United States Regiments & Batteries * Connecticut
The 1st Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment formed in the earliest days of the war for three months service. It performed well in the Battle of Bull Run and maintained its discipline during the retreat. It even stayed on past the end of its enlistment packing up the camps and saving the equipment of other regiments. The 1st Connecticut lost 6 men wounded, 6 men captured and 25 men discharged for disability during the Civil War.
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1861
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| April 22 | Organized at Hartford under the command of Colonel Daniel Tyler, Lieutenant Colonel George S. Burnham and Major John L. Chatfield. Eight companies were equipped with Springfield rifled muskets and the two flank companies with Sharps rifles.
 Colonel Daniel Tyler |
| May 10 | Left Connecticut for Washington, D.C. on the steamship Bienville. Colonel Tyler was promoted to brigadier general. Lieutenant Colonel Burnam was promoted to colonel and given command of the regiment, Major Chatfield was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Spiedel was promoted to major.
 Colonel George Burnham |
| May 13 | Arrived in Washington and attached to Mansfield’s command, Dept. of Washington for duty at Camp Corcoran. |
| May 31 | Lieutenant Colonel Chatfield was appointed colonel of the 3rd Connecticut Infantry Regiment. Major Spiedel became lieutenant colonel and Captain Theodore Byxbee became major. |
| June 1 | Marched across the Long Bridge to Roach’s Mills on the Alexandria and Leesburg Railroad, relieving the 12th New York Infantry Regiment. |
| June 16th | A detachment made a reconnaissance by rail past Vienna and was ambushed. Private George H. Bugbee of Company A was severely wounded. |
| June | Attached to Key’s 1st Brigade, Tyler’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northwestern Virginia |
| June 9 -July 15 | Picket duty at Falls Church |
| July 16-21 | Advance on Manassas, Va. |
| July 16 | Led the advance to Vienna, covering the head of the column as skirmishers along with the 2nd Connecticut Infantry. |
| July 17 | The regiment occupied Fairfax Court House and advanced to Germantown. |
| July 18 | Advanced to Centreville |
| July 21 |
Battle of Bull Run, or ManassasThe regiment advanced by the Warrentown Road and was detached to guard the road, remaining until around 10 a.m. From the report by General Keyes:The order to advance was given at about ten o’clock A.M., and from that hour to four P.M. my brigade was in constant activity on the field of battle. The First Regiment Connecticut Volunteers was met by a body of cavalry and infantry, which it repelled, and at several other encounters at different parts of the line the enemy constantly retired before us. “Before recrossing Bull Run, and until my brigade mingled with the retreating mass, it maintained perfect freedom from panic, and at the moment I received the order for retreat, and for some time afterward, it was in as good order as in the morning on the road. Half an hour earlier I supposed the victory to be ours. The regiment returned to its campground at Centreville in good order and intended to bivouac for the night. But before midnight it was ordered to continue the retreat to Falls Church. |
| July 22 | Arrived at Falls Church around 9 a.m. and in a driving rain struck its camp and that of the 2nd Maine Infantry Regiment. |
| July 23 | Although the regiment’s terms of service had expired, it spent the day packing up the abandoned camps of the 1st and 2nd Ohio Infantry Regiments and the 2nd New York Regiment |
| July 27 | Started for New Haven |
| July 31 | The 1st Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment mustered out. |