [2]
The original Field & Staff were:[3]
Colonel: Henry H. Lockwood
Lieutenant Colonel: John W. Andrews
Major: Robert Lamott
Surgeon: R. W. Johnson
Assistant-Surgeon: James Knight
Adjutant: Lieutenant W. P. Seville
Quartermaster: H. Alderdice
The original Company Commanders were:[4]
Co. A (Delaware Blues): Cpt. Evans Watson
Co. B: Cot. Charles Lamott
Co. C: Cpt. James Bare
Co. D: Cpt. James Green
Co. E (Wilmington Rifles): Cpt. Robert Mulligan
Co. F: Cpt. Thomas Crossley
Co. G (Sussex Volunteers): Cpt. J. Rodney Layton
Co. H: Cpt. S.H. Jenskins
Co. I: Cpt. James Leonard
Co. K: Cpt. Smith
The regiment was attached to the command of Major General John Dix ('Dix's Command", Department of the Potomac) and assigned to duty along the line of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad. The regiment mustered out on August 30, 1861.[1] [2]
On July 22, 1861, the United States Congress authorized a volunteer army of 500,000 men. When in August the enlistment term for the regiment ended a new 1st Regiment was raised for a term of three years at Wilmington, Delaware, between September 10 and October 19, 1861. This time the regiment had 37 officers and 846 enlisted men under the command of Colonel John W. Andrews. [1] [2]
The Field & Staff were:[5]
Colonel: John W. Andrews
Lieutenant Colonel: 0. Hopkinson
Major: Thomas A. Smyth
Surgeon: D. W. Maull
Chaplain: Thomas G. Murphey
Assistant-Surgeon: S. D. Marshall
Adjutant: First Lieutenant W. P. Saville
Quartermaster: First Lieutenant T. Y. England
Sergeant-Major: James Lewis
Quartermaster's Sergeant: Frank Wilson
Commissary Sergeant: Charles S. Sehocffer
Hospital Steward: Archibald D. O'Mera
Drum-Major: Patrick Dooley
The Company Commanders were:[6]
Co. A: Cpt. Evans S. Watson
Co. B: Cpt. James Leonard
Co. C: Cpt. Neal Ward
Co. D: Cpt. Enoch J. Smithers
Co. E: Cpt. Edward P. Harris
Co. F: Cpt. Daniel Woodall
Co. G: Cpt. Allen Shortledge
Co. H: Cpt. John B. Tanner
Co. I: Cpt. Charles Lesper
Co. K: Cpt. Thomas Crassley
On July 1, 1864, the 3 years enlistment would have ended and the regiment would be mustered out. Instead in July 1863 the men, still having nine months of their enlistment left, got the chance to reenlist for another 3 years from that date. On December 19, 1863, three quarters of the regiment reenlisted. The 1st Delaware was upgraded to veteran status as 1st Delaware Veteran Infantry Regiment. The 1st Delaware Infantry claimed to be first regiment in the Union to receive the coveted veteran status.[7]
In April 1864 the 1st Delaware absorbed the remnants of the 2nd Delaware Infantry Regiment, a number of recruits and veterans with two complete companies.
| Col. Henry Hayes Lockwood | May 22, 1861 - August 8, 1861 |
| Col. John William Andrews | August 8, 1861 - February 7, 1863 |
| Col. Thomas Alfred Smyth | February 7, 1863 - October 1, 1864 (often acting as brigade commander) |
| Lt. Col. Edward P. Harris | July 1, 1863 - July 2, 1863; July 4, 1863 - October 28, 1863 (acting) |
| Lt. Col. Daniel Woodall | October 28, 1863 - October 18, 1864 (acting) |
| Col. Daniel Woodall | October 18, 1864 - July 12, 1865 (often acting as brigade commander) |
| Lt. Col. Joseph C. Nicholls | January 1865 - June 28, 1865 (acting) |
At the Battle of Antietam the regiment suffered 36 men killed and mortally wounded, and 182 men wounded, being 30.8% from a total strength of 708.[8]
At the Battle of Fredericksburg the regiment lost 10 killed, 74 wounded and 9 missing.[9]
At the Battle of Chancellorsville the regiment lost 6 killed, 33 wounded and 10 missing.[10]
At the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 the regiment suffered 10 killed, 54 wounded, and 13 missing, being 31% from a total strength of 251. It also had 4 different regimental commanders during the battle.[11]
Throughout the war the regiment suffered 12 officers and 146 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and 3 officers and 118 enlisted men killed by disease.[12]
Four men were awarded the Medal of Honor while serving with the 1st Delaware.[13]