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4th Delaware Infantry

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Muster In: Organized at Wilmington, Del., June to November, 1862.1
Muster Out: June 3, 18652

Commander(s):
Lieutenant Colonel Charles E. La Motte
Charles E. La Motte 4th DE3

Bvt. Lieutenant Colonel Moses B. Gist
Commander Image

Captain W. H. Maclary (aka McCleary)
Commander Image

Commander 4
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Fourth Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army4,5

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Fourth Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army7,8

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Fourth Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army11,12

  • Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Charles E. La Motte (July 31, 1864)13
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle:

Second Brigade | Fourth Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army (August 1-?, 1864)14

Third Brigade | Second Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army (August ?-31, 1864)15

  • Commander: Major Moses B. Gist (August 31, 1864)16
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Third Brigade | Second Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union17,18

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Third Brigade | Second Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union20,21

  • Commander: Captain Daniel H. Kent (October 31, 1864)22
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: Third Brigade | Second Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union23,24

  • Commander: Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Moses B. Gist (December 31, 1864)25
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: This regiment participated in Warren’s Stony Creek, or “Apple Jack” Raid to Belfield and Hicksford, Virginia from December 7-12, 1864.26

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Third Brigade | Second Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union27,28,29

  • Commander: Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Moses B. Gist (January 31 & February 28, 1865)30,31
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: This unit is listed in the casualty returns for the Battle of Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865, implying it was present during the Eighth Offensive and the battle.32

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Third Brigade | Second Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army33,34

  • Commander:
    • Captain W. H. Maclary (aka McCleary) (killed April 1)(March 31-April 1, 1865)35,36
    • Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Moses B. Gist (April 1-2, 1865)37
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles38:

  • Before Petersburg June 16-18.
  • Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
  • Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864.
  • Reserve, Weldon R. R., August 18-21.
  • Poplar Springs Church September 29-October 1.
  • Yellow House October 1-3.
  • Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28.
  • Warren’s Raid on Weldon R. R. December 7-12.
  • Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865.
  • Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9.
  • Lewis Farm, near Gravelly Run, March 29.
  • White Oak Road March 30.
  • Gravelly Run March 31.
  • Five Forks April 1.
  • Fall of Petersburg April 2.
  • Pursuit of Lee April 3-9.
  • Appomattox Court House April 9.
  • Surrender of Lee and his army.

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    2. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    3. Charles E. La Motte image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Volume 74, Page 3675.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. ↩
    4. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 225 ↩
    5. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 546 ↩
    6. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 4th Delaware Entry, Page 14; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
    7. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 225 ↩
    8. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 546 ↩
    9. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 546 ↩
    10. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 4th Delaware Entry, Page 14; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
    11. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 256 ↩
    12. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 733 ↩
    13. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 733 ↩
    14. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 125: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)”: At some point after the Battle of Globe Tavern ended on August 21, 1864 the Fourth Division, Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac ceased to exist and its units were parceled out to the rest of the Fifth Corps.  The Official Records, XLII, Part 2, page 800 contains General Orders #35 from September 12, 1864 detailing the changes.  However, the table in OR, Vol. XLII, Part 2, page 614 showing the organization of the Army of the Potomac on August 31, 1864 already has the Fourth Division, Fifth Corps broken up.  More research is needed. ↩
    15. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 615: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    16. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 615: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    17. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1300. ↩
    18. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 140: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)” ↩
    19. Volume 15 (Ordnance Returns for the Third Quarter, July-September, 1864); 4th Delaware Entry, Page 13; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
    20. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 461: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    21. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 156: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Boydton Plank Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864” ↩
    22. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 461: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    23. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1118: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    24. Calkins, Chris. “The Apple Jack Raid: For This Barbarism There Was No Real Excuse.” Blue & Gray Magazine Summer 2005: 18-25 (OOB on page 60). ↩
    25. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1118: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    26. Calkins, Chris. “The Apple Jack Raid: For This Barbarism There Was No Real Excuse.” Blue & Gray Magazine Summer 2005: 18-25 (OOB on page 60). ↩
    27. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 328: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    28. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 742: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    29. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 96), page 66: “Return of Casualties in the Union forces at Hatcher’s Run (otherwise known as Dabney’s Mill, Armstrong’s Mill, Rowanty Creek, and Vaughan Road)… (February 5-7, 1865)” ↩
    30. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 328: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    31. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 742: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    32. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 96), page 66: “Return of Casualties in the Union forces at Hatcher’s Run (otherwise known as Dabney’s Mill, Armstrong’s Mill, Rowanty Creek, and Vaughan Road)… (February 5-7, 1865)” ↩
    33. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 570: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    34. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 585: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865” ↩
    35. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 570: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    36. McBride, R. E. “Pennsylvania Reserves. Career of These Veterans from Cold Harbor to Appomattox.” National Tribune 10 November 1898. 1:1-6 and 2:3-4: “At 1 p. m. Gen. Sheridan gave the order for the corps to be brought forward and formed for the attack. The Second Division, on the left of the Third, was formed near the Methodist Church; the Third Brigade on the right, the Second on the left, the first in reserve close behind the others. Of the Third Brigade, the 4th Del., Capt. W. H. Mc Cleary, was on the left; next was the 3d Del., Capt. J. H. Cade; then the 191st Pa., Capt. Perez L. Norton, and the 157th Pa., Maj. E. T. Tiers. This whole line was under command of Lieut.-Co. L J. B. Pattee, of the 190th Pa. The 190th Pa. was deployed as skirmishers, under Capt. R. M. Birkman. The 210th Pa., Lieut.-Col. E. L. Whitman, formed the second line of the brigade, their right reaching to the road leading north past the church, and a little south of the church.” ↩
    37. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 570: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    38. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩

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