User:Blackwarrior/4th United States Colored Cavalry Regiment

The 4th United States Colored Cavalry Regiment previously designated the 1st Cavalry (Corps d'Afrique), was an African American cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Creation
The Corps d'Afrique was created by Major General Nathaniel P. Banks, commander of the Department of the Gulf, as a part of the organization of an army corps composed entirely of colored troops. The 1st Cavalry (Corps d'Afrique) was organized at New Orleans, Louisiana, and mustered in on September 12, 1863, for three years' service. The regiment underwent cavalry training at the Cavalry Camp of Instruction at Greenville, Louisiana and was then moved to Camp Parapet, just north of New Orleans.

Service
The regiment was assigned to the Defences of New Orleans and stationed at New Orleans, Carrollton (Camp Colfax), Camp Parapet and Donaldsonville, District of LaFourche, until August, 1864. The designation of the regiment was changed on April 4, 1864 to the 4th United States Colored Cavalry.

A detachment of the 4th was involved in a skirmish at the fort at Plaquemine, Louisiana on August 6, 1864. Two days later, the 4th was transferred to Port Hudson to shore up the cavalry force there. The 4th participated in the expedition to Clinton, Louisiana on August 23-29, 1864, with combat action at Olive Branch on the Comite River on August 25, resulting in one soldier wounded. The 4th was also on an expedition from Port Hudson to Jackson, Louisiana April 11-13, 1865. The 4th would remain at Port Hudson until July 1865. The unit would served at various points in the Department of the Mississippi, including Baton Rouge, Monroe, and Vidalia, until March 20, 1866, when the regiment mustered out at New Orleans.

The first commander assigned to the regiment was Colonel James Grant Wilson, who served as the aide-de-camp to Major General Banks and never assumed operational control of the regiment. The first operational commander of the regiment was Lieutenant Colonel Julius H. Alexander, formerly of the 7th Kentucky Cavalry. Upon his medical discharge in November 1864, he was replaced by Major Nathaniel C. Mitchell, formerly of the 15th Illinois Cavalry. Mitchell was later promoted to lieutenant colonel and commanded the unit until its mustering out.