The 4th Iowa Cavalry Regiment was a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

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 ...

that served in the Union Army during 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 ...

Service

The 4th Iowa Cavalry was organized at Camp Harlan in

Mount Pleasant, Iowa Mount Pleasant is a city in and the county seat of Henry County in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 9,274 in the 2020 census, an increase from 8,668 in the 2010 census. It was founded in 1835 by pioneer Presley Saunders. History ...

, beginning in September 1861, and mustered in for three years service 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 ...

Asbury B. Porter. Companies A, E, and F mustered November 23; Companies B, C, D, I, K, and M mustered November 25; Company G mustered November 27; Company L mustered December 24; and Company H mustered January 1, 1862. The regiment was attached to 2nd Division, Army of Southwest Missouri,

Department of Missouri The Department of the Missouri was a command echelon of the United States Army in the 19th century and a sub division of the Military Division of the Missouri that functioned through the Indian Wars. History Background Following the successful ...

, to July 1862. District of Eastern Arkansas, Department of Missouri, to December 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, District of Eastern Arkansas,

Department of the Tennessee The Army of the Tennessee was a Union Army, Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. A 2005 study of the army states that it "was present at most of the great battles that became turning points ...

, to January 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, XIII Corps, Department of the Tennessee, to May 1863. Unattached, XV Corps,

Army of the Tennessee The Army of the Tennessee was a Union Army, Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. A 2005 study of the army states that it "was present at most of the great battles that became turning points ...

, to August 1863. Winslow's Cavalry Brigade, XVII Corps, to May 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, XVI Corps, to July 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, District of West Tennessee, to November 1864. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, Wilson's Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to December 1864. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, District of West Tennessee, to February 1865. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to June 1865. Department of Georgia to August 1865. The 4th Iowa Cavalry mustered out of service at

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

, on August 10, 1865, and was discharged at

Davenport, Iowa Davenport ( ) is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. It is situated along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state. Davenport had a population of 101,724 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 cen ...

, on August 24, 1865.

Detailed service

Duty at Camp Harlan until February 1862. 1st Battalion moved to St. Louis, Mo., February 26, 2nd Battalion February 28 and 3rd Battalion March 3, 1862. At

Benton Barracks Benton Barracks, also known as Camp Benton, was a United States Army barracks in St. Louis, Missouri, located at present-day St. Louis Fairground Park. Before the American Civil War, the site was owned and used by the St. Louis Agricultural and ...

, Mo., until March 10. Ordered to Rolla, Mo., March 10; thence to Springfield, Mo., and duty there until April 14. Expedition to Salem, Mo., March 12–19, 1862 (Companies F and L). Ordered to join Curtis at Batesville, Ark., April 14. Skirmish at Nitre Cave, White River, April 18 (Companies G and K). Talbot's Farm, White River, April 19 (Companies E, F, G, and K).Skirmish at Talbot's Ferry.
Encyclopedia of Arkansas Online. Accessed 11 August 2022. Skirmish, White River, May 6. Little Red River June 5. (Company F detached for duty with Chief Commissary and as provost guard at Helena, Ark., May 1862 to April 1863.) Mt. Olive June 7, 1862 (Company F). Gist's Plantation July 14, 1862 (Company F). March to Helena, Ark., June 11-July 14. Duty at Helena until April 1863. Polk's Plantation September 20, 1862 (Company D). Expedition from Helena to LaGrange September 26 (2 companies). Jones' Lane or Lick Creek October 11 (Companies A, G, and H). Marianna and LaGrange November 8. Expedition from Helena to Arkansas Post November 16–21, and to Grenada, Miss., November 27-December 5. Oakland, Miss., December 3. Expedition to Big and Little Creeks March 6–12, 1863. Big Creek March 8. St. Charles and St. Francis Counties April 8. Moved to Milliken's Bend, La., April 28–30. Reconnaissance to Bayou Macon May 1–4. March to New Carthage May 5–8. (Company G detached on courier duty at Young's Point, La., during May.) Fourteen-Mile Creek May 12–13. Mississippi Springs May 13. Hall's Ferry May 13 (detachment). Baldwyn's Ferry May 13 (detachment). Jackson May 14. Haines Bluff May 18 (Company B). Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4. Engaged in outpost duty against Johnston between Big Black and Yazoo Rivers. Mechanicsburg May 24 and 29. Expedition from Haines Bluff to Satartia and Mechanicsville June 2–8 (detachment). Barronsville June 18. Bear Creek or Jones' Plantation June 22 (Companies A, F, I, and K). Big Black River, near Birdsong Ferry, June 22 (detachment). Hill's Plantation, near Bear Creek, June 22. Messenger's Ferry, Big Black River, June 26. Advance on Jackson July 5–10. Siege of Jackson July 10–17. Near Canton July 12. Bolton's Depot July 16. Bear Creek, Canton, July 17. Canton July 18. Raid from Big Black on Mississippi Central Railroad and to Memphis, Tenn., August 10–22. Payne's Plantation, near Grenada, August 18. Panola August 20. Coldwater August 21. Expedition to Yazoo City September 21-October 1 (detachment). Brownsville September 28. Morris Ford, near Burton, September 29. Expedition toward Canton October 14–20. Brownsville October 15. Canton Road, near Brownsville, October 15–16. Near Clinton and Vernon Cross Roads October 16. Bogue Chitto Creek October 17. Robinson's Mills, near Livingston, October 17. Louisville Road, near Clinton and Brownsville, October 18. Expedition to Natchez December 4–17 (Companies C, H, I, K, L, and M). Near Natchez December 7. Meridian Campaign February 3–28, 1864. Big Black River Bridge, February 3. Raymond Road, Edwards Ferry, Champion Hill, Baker's Creek and near Bolton's Depot February 4. Jackson and Clinton February 5. Brandon February 7. Morton February 8. Meridian February 9–13. Hillsborough February 10. Tallahatta February 13. Meridian February 14. Near Meridian February 19. Veterans on furlough March 4 to April 24. Reported at Memphis, Tenn., April 24. Non-veterans at Vicksburg, Miss., until April 29; then moved to Memphis. Sturgis' Campaign against Forrest April 30-May 12. Sturgis' Expedition to Guntown, Miss., June 1–13. Ripley June 7. Brice's Cross Roads, near Guntown, June 10. Ripley June 11.

Smith's Expedition to Tupelo The Smith's Expedition to Tupelo (July 5, 1864 – July 21, 1864) was a campaign conducted by the Union Army in north Mississippi during the Civil War. The offensive was designed to ensure the safety of Sherman's supply lines during the Atla ...

, Miss., July 5–21. Near Ripley July 7. Cherry Creek July 10. Plenitude July 10. Harrisburg Road July 13.

Tupelo Tupelo commonly refers to: * Tupelo (tree), a small genus of deciduous trees with alternate, simple leaves * Tupelo, Mississippi, the county seat and the largest city of Lee County, Mississippi Tupelo may also refer to: Places * Tupelo, Arka ...

July 14–15. Old Town or Tishamingo Creek July 15. Smith's Expedition to Oxford, Miss., August 1–30. Tallahatchie River August 7–9, Hurricane Creek and Oxford August 9. Hurricane Creek August 13, 14 and 19. College Hill August 21. Oxford August 22. (Forrest's attack on Memphis August 21, Company G.) Moved to Little Rock, Ark., September 2–9. Campaign against Price in Arkansas and Missouri September 17-November 30. Moved to Batesville and Pocahontas, Ark.; thence to Cape Girardeau, St. Louis, Jefferson City and Independence, Mo.. Trading Post and Fort Scott, Kansas, Pea Ridge and Fayetteville, Ark., Tahlequah and Webber's Falls, Indian Territory, returning via Pea Ridge, Springfield and Rolla to St. Louis. Engaged at Brownsville September 28. Morris Bluff September 29 (Company D). Little Blue October 21. Independence October 22. Westport, Big Blue and State Line October 23. Trading Post October 25. Marias Des Cygnes, Osage, Mine Creek October 25. Charlot Prairie October 25. At St. Louis until December 9; then at Louisville, Ky., until February 1865. A detachment at Memphis, Tenn., September 1 to December 20, 1864. Scout near Memphis November 10. Skirmish on Germantown Pike, near Memphis, December 14, detachments of Companies A and B. Grierson's Raid on Mobile & Ohio Railroad December 21, 1864, to January 5, 1865. Okolona, Miss., December 27, 1864. Egypt Station December 28. Franklin January 2, 1865. Rejoined regiment at Louisville, Ky., January 15, 1865. Dismounted men of the regiment moved from Memphis, Tenn., to Louisville, Ky., January 2, 1865. Moved to Gravelly Springs, Ala., February 1865, and duty there until March 20. Expedition to Florence March 1–6. Wilson's Raid to Macon, Ga., March 20 to May 10. Company G served as escort to General

Emory Upton Emory Upton (August 27, 1839 – March 15, 1881) was a United States Army general and military strategist, prominent for his role in leading infantry to attack entrenched positions successfully at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House during th ...

, Commanding Division. Montevallo March 30. Near Montevallo March 31. Six-Mile Creek March 31. Ebenezer Church April 1. Selma April 2. Fikes Ferry, Cahawba River, April 7. Wetumpka April 13. Columbus, Ga., April 16. Capture of Macon April 20. Duty at Macon and Atlanta, Ga., until August.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 254 men during service; 4 officers and 51 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 5 officers and 194 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

* Colonel Asbury B. Porter * Colonel Edward Francis Winslow * Lieutenant Colonel Simeon D. Swan - commanded at the siege of Vicksburg * Lieutenant Colonel

Thomas Drummond Captain Thomas Drummond (10 October 1797 – 15 April 1840), from Edinburgh was a Scottish British Army officer, civil engineer and senior public official. He used the Drummond light which was employed in the trigonometrical survey of Great Br ...

- After leaving the regiment, Drummond joined the

5th Cavalry Regiment The 5th Cavalry Regiment ("Black Knights") is a historical unit of the United States Army that began its service on March 3, 1855, as the Second Cavalry Regiment. On August 3, 1861, it was redesignated as the 5th Cavalry Regiment following an ...

, which he commanded during the

Battle of Five Forks The Battle of Five Forks was fought on April 1, 1865, southwest of Petersburg, Virginia, around the road junction of Five Forks, Dinwiddie County, at the end of the Siege of Petersburg, near the conclusion of the American Civil War. The Union A ...

where he was killed in action. *

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

Abial Richmond Pierce - commanded at the battles of Westport and Mine Creek

Notable members

* Sergeant Norman F. Bates, Company E -

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 ...

recipient for action at

Columbus, Georgia Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee ...

* Private Edward J. Bebb, Company D - Medal of Honor recipient for action at Columbus, Georgia * Private

Richard H. Cosgriff Richard H. Cosgriff, Sr., (December 15, 1845 – November 2, 1910) was a Union Army soldier in the American Civil War and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. An Irish immigrant, his family eventual ...

, Company L - Medal of Honor recipient for action at Columbus, Georgia * Private Nicholas Fanning, Company B - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the battle of Selma * Private John H. Hays, Company F - Medal of Honor recipient for action at Columbus, Georgia * Private James P. Miller, Company D - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the battle of Selma * Corporal Richard H. Morgan, Company A - Medal of Honor recipient for action at Columbus, Georgia * Private Charles D. Swan, Company K - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the battle of Selma * Corporal

Newton Earp Newton Jasper Earp (October 7, 1837 – December 18, 1928) was an American pioneer born in Kentucky in 1837. He was the eldest child of Nicholas Porter Earp and Abigail Storm. He was the half-brother of Old West lawmen Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan ...

, Company F - Oldest son of

Nicholas Porter Earp Nicholas Porter Earp (September 6, 1813 – February 12, 1907) was the father of well-known Western lawmen Virgil, Wyatt, and Morgan, and their lesser-known brothers James, Newton and Warren Earp. He was a justice of the peace, a farmer, c ...

, and older sibling of Western lawmen

Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; 15 October 70 BC21 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Rome, ancient Roman poet of the Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Augustan period. He composed three of the most fa ...

Morgan Morgan may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment'', also called ''Morgan!'', a 1966 comedy film * ''Morgan'' (2012 film), an American drama * ''Morgan'' (2016 film), an American science fiction thriller * ...

and

Wyatt Earp Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American lawman in the American West, including Dodge City, Kansas, Dodge City, Wichita, Kansas, Wichita, and Tombstone, Arizona, Tombstone. Earp was involved in the gunfight ...

. * Private

William E. Birkhimer William Edward Birkhimer (March 1, 1848 – June 10, 1914) was a United States Army brigadier general and lawyer received the Medal of Honor while a captain during the Philippine–American War. His career was long and varied, as he started as an ...

- General who was awarded the

during the Philippine War.

References

* Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. * Gantz, Jacob. ''Such Are the Trials: The Civil War Diaries of Jacob Gantz'' (Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press), 1991. * ''Roster and Record of Iowa Soldiers in the War of the Rebellion: Together with Historical Sketches of Volunteer Organizations, 1861-1866'' (Des Moines, IA: E. H. English, State Printer), 1908-1911. * Scott, William Forse. ''Roster of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, 1861-1865: An Appendix to "The Story of a Cavalry Regiment"'' (New York: J. J. Little), 1902. * * Vanorsdol, James O. ''Four Years for the Union'' (S.l.: s.n.), 1888. ;Attribution * {{CWR Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union army from Iowa 1861 establishments in Iowa

Service

Detailed service

Casualties

Commanders

Notable members

See also

References