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4th
Minnesota Infantry
in the Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Fourth Infantry. — Cols., John B. Sanborn, John E. Tourlellotte ;
Lieut. -Cols., Minor T. Thomas, James C. Edson; Majs., A. Edward Welch, Luther L. Baxter,
Leverett R. Wellman. This regiment was organized during the summer and fall of 1861 at
Fort Snelling. Maj. Welch was at the time a prisoner of war, having been a lieutenant in
the 1st regiment and captured at Bull Run. In the spring of 1862 Capt. Baxter was
commissioned major. The regiment was mustered in by companies, Co. A, Oct. 4, B Oct. 2,
both being sent to Fort Ridgely for garrison duty. Co. C was mustered in Oct. 7 and sent
to Fort Ripley. D on Oct. 10, E on Nov. 27, F, Oct. 11; Co. G, Nov 22, and all sent to
Fort Abercrombie, Co. H, Nov. 20, Cos. I and K Dec. 23. In March the five companies on
garrison duty were ordered to Fort Snelling and the regiment left the state in April for
Benton barracks, St. Louis. On May 2 it left there for Corinth and was assigned to the 1st
brigade, 3d division, Army of the Mississippi. It went into intrenchments near Corinth and
remained there until the evacuation of the city, when it encamped at Clear creek near
Corinth until the forepart of August, with occasional scouting expeditions. It then moved
to Jacinto, was in the battle of Iuka, moved again towards Corinth in October and in the
battle at that place dislodged a large force of the enemy in the face of a terrible fire.
It was in the general engagement on the following day and remained at Corinth until
November building fortifications. It joined the movement toward Vicksburg and was on
railroad guard duty at White's Junction during Jan., 1863. It was at Memphis during
February; in the Yazoo Pass expedition in March; was present at the battles of Port
Gibson, Forty Hills, Raymond and Jackson; was in the advance at Champion's hill, where it
captured 118 prisoners, and on May 20 joined the investing line at Vicksburg. In an
assault on the 22nd it took position in front of the enemy's works, where it remained
unsupported until dark, Co. C, at Capt. Donaldson's order, bringing off a cannon left by
some of the troops to prevent its capture by the enemy. This regiment was actively engaged
until the surrender, marched into the city July 4, its brass band leading the troops, and
became part of the army of occupation. From Sept. 12 to the last of the year it was
engaged in scouting and on expeditions, and on Jan. 1, 1864, about three-fourths of the
regiment reenlisted as veterans, but remained at Huntsville until March 5, when they took
their furlough. Huntsville remained its camp until June 22 and it then started for
Atlanta. It engaged in the battle of Allatoona, Oct. 5, where it lost 44 men, but captured
the flags of the 35th and 39th Miss. It marched to Savannah, joined the campaign through
the Carolinas, reached Columbia in February, was in reserve at Bentonville, marched
through Richmond, and in the grand review at Washington it was at the head of the column
of Sherman's army. It was mustered out at Louisville, July 19, 1865. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 4
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