4th Kentucky Cavalry Regiment (Union)

The 4th Kentucky Cavalry Regiment was a Union Army regiment that served during the American Civil War. It was formed in December 1861 and mustered out of service in August 1865. The regiment primarily operated in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama, participating in numerous skirmishes, raids, and larger battles.

The regiment's initial organization took place at Camp Dick Robinson in Garrard County, Kentucky, a significant Union recruiting center in the early stages of the war. Its early service involved scouting, patrolling, and engaging in small-scale conflicts with Confederate forces and guerrillas in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Throughout the war, the 4th Kentucky Cavalry participated in notable campaigns and engagements. These included operations against Confederate General John Hunt Morgan's raids into Kentucky, the Atlanta Campaign, and actions against Confederate cavalry forces in Alabama. Specific engagements where the regiment saw action include the Battle of Chickamauga, the pursuit of Confederate General Joseph Wheeler, and the Battle of Nashville.

The regiment's ranks were composed primarily of men from Kentucky, many of whom were sympathetic to the Union cause despite Kentucky's official neutrality (later pro-Union stance). The 4th Kentucky Cavalry earned a reputation for its effectiveness in scouting and raiding operations, contributing significantly to Union efforts to control key strategic areas and disrupt Confederate supply lines.

Following the Confederate surrender, the regiment was mustered out of service, and its members returned to their homes in Kentucky and other states. The 4th Kentucky Cavalry's service is remembered as a key contribution to the Union victory in the Western Theater of the Civil War.