The 1st Delaware Infantry Regiment, later known as the 1st Delaware Veteran Infantry Regiment was a

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

volunteer Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency ...

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

raised for Union Army service in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. Part of the II Corps it served in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.

Organisation and Remusterings

90-Day Volunteers

When the Civil War began in April 1861, there were only about 16,000 men in the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

, and many Southern soldiers and officers were already resigning and joining the new

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

. With this drastic shortage of men in the army, President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

called on the states to raise a force of

75,000 volunteers Proclamation 80, titled "A Proclamation by the President of the United States, April 15, 1861," was a presidential proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. It called for 75,000 militia A militia ( ...

for three months to put down the

insurrection Rebellion is an uprising that resists and is organized against one's government. A rebel is a person who engages in a rebellion. A rebel group is a consciously coordinated group that seeks to gain political control over an entire state or a ...

in the South. Accordingly, the 1st Delaware Infantry Regiment was raised at

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington is the List of municipalities in Delaware, most populous city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish colonization of the Americas, Swedish settlement in North America. It lie ...

, 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 Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Henry H. Lockwood. The original Field & Staff were: 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: 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 Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad (PW&B) was an American railroad, headquartered in Philadelphia, that operated in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland from 1836 to 1902. It was part of an 1838 merger of four state-chartered railr ...

. The regiment mustered out on August 30, 1861.

3-Years Volunteers

On July 22, 1861, the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

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

, 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. The Field & Staff were: 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: 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

Veteran Volunteers

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. 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.

Service and engagements

1861

* Raised at Wilmington—May 22, 1861 * Mustered into Federal service—May 28 * Col. Lockwood was promoted to Brigadier and was replaced by Col. John W. Andrews—August 8 * Reorganized and trained at Wilmington—September 10-October 19 * Moved to

Fort Monroe, Virginia Fort Monroe is a former military installation in Hampton, Virginia, at Old Point Comfort, the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula, United States. It is currently managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth ...

—October 20–21

1862

* Camp Hamilton, (now

Phoebus Apollo is one of the Olympian deities in ancient Greek and Roman religion and Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, music and dance, truth and prophecy, healing and diseases, the Sun and light, poetry, ...

), Virginia—until May * Occupation of

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...

—May 10 *

Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam ( ), also called the Battle of Sharpsburg, particularly in the Southern United States, took place during the American Civil War on September 17, 1862, between Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virgi ...

—September 16–17 * Garrison of

Harpers Ferry Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 269 at the 2020 United States census. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac River, Potomac and Shenandoah River, Shenandoah Rivers in the ...

—September 22-October 30 * Movement to

Falmouth, Virginia Falmouth is a census-designated place (CDP) in Stafford County, Virginia, Stafford County, Virginia, United States. Situated on the north bank of the Rappahannock River at the falls, the community is north of and opposite the city of Fredericksb ...

—October 30-November 17 *

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat between the Union Army, Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Major general ( ...

—December 12–15 Thomas Alfred Smyth

1863

* Mud March—January 20–22 * At Falmouth, Virginia—January–April * Col. Andrews resigned and was replaced by Col. Thomas Smyth—February 7 *

Battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Confederate General Robert E. Lee's risky decision to divide h ...

—May 1–6 * Gettysburg Campaign—June–July *

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

—July 1–3 * Pursuit of

Lee Lee may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Lee'' (2007 film), Tamil-language sports action film * ''Lee'' (2017 film), Kannada-language action film * ''Lee'' (2023 film), biographical drama about Lee Miller, American photojournalist * ''L ...

Manassas Gap Manassas Gap is a wind gap of the Blue Ridge Mountains on the border of Fauquier County and Warren County in Virginia. At an elevation of 887 feet above sea level, it is the lowest crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the state. The origins of ...

—July 5–24 * Duty along the

Rappahannock River The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 It traverses the enti ...

and

Rapidan River The Rapidan River, flowing U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 through north-central Virginia in the United States, is the largest tributary of the Rappahannoc ...

—July–October *

Battle of Bristoe Station The Battle of Bristoe Station was fought on October 14, 1863, at Bristow, Virginia, Bristoe Station, Virginia, between Union Army, Union forces under Major general (United States), Maj. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren and Confederate States Army, Confe ...

—October 14 *

Mine Run Campaign The Battle of Mine Run, also known as Payne's Farm, or New Hope Church, or the Mine Run campaign (November 27 – December 2, 1863), was conducted in Orange County, Virginia, in the American Civil War. An unsuccessful attempt of the Union ...

—November 26-December 2 * Regiment remustered as ''1st Delaware Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment''—December

1864

Overland Campaign The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, towards the end of the American Civil War. Lieutenant general (United States), Lt. G ...

—May 3-June 15 *

Battle of the Wilderness The Battle of the Wilderness was fought on May 5–7, 1864, during the American Civil War. It was the first battle of Lieutenant general (United States), Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against General (C ...

—May 5–7 *

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes more simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania (or the 19th-century spelling Spottsylvania), was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's 18 ...

—May 12–21 *

Battle of North Anna The Battle of North Anna was fought May 23–26, 1864, as part of Union Army, Union Lieutenant General (United States), Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate States Army, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of North ...

—May 23–26 * On line of the Pamunkey May 26–28 *

Battle of Totopotomoy Creek The Battle of Totopotomoy Creek , also called the Battle of Bethesda Church, Crumps Creek, Shady Grove Road, and Hanovertown, was fought in Hanover County, Virginia on May 28–30, 1864, as part of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses Grant's Overland ...

—May 28–31 *

Battle of Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought during the American Civil War near Mechanicsville, Virginia, from May 31 to June 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3. It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses ...

—June 1–12 * Before Petersburg—June 16–18 *

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. Although it is more popularly known as the siege of Petersburg, it was not a c ...

—June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865 * Received remnants of the 2nd Delaware Infantry Regiment—April *

Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road The Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road, also known as the First Battle of the Weldon Railroad, took place during the American Civil War fought June 21–23, 1864, near Petersburg, Virginia, Petersburg, Virginia in the American Civil War, Virginia. I ...

—June 22–23, 1864 *

First Battle of Deep Bottom The First Battle of Deep Bottom, also known as Darbytown, Strawberry Plains, New Market Road, or Gravel Hill, was fought July 27–29, 1864, at Deep Bottom in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Siege of Petersburg of the American Civil ...

—July 27–28 *

Battle of the Crater The Battle of the Crater took place during the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg. It occurred on Saturday, July 30, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee, and the Union ...

(in reserve position)—July 30 *

Second Battle of Deep Bottom The Second Battle of Deep Bottom, also known as Fussell's Mill (particularly in the South), New Market Road, Bailey's Creek, Charles City Road, or White's Tavern, was fought August 14–20, 1864, at Deep Bottom in Henrico County, Virginia, durin ...

—August 13–20 * Ream's Station—August 25 * Yellow House—October 1–5 *

Battle of Boydton Plank Road The Battle of Boydton Plank Road (also known as Burgess Mill or First Hatcher's Run), fought on October 27–28, 1864, followed the Union Army's successful Battle of Peebles's Farm in the siege of Petersburg during the American Civil Wa ...

—October 27-2 * Col. Smyth was promoted and was replaced by Col. Woodall—October

1865

Battle of Hatcher's Run The Battle of Hatcher's Run (also known as the Battle of Dabney's Mill) took place from February 5 to 7, 1865, during the American Civil War. Fighting occurred at several locations in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, southwest of Petersburg. The battl ...

—February 5–7, 1865 * Watkins' House—March 25 * Appomattox Campaign—March 28-April 9 * Boydton Road and White Oak Ridge—March 29–31 * Crow's House—March 31 *

Third Battle of Petersburg The Third Battle of Petersburg, also known as the Breakthrough at Petersburg or the Fall of Petersburg, was fought on April 2, 1865, south and southwest Virginia in the area of Petersburg, Virginia, at the end of the 292-day Richmond–Petersbur ...

—April 2 * In pursuit of the

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was a field army of the Confederate States Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed agains ...

—April 3–9 *

Battle of Sailor's Creek A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

—April 6 *

Battle of High Bridge The Battle of High Bridge refers to two engagements fought on April 6 and 7, 1865, near the end of the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War about northeast of Farmville, Virginia. The first battle is often the one identified as the Bat ...

and Farmville—April 7 *

Battle of Appomattox Court House The Battle of Appomattox Court House, fought in Appomattox County, Virginia, on the morning of April 9, 1865, was one of the last, and ultimately one of the most consequential, battles of the American Civil War (1861–1865). It was the final e ...

—April 9 * Received the veterans of the 3rd Delaware Infantry Regiment—April * At Burkesville—until May 2 * March to Washington, D.C.—May 2–12 *

Grand Review of the Armies The Grand Review of the Armies was a military procession and celebration in the national capital city of Washington, D.C., on May 23–24, 1865, following the Union victory in the American Civil War (1861–1865). Elements of the Union Army in th ...

—May 23 * At Washington, D.C.—until July * Mustered out of Federal service—July 12, 1865

Other Regimental Statistics

Commanding Officers

Casualties

At the

the regiment suffered 36 men killed and mortally wounded, and 182 men wounded, being 30.8% from a total strength of 708. At the

the regiment lost 10 killed, 74 wounded and 9 missing. At the

the regiment lost 6 killed, 33 wounded and 10 missing. At the

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. 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.

Medal of Honor

Four men were awarded the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

while serving with the 1st Delaware. *Battle of Antietam **Second Lieutenant Charles B. Tanner of Company H earned the medal by saving the regimental flag after the entire nine-man color guard was killed or wounded. Tanner himself was wounded three times in the battle. *Battle of Gettysburg **Private Bernard McCarren of Company C was awarded the medal for capturing a Confederate battle flag. **Private John B. Maberry of Company F was awarded the medal for capturing a Confederate battle flag. **Captain James P. Postles of Company A received the medal for voluntarily carrying a message under heavy fire at Gettysburg.

References

Sources & External links

* * * * * {{Authority control Units and formations of the Union army from Delaware Gibraltar Brigade Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 1861 establishments in Delaware