6th Delaware Infantry Regiment

The 6th Delaware Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Union Army in the American Civil War. Raised in southern Delaware in late 1862, the regiment served as railroad guards in Maryland and on garrison duty at Fort Delaware until mustering out in September 1863.

6th Delaware Infantry Regiment
Active	18 December 1862 – 5 September 1863
Country	United States of America
Allegiance	Union
Branch	Union Army
Role	Infantry
Size	42 officers and 877 enlisted men (total enrollment)

History

Fort Delaware, where the regiment was stationed in mid-1863

The 6th Delaware Infantry Regiment was organized in Delaware with companies mostly from the southern part of the state. Its men enlisted for nine months in response to President Abraham Lincoln's August call for 300,000 men. Sussex County lawyer Jacob Moore helped organize the regiment, and enlisted as a private, although he later became Lieutenant Colonel.[1] Company A and the regimental Field and Staff Officers mustered in on 25 October, followed by Companies B and C on 18 November, Company D on 19 November, Company K on 20 November, Companies E, F, and G on 22 November, and Company I on 18 December.[2] Each company was disbanded after mustering in and returned to their homes to await a call for active duty, drilling at their armories twice a week.[3]

The 6th Delaware, with 42 officers and 877 men, was called to active duty on 27 June 1863 under the command of Colonel Edwin Wilmer. The regiment served in the District of Delaware with VIII Corps in the Middle Department, guarding the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad at Havre de Grace, Bush River, Gunpowder, Back River, and Perrymansville. It was subsequently moved to Fort Delaware, where it remained until late August, when all companies mustered out except for Company I. The regimental Field and Staff Officers and Companies A, E, and F were first to muster out at Smyrna on 22 August, followed by Companies B, C, D, G, H, and K at Wilmington on the next day. The companies that mustered out were composed mostly of farmers from Sussex and Kent Counties who needed to support their families.[3] Company I was the last to muster out on 5 September at Smyrna.[4] The regiment lost ten soldiers to disease during its service.[5]

See also

• List of Delaware Civil War units
• Delaware in the American Civil War

References

Citations

1. Conrad 1908, p. 1034.
2. United States Congress 1906, pp. 1–2.
3. Scharf 1888, pp. 370–371.
4. Scharf 1888, pp. xxvi–xxx.
5. Dyer 1908, p. 1018.

Bibliography

• Conrad, Henry Clay (1908). History of the State of Delaware. 3. Wilmington, Delaware: Henry Clay Conrad. OCLC 1000339533.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Dyer, Frederick H. (1908). A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Des Moines, IA: Dyer Publishing Company. OCLC 256299734.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Scharf, John Thomas (1888). History of Delaware: 1609-1888: General history. I. Philadelphia: L.J. Richards & Company. OCLC 50956757.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• United States Congress (1906). United States Congressional Serial Set, Issue 4906. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. OCLC 866503431.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

External links

• 6th Delaware Infantry Rosters