5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment

The 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was a volunteer infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was engaged in many of the critical battles of the eastern theater of the war, including Antietam and Gettysburg. Immediately after Gettysburg, the regiment was detached from frontline duty and sent north to put down the New York City draft riots. Suffering from attrition in August 1864, the regiment was reorganized as an independent battalion of three companies for the remainder of their service.

Service

The 5th Infantry was assembled at Camp Randall, in Madison, Wisconsin on July 12, 1861. It left Wisconsin for Washington, D.C., on July 24, 1861. During the war it moved through Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York (helping to quell that city's famous draft riots). It participated in the battles of Williamsburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, the Battles of the Wilderness, and the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee and his army.

The non-veterans were ordered home to Wisconsin on July 16, 1864, and mustered out of service on August 3. The veterans were consolidated to a battalion of three companies who continued to serve until June 24, 1865; the remainder of the regiment was mustered out of service on July 11, 1865.

Detailed service timeline

July 24, 1861 King's Brigade, McDowell's Division, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1861<br /> Ordered to Washington, D.C July 24, 1861<br /> Camp on Meridian Hill until September 3, 1861

October, 1861 Hancock's Brigade, Smith's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862<br /> Lewinsville, Va., September 10, 1861. (Cos. "B," "C" and "G"). Reconnaissance to Lewinsville September 25, 1861<br /> Detached to construct Fort Marcy on north bank of the Potomac. At Camp Griffin, near Washington, D. C., until March 9, 1862

March, 1862 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1862<br /> March to Flint Hill March 9, 1862<br /> March to near Alexandria March 16, 1862<br /> Moved to Fortress Monroe March 23–25, 1862<br /> Reconnaissance to Warwick Court House March 27, 1862<br /> Advance from Newport News to Warwick River and toward Yorktown April 4–5, 1862<br /> Reconnaissance toward Yorktown April 16, 1862<br /> Siege of Yorktown April 5 – May 4, 1862<br /> Battle at Lee's Mills, Burnt Chimneys, April 16, 1862<br /> Battle of Williamsburg May 5, 1862

May, 1862 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to February, 1863<br /> Duty at White House until May 18, 1862<br /> March to near Richmond May 24, 1862 <br /> Picket duty on the Chickahominy until June 5, 1862<br /> Richmond June 25<br /> Battle at Gaines' Mill, Virginia 27 June 1862 <br /> Battle at Goldings Farm June 27, 1862<br /> Battle at Garnett's Farm June 27, 1862<br /> Savage Station June 29, 1862<br /> White Oak Swamp and Glendale June 30, 1862<br /> Malvern Hill July 1, 1862<br /> At Harrison's Landing until August 16, 1862<br /> Moved to Alexandria August 16–24, 1862<br /> March to Centreville August 29–30, 1862<br /> Maryland Campaign September 6–22, 1862<br /> Sugar Loaf Mountain September 10–11, 1862<br /> Crampton's Pass, South Mountain, September 14, 1862<br /> Battle of Antietam, Maryland September 16–17, 1862<br /> At Williamsport September 18–22, 1862<br /> Expedition to intercept Stuart's Cavalry October 11, 1862<br /> At Hagerstown October 13–31, 1862<br /> March to Aquia Creek November 3–18, 1862<br /> Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12–15, 1862<br /> "Mud March" January 20–24, 1863

February, 1863 Light Division, 6th Army Corps, to May, 1863<br /> At White Oak Church until April, 1863<br /> Chancellorsville Campaign April 27 – May 6, 1863<br /> Operations about Franklin's Crossing April 29-May 2, 1863

May, 1863 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, to January, 1864<br /> Battle at Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, Va May 3, 1863<br /> Battle at Salem Heights May Fredericksburg, Va 3-4, 1863<br /> Battle at Fredericksburg, Va May 5, 1863<br /> Banks' Ford May 4, 1863<br /> Battle at Orangeville, Ohio June 4, 1863 <br /> Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11 – July 24, 1863<br /> Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2–4, 1863<br /> Near Fairfield, Pa., July 5, 1863<br /> About Funkstown, Md., July 10–13, 1863<br /> Detached duty at New York, Albany and Troy August–September 1863 during draft disturbances<br /> Bristoe Campaign October 9–22, 1863<br /> Advance to the line at Rappahannock Station, Va November 7–8, 1863<br /> Battle of the Rappahannock Station, Va November 7, 1863<br /> Battle at Rapidan, Virginia, on 20 November 1863<br /> Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2, 1863

January, 1864 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Army Corps, to February, 1864

February, 1864 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to August, 1864 <br /> Duty at Brandy Station until April, 1864<br /> Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River May 4 – June 15, 1864<br /> Battle of the Wilderness May 5–7, 1864; <br /> Battle of Spotsylvania May 8–12, 1864; <br /> Battle of the Spotsylvania Court House May 12–21, 1864<br /> Assault on the Salient, "Bloody Angle," May 12, 1864<br /> North Anna River May 23–26, 1864<br /> On line of the Pamunkey May 26–28, 1864<br /> Totopotomoy May 28–31, 1864<br /> Battle at Cold Harbor June 1–12, 1864<br /> Before Petersburg June 17–18, 1864<br /> Weldon Railroad June 22–23, 1864<br /> Siege of Petersburg until July 9, 1864<br /> Moved to Washington, D.C., July 9–12, 1864<br /> Repulse of Early's attack on Washington July 12, 1864<br /> Non-veterans ordered to Wisconsin July 16 and mustered out August 3, 1864

August 1864, Army of the Shenandoah, Middle Military Division, to December, 1864<br /> Veterans consolidated to a Battalion of three Companies<br /> Battle of Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7 – November 28, 1864<br /> Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19, 1864<br /> Provost duty at Winchester, Va., and at Cedar Creek, Va., until December 1864

December, 1864 and Army of the Potomac to July, 1865<br /> Seven new companies organized September, 1864, and left State for Winchester, Va., October 2, 1864<br /> At Alexandria until October 20, 1864, then Joined Regiment at Cedar Creek<br /> Moved to Petersburg, Va., October 1–4, 1864<br /> Siege of Petersburg December 4, 1864, to April 2, 1865<br /> Battle at Dabney's Mills, February 5, 1865<br /> Battle at Hatcher's Run February 5–7, 1865<br /> Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9, 1865<br /> Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2, 1865<br /> Pursuit of Lee April 3–9, 1865<br /> Battle at Sailor's Creek, Va April 5–6, 1865<br /> Appomattox Court House April 9, 1865<br /> Surrender of Lee and his army<br /> March to Danville April 23–27, 1865, thence to Richmond, Va., and Washington, D.C., May 18 – June 2, 1865<br /> Corps Review June 8, 1865<br /> Mustered out June 24 (three Companies) and July 11, 1865 (Regiment)

Commanders

• Colonel Amasa Cobb (May 28, 1861December 25, 1862) resigned his commission due to his election to the United States House of Representatives. He later returned to military service as colonel of the 43rd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. After the war, he was elected mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska, and became chief justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court.
• Colonel Thomas S. Allen (December 25, 1862August 20, 1865) began the war as captain of Co. I, 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. Joined the 5th Wisconsin Infantry as colonel. He mustered out with the regiment and later served as the 9th secretary of state of Wisconsin.

Total enlistments and casualties

The 5th Wisconsin Infantry initially mustered 1108 men and later recruited an additional 832 men, for a total of 1940 men. The regiment suffered 15 officers and 180 enlisted men killed in action or who later died of their wounds, plus another 2 officers and 132 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 329 fatalities.

Notable people

• James Sibree Anderson, Sergeant, later a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and a county judge.
• William A. Bugh, Captain of Co. G, later a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
• Temple Clark, Captain of Co. A, later adjutant to General William Rosecrans.
• Jacob Harrison Cook, a brother of U.S. representative Samuel A. Cook, was a lieutenant and later captain of Co. I; after the regiment's reorganization in 1864, he was captain of Co. B in the remaining battalion. As a young man, he survived the Lady Elgin steamship disaster.
• C. E. Crane, Surgeon, later became Mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin.
• Harvey W. Emery was lieutenant colonel of the regiment but died of disease in October 1862. Before the war he had served as a Wisconsin legislator.
• Charles Hartung, enlisted, later a 2nd Lt. in the 24th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, and after the war became Mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin.
• Henry Harrison Hoyt, enlisted, later a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
• Silas W. Lamoreux was a private in Co. F. After the war he became a Wisconsin state legislator and the 28th commissioner of the U.S. General Land Office.
• Charles H. Larrabee was major of the regiment and later colonel of 24th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. Before the war, he served as a U.S. congressman.
• Gilbert L. Laws was sergeant in Co. H and lost his leg at the Battle of Williamsburg. After the war he became a U.S. congressman from Nebraska.
• John Lins was a private in Co. C. He was wounded at Cold Harbor and promoted to corporal. After the war he served as a Wisconsin state senator.
• Burton Millard, commissary sergeant, was killed at Lee's Mill Earthworks. Before the war, he had served in the Wisconsin State Assembly.
• Henry Clay Sloan was enlisted in Co. D and later commissioned as 1st lieutenant of Co. I in the 48th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. After the war he served as a Wisconsin state legislator.
• Charles L. Valentine, private in Co. E, lost a foot at Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. After the war he served as a Wisconsin state legislator.
• Horace M. Walker, son of Lyman Walker, was first lieutenant and later captain of Co. A. He was wounded several times and died at the Second Battle of Rappahannock Station.

See also

• List of Wisconsin Civil War units
• Wisconsin in the American Civil War

References

• The Civil War Archive

Notes