1st Rhode Island Infantry

The 1st Rhode Island Infantry were two regiments of the United States Army, the first of which was raised in 1861 at the beginning of the American Civil War on a 90-day enlistment, the second during the Spanish–American War in 1898. There was also the 1st Rhode Island Regiment which served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. q.v.

This regiment, originally called the 1st Rhode Island Detached Militia, was organized in Rhode Island in April 1861, the regiment moved to Washington, D. C., on April 20 and 24, 1861. After duty at Camp Sprague in the defences of Washington, on July 16 it was attached to Burnside's Brigade (Ambrose Burnside) of Hunter's Division (David Hunter) in McDowell's Army of Northeastern Virginia (Irvin McDowell). The regiment advanced on Manassas, Virginia, on July 16–21, seeing action at the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21. It left Washington, D. C. for home on July 25, and mustered out on August 2, 1861. During its service, the regiment lost 1 officer and 16 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and 8 enlisted men by disease, for a total of 25.

Under proclamation signed April 23, 1898, President William McKinley ordered the call up of 125,000 troops. Rhode Island was directed by Secretary of War Russell A. Alger to raise a regiment of infantry from existing militia units in lieu of conscripting 720 individuals to augment the Regular Army as U.S. Volunteers by letter dated April 25, 1898. On May 2 the state established a camp site at Quonset Point in Rhode Island, and formally named the site "Camp Dyer" in honor of Governor Elisha Dyer, Jr. on May 7, 1898. The regiment began to muster until fully assembled between May 10 and 17, with Colonel Charles Wheaton Abbot, Jr., commanding. Initially the unit consisted of forty-six officers and 958 enlisted men. This regiment, the only infantry regiment raised on Rhode Island during the war, was constituted of several militia infantry units in Rhode Island as well as individual volunteers.

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