4th Infantry Regiment
Civil War
First Scott's Life Guard

History

Mustered in: May 2,1861
Mustered out: May 25,1863

The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912.
This regiment, Col. Alfred W. Taylor, was accepted by the State April 25, 1861; it was organized at New York city, where it was recruited, except Company E which was recruited in Brooklyn. The companies were mustered in the service of the United States for two years; C, D, E, F, H and K May 2; A and G May 7; and B and I May 9, 1861.
The regiment left the State June 3, 1861; served at Newport News, Va., from June 7, 1861; at Baltimore, Md., from July 26, 1861; at Havre de Grace, Md., from August, 1861; at Baltimore and Havre de Grace from November, 1861; at Suffolk, Va., 7th Corps, from June 6, 1862; in the 3d Brigade, 3d Division, 2d Corps, Army of the Potomac, from September 16, 1862; and, commanded by Col. John D. McGregor, was mustered out and honorably discharged May 25, 1863, at New York city.
During its service it lost by death, killed in action, 2 officers, 48 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 19 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 1 officer, 23 enlisted men; total, 3 officers, 90 enlisted men; aggregate, 93.

The following is taken from The Union army: a history of military affairs in the loyal states, 1861-65 -- records of the regiments in the Union army -- cyclopedia of battles -- memoirs of commanders and soldiers. Madison, WI: Federal Pub. Co., 1908.
Cols., Alfred W. Taylor, John D. MacGregor; Lieut.-Cols., John D. MacGregor, William Jamieson; Majs., Alfred W. Taylor, William Jamieson, Charles W. Kruger. The 4th, or the 1st regiment. Scott's Life Guard, was recruited in New York city, except Co. E, recruited in Brooklyn, and was mustered into the U. S. service from May 2 to 9, 1861, for a two years' term. On June 3 the 4th embarked for Newport News; was quartered there until July 26; was then ordered to Baltimore and remained there until Aug. 31, when it was detailed to guard the railroad at and near Havre de Grace. From March 26 to June 6, 1862, it was stationed at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, and was then assigned to the 7th corps at Suffolk, Va. It was ordered to Washington Sept. 6, to join the Army of the Potomac, and as part of the 3d brigade, 3d division, 2nd corps, fought bravely at Antietam, where its loss was 44 killed, 142 wounded and I missing. It was posted at Harper's Ferry from Sept. 22 to Oct. 30, when it moved to Falmouth and participated in the battle of Fredericksburg, again losing heavily. Winter quarters were established at Falmouth until late in April, 1863, when the army began the movement which culminated in the battle of Chancellorsville, in which the 4th was actively engaged. In New York city, May 25, 1863, the regiment was mustered out, having lost by death from wounds 64 members and 24 by death from other causes.

Battles and Casualties Table from Phisterer

Civil War Newspaper Clippings

Historical Sketch from the 3rd Annual Report of the Bureau of Military Statistics

4th Infantry Battle Flags

Unit Roster

Further Reading

Cory, Eugene A. A Private's recollections of Fredericksburg, by Eugene A. Cory, late Company E, Fourth. New York, 1884. 28 p.

Lowry, Thomas P. "A miserable reptile" : Lt. Col. John Dunn MacGregor." Curmudgeons, drunkards, and outright fools : courts-martial of Civil War Union colonels. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2003, 1997.

Lowry, Thomas P. "Bad blood in the 4th New York: Col Alfred W. Taylor." Curmudgeons, drunkards, and outright fools : courts-martial of Civil War Union colonels. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2003, 1997. 121-124.

Items the museum owns are in bold.

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