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Union / 1st Delaware Veteran Regiment
« on: February 14, 2016, 05:38:38 am » The 1st Regiment Delaware Volunteer Infantry was a United States volunteer infantry regiment raised for Union Army service in the American Civil War. Part of the II Corps it served in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. 90-Day Volunteers When the Civil War began in April 1861, there were only about 16,000 men in the U.S. Army, and many Southern soldiers and officers were already resigning and joining the new Confederate States Army. With this drastic shortage of men in the army, President Abraham Lincoln called on the states to raise a force of 75,000 volunteers for three months to put down the insurrection in the South. Accordingly, the 1st Delaware was raised at Wilmington, Delaware on May 22, 1861 and mustered into Federal service on May 28. The regiment comprised 37 officers and 742 enlisted men under the command of Colonel Henry H. Lockwood. The original Field & Staff were: Colonel: Henry H. Lockwood Lieutenant Colonel: John W. Andrews Major: Robert Lamott Surgeon: R. W. Johnson Assistant-Surgeon: James Knight Adjutant: Lieutenant W. P. Seville Quartermaster: H. Alderdice The original Company Commanders were: Co. A (Delaware Blues): Cpt. Evans Watson Co. B: Cot. Charles Lamott Co. C: Cpt. James Bare Co. D: Cpt. James Green Co. E (Wilmington Rifles): Cpt. Robert Mulligan Co. F: Cpt. Thomas Crossley Co. G (Sussex Volunteers): Cpt. J. Rodney Layton Co. H: Cpt. S.H. Jenskins Co. I: Cpt. James Leonard Co. K: Cpt. Smith The regiment was attached to the command of Major General John Dix ('Dix's Command", Department of the Potomac) and assigned to duty along the line of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad. The regiment mustered out on August 30, 1861. 3-Years Volunteers On July 22, 1861, the United States Congress authorized a volunteer army of 500,000 men. When in August the enlistment term for the regiment ended a new 1st Regiment was raised for a term of three years at Wilmington, Delaware between September 10 and October 19, 1861. This time the regiment had 37 officers and 846 enlisted men under the command of Colonel John W. Andrews. The Field & Staff were: Colonel: John W. Andrews Lieutenant Colonel: 0. Hopkinson Major: Thomas A. Smyth Surgeon: D. W. Maull Chaplain: Thomas G. Murphey Assistant-Surgeon: S. D. Marshall Adjutant: First Lieutenant W. P. Saville Quartermaster: First Lieutenant T. Y. England Sergeant-Major: James Lewis Quartermaster's Sergeant: Frank Wilson Commissary Sergeant: Charles S. Sehocffer Hospital Steward: Archibald D. O'Mera Drum-Major: Patrick Dooley The Company Commanders were: Co. A: Cpt. Evans S. Watson Co. B: Cpt. James Leonard Co. C: Cpt. Neal Ward Co. D: Cpt. Enoch J. Smithers Co. E: Cpt. Edward P. Harris Co. F: Cpt. Daniel Woodall Co. G: Cpt. Allen Shortledge Co. H: Cpt. John B. Tanner Co. I: Cpt. Charles Lesper Co. K: Cpt. Thomas Crassley Veteran Volunteers On July 1, 1864 the 3 years enlistment would have ended and the regiment would be mustered out. Instead in July 1863 the men, still having nine months[clarification needed] of their enlistment left, got the chance to reenlist for another 3 years from now on. On December 19, 1863, three quarters of the regiment reenlisted. The 1st Delaware was upgraded to veteran status as 1st Delaware Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The 1st Delaware claimed to be first regiment in the Union to receive the coveted veteran status. In April 1864 the 1st Delaware absorbed the remnants of the 2nd Delaware Infantry, a number of recruits and veterans with two complete companies. Independent Artillery Company Nield's Independent Company, Light Artillery (officially known as the 1st Delaware Light Artillery) Was a light artillery battery that served in the Union army in the American Civil War. The company was created at Wilmington Delaware in August 30, 1862. The company was quickly sent to Washington DC attached to Camp Barry as a Defense for Washington. The company served in the Defense of Washington from September 1862 to February 1863 which then it was connected to the 22nd Army Corps until April 1863. The company then became an unattached artillery unit serving with the 7th Army Corps in the Battles in Virginia until June 1863. Between June and July of 1863 the company took on providing support for the 1st Division however after June the company was reattached to Camp Barry and the 22nd Army Corps to August 1863. The Company saw its last days in the eastern theater during this time because in in August the Company began to be transferred to the Eastern Theater. The Company finished being transferred to the Eastern theater in February 1864. Soon after being moved to the eastern theater the company was moved to take part in the Defense of New Orleans until July 1864. The Company remained under the department of the Gulf attached to the 1st Division artillery until August 1864 where it was moved to be attached to the 3rd Division and the 19th Army Corps. until November 1864. The company was again maid an unattached battery and placed in the reserve corps in the Military Division West Mississippi until December 1864. The Company was then attached to the 2nd Division, 7th Army Corps under the Dpt. of Arkansas until June 1865. The Company was mustered out June 23 and the company was discharged July 5, 1865.[/font] |