United States Regiments & Batteries > Rhode Island > 1st Rhode Island Infantry Regiment


“First Rhode Island Detached Militia”

The 1st Rhode Island Infantry Regiment lost 1 officer and 16 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 8 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War.

1861
April
The regiment was organized in Rhode Island for 90 days service.
  • Company A – “National Cadets – Captain A.F. Dexter
  • Company B – “Providence Artillery – Captain N. Van Slyck
  • Company C – “First Light Infantry No. 1 – Captain W.W. Brown
  • Company D – “First Light Infantry No. 2 – Captain N.W. Brown
  • Company E – “Pawtucket Light Guards” – Captain S.R. Bucklin
  • Company F – “Newport Artillery” – Captain G.W. Tew
  • Company G – “Mechanic Rifles No. 1” – Captain J.T. Pitman
  • Company H – “Mechanic Rifles #2” – Captain C.W.H. Day
  • Company I – “Westerly Rifles – Captain H.C. Card
  • Company K – “Woonsocket Guards” – Captain P. Simpson, Jr.
  • “American Brass Band” – Chief Musician J.C. Green
April 17 Ambrose Burnside (West Point Class of 1847) was appointed Colonel of the regiment.
April 18 J.S. Slocum was appointed Major of the regiment.
April 20 – 26 Sailed to New York on the steamship Empire State, then continued by steamer Coatzacoalcos to Annapolis, then by rail to Washington, D.C. Attached to the Department of Washington
May Duty at Camp Sprague, Defences of Washington
May 2 The regiment was mustered into United States service as the 1st Rhode Island Infantry Regiment at the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. by Brevet Major & Assistant Adjutant General Irvin McDowell.
May 8 Major J.S. Slocum resigned to become colonel of the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry Regiment..
June 9 An unlettered company of Carbineers was created under the command of Captain F.W. Goddard from the details of the other companies. These were armed with Burnside rifles and were intended to act as skirmishers for the regiment. The men continued to be carried on the rolls of their original companies so no roster exists for the Carbineers.
June 10-11
Movement to Williamsport

The regiment, accompanied by the Tompkins Marine Artillery, moved at 8 a.m. by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to Baltimore, then by the North Central Railroad to York, Pennsylvania, arriving at 6 p.m. It continued on the Cumberland Valley Railroad to Chambersburg and the Franklin Railroad to Greencastle, Pennsylvania, arriving at 12 p.m. on June 11.

June 15 The regiment marched to Williamsport, Maryland.
June 17 Ordered in company with the Tompkins Marine Artillery to return to Washington D.C., marching at 7 a.m. via Hagerstown and arriving at Boonsboro at 3 p.m. they continued to Frederick at 7 p.m. , arriving at Midnight.
June 18-19 After staying at the State Barracks at the Frederick County Agricultural Society Fairgrounds, they continued at 8 p.m. onthe 18th on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to Washington, arriving at 8 a.m. on June 19.
June 19 J.S. Pitman was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment but was assigned to detached duty at Providence.
June 27 J.P. Balch was appointed Major of the regiment.
July 8 Attached to Burnside’s Brigade, Hunter’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia.  Colonel Ambrose Burnside was assigned to command the Brigade as senior colonel. With Lieutenant Colonel Pitman on detached duty, Major J.P. Balch took command of the regiment.
July 16
Movement to Manassas

Ordered to rendezvous on Pennsylvania Avenue at 12:30 p.m. Crossed the Long Bidge over the Potomac River at 2:30 p.m. and arrived at 7 p.m. one mile southeast of Bailey’s Crossroads, Fairfax County.

July 17 Marched to Fairfax Court House and bivouacked overnight just west of the courthouse.
July 18 Moved to Centreville, arriving by 6:30 p.m., and was stationed at Willow Spring Farm, two miles east of town.
July 21

Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)

Began a march at 2 a.m. to Sudley Ford on Bull Run. Crossed the ford and moved south to Matthew’s Hill. Moved in the afternoon to Dogan’s Ridge. With the collapse of the Union army, the regiment withdrew back across Sudley Ford and continued to Centreville, reaching it by 9 p.m. It was then ordered to continue to Fairfax Court House. It continued on to Alexandria, reaching Fort Runyon early in the morning of July 22.

The 1st Rhode Island Infantry Regiment lost 13 men killed, 39 men wounded, and 30 men captured or missing.

July 22 The regiment returned North of the Potomac across the Long Bridge and moved to Camp Sprague on the Keating Farm.
July 25-26 The First Rhode Island left Washington for home on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. It arrived in Baltimore that evening and transferred to the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad to Philadelphia, arriving at 8 a.m. on the 26th. They crossed the river to Camden at 11 p.m. and boarded the Camden & Amboy Railroad to South Amboy and crossed to New York City.
July 27-28 Four companies embarked on the steamship State of Maine  and six on steamship Bay State to Providence, where they arrived around 7 a.m. on the 28th.
August 2 The 1st Rhode Island Infantry Regiment mustered out
August 20 Colonel Ambrose Burnside was appointed Brigadier General of United States Volunteers, with rank to August 6.