United States Regiments & BatteriesMichigan


The 4th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment lost 12 officers and 177 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 107 enlisted men to disease of the 1,325 officers and men it mustered during the Civil War. The regiment is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
June 20 Organized at Adrian, Mich. and mustered in under Colonel Dwight A. Woodbury, Major Jonathan W. Childs.
June 26 Left State for Washington, D.C.; Attached to Wilcox’s Brigade, Heintzelman’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeastern Virginia
July 16-21 Advance on Manassas, Va.
July 21
Battle of Bull Run
August Attached to Sherman’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac; Duty in the Defenses of Washington
September Attached to Morell’s Brigade, Porter’s Division, Army of the Potomac
September 25 Major Childs was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
1862
March Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 16 Moved to the Virginia Peninsula
April 4 Action at Howard’s Mills
April 15 Warwick Road
April 5-May 4 Siege of Yorktown
May Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
May 23 Hogan’s, near New Bridge, and Ellison’s Mills, near Mechanicsville
May 24 New Bridge
May 27
Battle of Hanover Court House
May 27-29 Operations about Hanover Court House
June 25-July 1
Seven days before Richmond
June 26
Battle of Mechanicsville
June 27
Gaines’ Mill

Lieutenant Colonel Childs was wounded in the hip.

July 1
Battle of Malvern Hill

Colonel Woodbury was killed by a shot to the head. Lieutenant Colonel Childs was promoted to colonel and Captain George W. Lumbard of Company E was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

July 2 Duty at Harrison’s Landing
August 16-28 Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Centreville
August 30
Second Battle of Bull Run
September 6-22 Maryland Campaign
September 16-17
Battle of Antietam

The regiment was commanded by Colonel Jonathan W. Childs. It was in reserve and suffered no casualties.

September 19
Battle of Blackford’s Ford (Shepherdstown)

From the report of Brigadier General Griffin:

The enemy occupying the opposite side of the river with artillery and sharpshooters, the Fourth Michigan Regiment was moved forward as skirmishers and to drive the enemy from the banks. Our artillery, having been massed, opened a sharp fire on the enemy’s guns, causing him to abandon them. By direction of Major-General Porter, the Fourth Michigan was ordered to cross the river and take them. This duty was handsomely performed, the regiment, about 300 strong, fording the river (some 300 yards in width and 3 feet in depth) in face of the enemy’s infantry fire, and forming on the opposite side, advancing and delivering its fire with such effect and determination as to cause the brigade opposing it to fall back in great confusion.

It was now getting quite dark, and the regiment only succeeded in finding two pieces of artillery and several caissons, or parts of caissons. After remaining on the opposite bank some two or three hours it was recalled. The regiment lost 1 man killed (Corpl. John Gordon) and 7 men wounded.

“The next morning (the 20th), as soon as it was light enough to see, the Fourth Michigan and Sixty-second Pennsylvania crossed the river with some horses from Battery D, Fifth Artillery, commanded by First Lieutenant Hazlett, and brought back three guns, several caissons and one battle-flag, picked up on the field, returning to camp about 8 o’clock a. m.

September 20
Shephardstown

From the report of Brigadier General Griffin:

As soon as it was light enough to see, the Fourth Michigan and Sixty-second Pennsylvania crossed the river with some horses from Battery D, Fifth Artillery, commanded by First Lieutenant Hazlett, and brought back three guns, several caissons and one battle-flag, picked up on the field, returning to camp about 8 o’clock a. m.

October 16-17 Reconnaissance toward Smithfield, W. Va.
October 29-November 17 Movement to Falmouth, Va.
November 25 Colonel Childs resigned due to “unexected and urgent circumstances of a private nature.” General Griffith endorsed the resignation with the comment, “It is absolutely necessary for the interest and harmony of the regiment.”
December 12-15
Battle of Fredericksburg
December 29-30 Expedition from Potomac Creek to Richards’ and Ellis’ Fords, Rappahannock River
1863
January – April At Falmouth, Va.
January 20-24 “Mud March”
March 12 Captain Harrison H. Jeffords of Company C was promoted to colonel.
April 27-May 6
Chancellorsville Campaign
May 1-5 Battle of Chancellorsville
June 11-July 24 Gettysburg Campaign
July 1-3
Battle of Gettysburg

From the monument in the Wheatfield at Gettysburg:

This monument marks the location held by the regiment July 2nd 1863. Present for duty – 27 officers – 376 men – total 403. Killed 1 officer 24 men. Wounded 9 officers 55 men. Missing 1 officer 75 men. Total 165. Colonel Harrison H. Jeffords fell mortally wounded at this point. Thrust through with a bayonet in recapturing the colors of his regiment.

When Colonel Harrison H. Jeffords was mortally wounded Lieutenant Colonel George W. Lumbard took command. He was promoted to colonel but not mustered.

July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va.
July – October Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan
October 9-22
Bristoe Campaign
November 7-8 Advance to line of Rappahannock
November 7 Rappahannock Station
November 26-December 2
Mine Run Campaign
1864
January – May Duty at Bealeton, Va.
May 4-June 15 Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River
May 5-7
Battle of the Wilderness

Colonel Lumbard was shot in the breast and mortally wounded on May 5. He would die the next day.

May 8-21
Battle of Spottsylvania Court House
May 8 Laurel Hill
May 12 Assault on the Salient
May 23-26
North Anna River
May 23 Jericho Mills
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31 Totopotomoy
June 1-12
Battle of Cold Harbor
June 1-3 Bethesda Church
June 16-19
First Assault on Petersburg
June 19 Relieved from duty in the trenches
June 30 Mustered out. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 1st Michigan Infantry.

 

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