4th Florida Infantry Regiment
{{infobox military unit
|unit_name = 4th Florida Infantry Regiment
|image=1st Florida Cavalry & 4th Florida Infantry Regiments Flag.png
|caption=Battle flag of the consolidated 1st FL (Cav) and 4th FL Inf Regiments from 1863
|dates = Summer 1861 - 1865
|allegiance ={{Flagicon image|Flag of Florida (1861).svg}} Confederate Florida
{{flag|Confederate States of America}}
|branch = {{army|CSA}}
|role = Infantry
|size = Regiment
|battles = American Civil War
}}
File:Sergt Washington M. Ives - Co C 4th Fla Inf.jpg
The 4th Florida Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised by the Confederate state of Florida during the American Civil War. The unit fought as part of the Florida Brigade of the Army of Tennessee.{{cite web |title=Battle Unit Details: 4th Regiment, Florida Infantry |url=https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=CFL0004RI |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=13 June 2025}}
Companies
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Company | County | Nickname | Commanders |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Gadsden | Captain Charles A. Gee | |
| B | Franklin | Beauregard Rifles | Adam W. Hunter |
| C | Madison | Captain William H. Dial | |
| D | Columbia | Captain William A. Shefield | |
| E | Columbia and LaFayette | Lafayette Rangers | Thomas A. McGhee |
| F | New River (Bradford) | James P. Hunt | |
| G | Marion and Levy | William Fletcher | |
| H | Washington and Liberty | W.F. Lane | |
| I | Jackson | Dixie Boys | Joseph B. Barnes |
| K | Hillsborough | Sunny South Guards | John T. Lesley |
Service History
The regiment was organized in the summer of 1861 at Jacksonville, Florida. The men were raised from the counties of Gadsden, Franklin, Madison, New River, LaFayette, Columbia, Marion, Levy, Liberty, Washington, Jackson, and Hillsborough. The unit was raised with 983 officers and enlisted men.
During May and June 1861, the regiment's companies were scattered along the Gulf Coast to defend key ports, including two companies stationed at Fort Brooke, in Tampa.{{cite journal |last1=Prouty |first1=Ronald N. |title=War Comes to Tampa Bay: The Civil War Diary of Robert Watson |journal=Tampa Bay History |date=1988 |volume=10 |issue=2 |page=37 |url=https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tampabayhistory/vol10/iss2/5 |access-date=10 May 2024}} Officers were elected on July 1st, with Edward Stephans Hopkins elected as the regiment's colonel. It was not until August and September that the companies were officially mustered into the Confederacy, having served under state authority and been paid by the State until then.{{cite book |last1=Sheppard |first1=Jonathan C. |title=By the Noble Daring of Her Sons |date=2012 |publisher=University Alabama Press |location=Tuscaloosa, AL |isbn=9780817317072 |pages=20-21}}
During December, 1863, the regiment was consolidated with the 1st Florida Cavalry Regiment.
The unit had a number of battle flags, and at least two that were captured. One had the battle honor of Murfreesboro embroidered on it. The first battle flag lost by the Florida Brigade was that of the consolidated 4th and 1st Florida Cavalry. It was taken by a soldier of the 174th Ohio during the Third Battle of Murfreesboro.{{sfn|Sheppard|2012|page=214}} Less than two weeks later, another battle flag was captured during the Battle of Nashville by 1st Lt. Charles H. McCleary of the 72nd Ohio Infantry Regiment, for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor.{{Cite book |last=Broadwater |first=Robert P. |url=http://archive.org/details/civilwarmedalofh0000broa |title=Civil War Medal of Honor Recipients: A Complete Illustrated Record |publisher=McFarland & Company |year=2012 |isbn=978-0-7864-6906-2 |location=Jefferson, NC |pages=133 |language=en}}{{cite book |last1=Graetz |first1=Bruce |last2=Brunson |first2=Jeana |title=Confederate Flags in the Collections of the Museum of Florida History |date=1989 |publisher=Museum of Florida History |pages=2-3}}
