Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood
March 28, 1864

THE FOURTH WEST VIRGINIA INFANTRY, the members of which our citizens will have the honor to entertain this evening at Washington Hall, was originally commanded by Colonel (now General) Lightburn. The present Colonel (James H. Dayton,) went into the regiment as a captain, recruiting a company in the vicinity of New Creek, after having been robbed of everything we had by the rebels at the breaking out of the war. The regiment participated in the battles fought in the vicinity of Charleston, Kanawha, previous to General Lightburn's retreat from that place on the 13th of September, 1862. The regiment was then ordered to Vicksburg, and participated in the engagements at that place on the 19th and 22nd of September, losing on the first day 160 men, and on the second 17, including 13 officers. Major Goodspeed was killed on the 19th, and his body was accidentally burned by the rebels. The 4th was then selected to Jackson, Mississippi, and participated in the fighting at that place on the 10th, 11th, and 13th of July. The regiment was then ordered to Knoxville to relieve General Burnside, but as Longstreet had retreated, it halted at Marysville, which latter place it left week before last.

The regiment has done noble service, and deserves all the honor the people of this State can confer upon it.

Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: March 1864