4th Vermont Infantry Regiment explained

Unit Name:4th Vermont Infantry Regiment
Dates:September 21, 1861 to July 13, 1865
Disbanded:July 13, 1865
Allegiance: United States
Union
Branch:United States Army
Union Army
Type:Infantry
Size:1,658
Colours:-->
Colours Label:-->
Battles:
Commander1:Edwin H. Stoughton
Commander1 Label:Colonel
Commander2:Charles B. Stoughton
Commander2 Label:Colonel
Commander3:George P. Foster
Commander3 Label:Colonel
Identification Symbol Label:2nd Brigade (Vermont Brigade), 2nd Division, VI Corps (Union Army), Army of the Potomac/Army of the Shenandoah (Union)

The 4th Vermont Infantry Regiment was a three year' infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Eastern Theater, predominantly in the VI Corps, Army of the Potomac, from September 1861 to July 1865. It was a member of the Vermont Brigade.

History

In July 1861, Congress authorized President Abraham Lincoln to call out 500,000 men, to serve for three years unless sooner discharged. The 4th Vermont Infantry was the third of the three years regiments from the state placed in the field as a result of this call, and organized simultaneously with the 5th Vermont Infantry. Nine of its ten companies were recruited from the east side of the state, an important cultural division at the time.[1]

Governor Erastus Fairbanks' first choice to command the regiment was Lt. Col. Peter T. Washburn, who had served with the 1st Vermont Infantry, but he declined; in October 1861, Washburn was appointed adjutant general of the Vermont Militia. Fairbanks' second choice was 2nd Lt. Edwin H. Stoughton, U.S. Army, an 1859 graduate of the United States Military Academy in the 6th U.S. Infantry. He was a native of Bellows Falls. Maj. Harry Niles Worthen of Thetford, late of the 1st Vermont Infantry, was selected lieutenant colonel. John C. Tyler of Brattleboro became major, and Charles B. Stoughton, Edwin's younger brother, became adjutant.

The regiment rendezvoused at Brattleboro by September 14 on the grounds of what is now Brattleboro Union High School. The camp was named "Camp Holbrook," in honor of Governor Frederick Holbrook, of Brattleboro, who had just been elected. On September 21, the regiment, 1048 men strong, was mustered into Federal service, left that evening and arrived in Washington, D.C. the evening of September 23, and went into camp on Capitol Hill. Four days later, the regiment marched to the Chain Bridge, where it joined the 2nd, 3rd and 5th regiments.

On October 9, the Vermont regiments moved to Camp Griffin, about four miles from Chain Bridge. Here, on October 24, the 6th Vermont Infantry arrived, completing the initial organization of the "Old Vermont Brigade."[2]

The history of the regiment from this point on is essentially that of the Vermont Brigade, except for several senior personnel changes. Lieutenant Colonel Worthen and Major Tyler resigned on January 17, 1862. Adjutant Stoughton became lieutenant colonel, and George P. Foster, Captain, Co. G, was promoted to major. Colonel Stoughton was promoted to brigadier general on November 5, 1862; Charles Stoughton became Colonel, Major Foster lieutenant colonel, and Stephen M. Pingree, originally 1st lieutenant, Co. E, became major. After Charles Stoughton was discharged for wounds, Foster became the final commander of the regiment, and Pingree was promoted to lieutenant colonel. Both Charles Stoughton and George Foster would later be brevetted brigadier general for their gallant and meritorious service.

One June 23, 1864, the regiment "suffered the greatest loss of men by capture" it ever experienced. It was engaged with the brigade and the Sixth Corps in a movement against the Weldon Railroad, and was thrown out in front under command of Major Pratt, with a battalion of the eleventh. The enemy broke through the line with a strong force, and surrounded and captured seven officers and 137 men of the Fourth, as well as almost the entire battalion of the Eleventh. The colors of the Fourth were saved by the activity and coolness of the color guard. The officers so captured were Major Pratt, Captains Chapin and Boutin, and Lieutenants Carr, Fisher, Needham and Pierce. Among the killed was Captain William C. Tracy, of Co. G. His dead body was found on the field next day, stripped of arms, watch, money and boots, and surrounded by the muskets of his men, showing that he had rallied his company around him, and that they threw down their arms only when their gallant leader had fallen."

The original members of the regiment, who did not reenlist, were mustered out of the service on September 30, 1864. The First, Second and Third Companies of Sharpshooters transferred to the regiment on February 25, 1865, and the regiment was consolidated into eight companies. One year recruits and others whose term of service was due to expire prior to October 1, 1865, were mustered out on June 19, 1865. The remaining officers and men mustered out of service on July 13.

Medal of Honor

Five members of the regiment were awarded the Medal of Honor.[3] [4]

Engagements

ENGAGEMENTS
Battle of LewinsvilleSeptember 11, 1861
Battle at Lee's MillsApril 16, 1862
Battle of WilliamsburgMay 5, 1862
Battle of Garnett's & Golding's FarmJune 26, 1862
Battle of Savage's StationJune 29, 1862
Battle of White Oak SwampJune 30, 1862
Battle of Crampton's GapSeptember 14, 1862
Battle of AntietamSeptember 17, 1862
Battle of FredericksburgDecember 13, 1862
Battle of Marye's HeightsMay 3, 1863
Battle of Salem ChurchMay 4, 1863
Second Battle of FredericksburgJune 5, 1863
Battle of GettysburgJuly 3, 1863
Battle of FunkstownJuly 10, 1863
Second Battle of Rappahannock StationNovember 7, 1863
Battle of the WildernessMay 5 - 10, 1864
Battle of SpotsylvaniaMay 10-18, 1864
Battle of Cold HarborJune 1-12, 1864
Second Battle of PetersburgJune 18, 1864
Battle of Reams' StationJune 29, 1864
Fort Stevens (Washington, D.C.)July 11, 1864
Battle of CharlestownAugust 21, 1864
Battle of Opequon (Gilbert's Ford)September 13, 1864
Battle of Winchester (Opequon)September 19, 1864
Battle of Fisher's HillSeptember 21-22, 1864
Battle of Cedar CreekOctober 19, 1864
Siege of PetersburgMarch 25, 1865
Third Battle of PetersburgApril 2, 1865

Final Statement

FINAL STATEMENT[5]
Original members1048
Gain (recruits and transferes)642
--- Aggregate1690
--- Losses ---
Killed in action86
Died of wounds73
Died of disease201
Died in Confederate prisons61
Died from accident2
Total of Deaths423
Promoted to other regiments8
Honorably discharged468
Dishonorably discharged6
Deserted111
Finally unaccounted for5
Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps and other organizations86
--- Total Losses684
Mustered out at various times583
Total wounded418
Total taken prisoner199

See also

References

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. September 2011 . Revised Roster Vermont Volunteers 1892 . Northeast Kingdom Civil War Roundtable .
  2. Carl Guarneri, Saint Mary's College History department. The Civil War Letters of Forrest Little: Camp Griffin, Saint Mary’s College Library
  3. Web site: Congressional Medal of Honor Society. CMOHS. Congressional Medal of Honor Society. 2014. 19 August 2014.
  4. Web site: VCOnline . 2020 . Victoria Cross, the Men Behind the Medals: The Comprehensive Guide to the Victoria & George Cross - MOHs . Victoria Cross, the Men Behind the Medals . 2 May 2020 . 3 May 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200503163659/http://www.vconline.org.uk/mohs/4589918581 . dead .
  5. .

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