Overview
The 4th Pennsylvania Artillery (sometimes referenced as the 189th Pennsylvania Regiment) was a Union artillery regiment organized in Pennsylvania during the latter part of April 1864. The unit was formed from surplus men of the 112th Pennsylvania (2nd Pennsylvania Artillery). It served in the Eastern Theater, primarily with the Army of the Potomac, and participated in several key operations during the Overland Campaign and the early stages of the Petersburg siege.
This unit was distinct in that it was not originally raised as a separate regiment but was created to utilize excess personnel from an existing artillery regiment. Its service was brief, and it was disbanded in August 1864, with its members returned to the 112th Pennsylvania (2nd Artillery).
Organization & Service
The 4th Pennsylvania Artillery was organized in Pennsylvania in late April 1864. The regiment was composed of surplus men from the 112th Pennsylvania (2nd Pennsylvania Artillery), reflecting the Union’s need to efficiently allocate manpower during the later years of the war. Upon organization, the regiment was attached to the Army of the Potomac and participated in the Overland Campaign, including the Battle of the Wilderness and subsequent operations leading up to the siege of Petersburg.
The regiment remained active in the field until August 26, 1864. At that time, the 4th Pennsylvania Artillery was disbanded, and its personnel were returned to the 112th Pennsylvania (2nd Artillery), effectively ending its independent existence. The regiment did not serve as a distinct unit beyond this period.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
- Overland Campaign (May–June 1864)
- Battle of the Wilderness
- Operations before Petersburg (June–August 1864)
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 4th Pennsylvania Artillery are not separately reported in primary sources. Losses would have been included with those of the 112th Pennsylvania (2nd Artillery).
Field Officers & Commanders
- Field officers and commanders for the 4th Pennsylvania Artillery are not distinctly listed in available primary sources. Leadership was likely drawn from officers of the 112th Pennsylvania (2nd Artillery).
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 4th Pennsylvania Artillery, including names and service details of its members, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides valuable information for genealogists and researchers interested in individual soldiers who served in this unit.
To view the complete roster, visit the 4th Pennsylvania Artillery Regimental Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes XXXVI and XL
- Pennsylvania Adjutant General’s Report
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- The Union Army, Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Volume 1