Organized at
Baltimore, Maryland, from July 15 to September 1, 1863, the 4th Regiment was first sent to
Fort Monroe,
Virginia, on October 1 before moving to
Yorktown, Virginia. As part of the
XVIII Corps, the unit participated in several expeditions and engagements: an expedition to
Mathews County from October 4 to October 9, 1863,
Wistar's Expedition against
Richmond from February 6 to February 8, 1864, action at
New Kent Court House on February 8, an expedition to
Bottom's Bridge in aid of Brigadier General
Hugh Judson Kilpatrick's cavalry from March 1 to March 4, an expedition into
King and Queen County from March 9 to March 12, and an expedition into
Mathews and
Middlesex Counties from March 17 to March 21. In May 1864, the 4th left Yorktown and took part in Brigadier General
Benjamin F. Butler's operations on the south side of the
James River and against
Petersburg and
Richmond, Virginia. The regiment saw action in a skirmish at
Bermuda Hundred on May 4 and served the rest of Butler's campaign at
Spring Hill on the
Appomattox River. While there, the men of the unit built
Fort Converse and defended the fort against an attack on May 20.9 From June to December 1864, the 4th Regiment participated in the
Richmond-Petersburg Campaign. At Petersburg, the unit was involved in the
Second Battle of Petersburg from June 15 to June 18 and the
Battle of the Crater on July 30. Later, the 4th moved towards Richmond and took part in an engagement at
Dutch Gap on September 7, the
Battle of Chaffin's Farm from September 28 to September 30, and the
Battle of Fair Oaks on October 27 and October 28. Three men of the regiment received the
Medal of Honor for their actions at Chaffin's Farm:
Christian Fleetwood,
Alfred B. Hilton, and
Charles Veale. In December the unit was assigned to the newly formed
XXV Corps and took part in the failed
attack on Fort Fisher,
North Carolina, from December 7 to December 27, 1864, and the successful
Second Battle of Fort Fisher from January 7 to January 15, 1865, where the regiment was involved in the assault and capture of the fort. The 4th then participated in several other engagements in the area,
Sugar Loaf Hill on January 19,
Sugar Loaf Battery on February 11, the
Battle of Wilmington at Fort Anderson from February 18 to February 20, and the capture of
Wilmington and action at
Northeast Ferry on February 22, 1865. , April, 1865"; standing 4th from right is Sgt Major Christian Fleetwood wearing the Medal of Honor and the Butler Medal In March 1865, the 4th Regiment was reassigned to the
X Corps and took part in General
William Tecumseh Sherman's
Carolinas campaign. The unit saw action during the advance on
Goldsboro, North Carolina, starting on March 6 and occupied Goldsboro after its capture on March 21. The regiment saw further action at
Cox's Bridge on March 23 and March 24 and participated in the advance on
Raleigh, North Carolina, starting on April 9 and the occupation of Raleigh after the city's fall on April 14. With the end of the war at hand, the men of the 4th witnessed the surrender of
Confederate General
Joseph E. Johnston and his army at
Bennett Place, North Carolina, on April 26, 1865. The unit served out the rest of its term in the Department of North Carolina. The 4th was mustered out on May 4, 1866, after about three years of existence. The regiment lost a total of 292 men during its service; three officers and 102 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded and one officer and 186 enlisted men died of disease. ==Members==