The 4th Regiment West Virginia Volunteer Infantry stepped into a cauldron of fire and blood during the Civil War. Comprised of men from Ohio and [West] Virginia, the regiment organized primarily at Point Pleasant during 1861-1862, under Colonel Joseph A.J. Lightburn. Initially engaged in scouting and small skirmishes among the rough, mountainous terrain of western Virginia, the regiment saw its first combat at the Battle of Charleston on September 13, 1862.
The 4th West Virginia transferred to Mississippi in January 1863, under General William T. Sherman, where they were initially mocked and jeered by the hard fought midwestern troops of the XV Corps who believed that troops in the eastern theatre were generally softer than they due to being much better supplied. They called them “Paper collar, bandbox soldiers,” but during the Federal assaults on the massive Stockade Redan at Vicksburg on May 19 and 22, 1863, the regiment suffered 223 casualties with six men receiving the Medal of Honor, forever silencing their antagonists.
The regiment also fought at the Battle of Missionary Ridge (Chattanooga) and in the 1864 Shenandoah Valley Campaign. This comprehensive history tells the compelling story of the regiment’s four arduous and bloody years of service in both the eastern and western theatres of the Civil War.
Available for online order
About the Authors
Philip Hatfield, Ph.D., is a member of the Company of Military Historians, and holds a doctorate in psychology from Fielding University; a master’s degree in psychology from Marshall University; and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and history from the University of Charleston. Dr. Hatfield is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and served during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is the author of seven books and numerous scholarly articles related to the Civil War.
Born in Charleston, West Virginia, Terry Lowry attended South Charleston High School and graduated from West Virginia State College (now a university) with a B.A. in History. He has written seven books on the Civil War in West Virginia and one on World War II. In addition, he has written numerous articles on the Civil War for newspapers, magazines, journals, and online articles, as well as given many lectures throughout the country. Terry worked for three years at the historic Craik-Patton House Museum and from 2001-2017 he was historian for the West Virginia State Archives. His history background has also included participation in living history groups, Civil War roundtables and historic archeology. Although a major loss of vision occurred after a heart attack in 2022, he continues to share his love and knowledge of history online. Terry has also been a professional musician for sixty years and continues to perform in concert.
Reviews
Civil War Books and Authors Blog:
Like many other regiments from the Mountain State, the 4th fought both locally and afar. Though West Virginia soldiers are not those that first come to mind when we talk about “paper collar” soldiers, it was when the men of the 4th met up with Grant’s western veterans that the full meaning of the book’s title emerges.
Read the full review here…
