4th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry

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Brief History

The 4th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry was organized by Companies at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, as follows:
Company "A" mustered in October 4, 1861.
Company "B" mustered in October 2, 1861.
Company "C" mustered in October 7, 1861. Also moved to Fort Ridgly and garrison duty there until March, 1862.
Company "D" mustered in October 10, 1861. Moved to Fort Abercrombie, D. T., and duty there until March, 1862.
Company "E" mustered in November 27, 1861.
Company "F" mustered in October 11, 1861.
Company "G" mustered in November 22, 1861. Moved to Fort Abercrombie and duty there till March, 1862.
Company "H" mustered in December 20, 1861.
Company "I" mustered in December 23, 1861.
Company "K" mustered in December 23, 1861. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June 2-3. Duty there till July 19.

On May 2-14, this regiment attached to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Army of Mississippi, May to November, 1862. 1st Brigade, 7th Division, Left Wing 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, to December, 1862. 1st Brigade, 7th Division, 16th Army Corps, to January, 1863. 1st Brigade, 7th Division, 17th Army Corps, to September, 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division. 17th Army Corps, to December, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 15th Army Corps, to April, 1865. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 15th Army Corps, to July, 1865.
They mustered out on July 19 and discharged at St. Paul, Minn., August 7, 1865.

For more information on this regiment see the following:

• Wikipedia,(accessed 9 Dec 2010) article on the 4th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
  

• The Civil War Archives. (accessed 9 Dec 2010) A brief history of the 4th Regiment Infantry.
  

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin

Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

The following counties of origin are taken from the Adjutant General's Report, found on the Internet Archives web site. The rosters show the men who served in each regiment, their residences, dates of enlistment and mustering out, and other remarks. Also see the Dalby Database, a site from Minnesota, searchable by men, counties, regiments and companies.

Company A - many men from Carver County and Scott County - Roster, page 175.

Company B - many men from  McLeod County - Roster, page 180.

Company C - many men from Dakota County and Hennepin County- Roster, page 185.

Company D - many men from Goodhue County andStearns County - Roster, page 190.

Company E - many men from Le Sueur County and Ramsey County -  Roster, page 195.

Company F - many men from Freeborn County - Roster, page 200.

Company G - many men from Stearns County and Ramsey County- Roster, page 205.

Company H - many men from Blue Earth County and Nicollet County - Roster, page 210.

Company I - many men from Rice County, Waseca County, and Le Sueur County - Roster, page 215.

Company K - many men from Mower County and Ramsey County - Roster, page 220.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,560 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

• Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘Minnesota in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).
  

• National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.
  

• Minnesota in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Minnesota, and how to find them. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.
  

• United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.
  

• The Civil War Index. (accessed 9 Dec 2010) Website with detailed Minnesota regimental histories.

• Rootsweb. (accessed 9 Dec 2010) 4th Regiment history and a roster of the men from Wabasha county.
  

• MilitaryHistoryOnline, (accessed 9 December 2010) has submissions by people about their ancestors who served in the Civil War.

• Brown, Alonzo L. History of the Fourth Regiment of Minnesota Infantry Volunteers During the Great Rebellion 1861-1865. (St. Paul, Minnesota: The Pioneer Press Company c1892). This book contains detailed histories of the different companies in the Fourth Regiment.  It also has a roster and final record of the regiment that gives the company, birthplace, residence at time of enlistment, and residence after the war of most of the men. Google books.
  

• Carley, Kenneth, and Richard Moe. Minnesota in the Civil War: An Illustrated History. (Minnesota Historical Society Press, c2000).  Book of battle histories, photographs, short biographies and a roster of the different regiments with their officers, beginning on page 204. Google books (Not all pages are shown). Other libraries with this book.
  

• Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion Compiled and Arranged from Official Records of the Federal and Confederate Armies : [Minnesota]. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1993). FHL Collection. FHL US/CAN Fiche 6084700. Other libraries with this book.
  

• Minnesota. Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars 1861-1865. (St. Paul, Minn: Electrotyped and printed for the State by the Pioneer Press Company, 1890).FHL Collection. FHL US/CAN Book 977.6 H2bc. Other libraries with this book. Click on the FHL Collection link to view this book online. It contains detailed histories and rosters of each Minnesota Military Unit.
  

• United States. War Department. Record and Pension Office. Compiled Records Showing Service of Military Units in Volunteer Union Organizations. (Washington, District of Columbia : The National Archives, c1964).FHL Collection FHL US/CAN Film 1488543. Other libraries with this microfilm. View online at Internet Archives.
  

Family History Library (FHL); now called, FamilySearch Library (FSL)