The 5th Iowa Cavalry Regiment was a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

unit from

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

that served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

History

The 5th Iowa Cavalry was originally raised as the Curtis Horse in

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...

, on September 5, 1861, and later absorbed cavalry companies from

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

and

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

and then transferred to Iowa state service per an order of December 20, 1861.

Organization

Organized as Curtis Horse by order of General Fremont. Cos. "A," "B," "C" and "D" organized at Omaha, Neb., September 14 to November 13, 1861; "E" at Dubuque, Ia.; "F" in Missouri, as Fremont Hussars, October 25, 1861; "H" at Benton Barracks, Mo., December 28, 1861; "G," "I" and "K" as 1st, 2nd and 3rd Independent Companies, Minnesota Cavalry, at Fort Snelling, Minn., October 29 to December 20, 1861; "L" as Naughton's Irish Dragoons at Jefferson City, Mo., and "M" as Osage Rifles at St. Louis, Mo., November 1, 1861. Duty at Benton Barracks, Mo., until February, 1862. Moved to Fort Henry, Tenn., February 8-11. Patrol duty during battle of Fort Donelson. Expedition to destroy railroad bridge over Tennessee River February 14-16. Attached to Dept. of the Tennessee, Unassigned, to November, 1862. District of Columbus, Ky., 13th Corps, Dept. of Tennessee, to December, 1862. District of Columbus, 16th Corps, to June, 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to August, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Cumberland, to November, 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Cumberland, to April, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division Cavalry Corps, Cumberland, to November, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, Wilson's Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to December, 1864. 1st Brigade, 6th Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, December, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to February, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, Wilson's Cavalry Corps, to June, 1865. Dept. of Georgia to August, 1865.

Service

Garrison duty at Forts Henry and Heiman until February 5, 1863. Skirmish, Agnew's Ferry, March 25, 1862 (Detachment of Co. "K"). Moved to Savannah, Tenn., March 28-April 1 (Cos. "G," "I" and "K"). Moved toward Nashville, Tenn., repairing roads and erecting telegraph lines April 3-6. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Acting as escort to Telegraph Corps. Expedition from Trenton to Paris and Dresden May 2-9. Dresden May 5. Lockridge's Mills May 5. Occupation of Corinth May 30. Pursuit to Booneville May 31-June 12. Designated 5th Iowa Cavalry June, 1862. Duty at Humboldt, Tenn., until August. Companies "G," "I" and "K" rejoin Regiment. Paris, Tenn., March 11, 1862 (1st Battalion). Expedition to Paris March 31-April 2 (Co. "F"). Near Fort Donelson August 23 (Detachment). Fort Donelson August 23. Cumberland Iron Works August 26. Expedition to Clarksville September 5-10. New Providence September 6 (Cos. "G," "I" and "K"). Clarksville September 7. Operations about Forts Donelson and Henry September 18-23. Near Lexington Landing October 1 (Detachment). Scout toward Eddyville October 29-November 10 (Cos. "G," "I" and "K"). Garrettsburg, Ky., November 6. Expedition from Fort Heiman December 18-28 (Cos. "G," "I" and "K"). Waverly January 16, 1863. Cumberland Iron Works, Fort Donelson, February 3, 1863. Moved to Fort Donelson February 5, and duty there until June 5. Destruction of Bridge, Mobile & Ohio Railroad, February 15. Paris, Tenn., March 14. Waverly April 10 (Detachment). Stewartsborough April 12 (1 co.). Moved to Murfreesboro and Nashville, Tenn., June 5-11, Scout on Middletown and Eaglesville Pike June 10. Expedition to Lebanon June 15-17. Lebanon June 16. Middle Tennessee (or Tullahoma) Campaign June 23-July 7. Guy's Gap, Fosterville, June 25. Fosterville June 27. Expedition to Huntsville July 13-22. Moved to McMinnsville September 6-8, and operating against Guerillas until October. Wartrace September 6. Operations against Wheeler and Roddy September 30-October 17. Garrison Creek near Fosterville October 6. Wartrace October 6. Sugar Creek October 9. Tennessee River October 10. At Maysville until January, 1864. Expedition from Maysville to Whitesburg and Decatur November 14-17, 1863, to destroy boats on the Tennessee River. Outpost duty on line of the Tennessee River, from south of Huntsville to Bellefonte November and December. Veteranize January, 1864. On Veteran furlough January 7 to April 24. Non-Veterans at Nashville, Tenn., until May. Companies "G," "I" and "K" detached February 25, 1864, and designated Brackett's Battalion, Minnesota Cavalry. Moved from Nashville to Pulaski and guard Nashville & Decatur Railroad until July. Moved to Decatur July 5.

Rousseau's Opelika Raid Rousseau's Opelika Raid (July 10–22, 1864) saw 2,700 Union cavalry led by Major General Lovell Rousseau raid deep into Alabama in the Atlanta Campaign during the American Civil War. The successful raid began at Decatur, Alabama, and was only op ...

from Decatur on West Point & Montgomery Railroad July 10-22. Near Coosa River July 13. Ten Island Ford, Coosa River, July 14. Chehaw Station, West Point & Montgomery Railroad July 18. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. McCook's Raid on Atlanta & West Point Railroad July 27-31. Lovejoy Station July 29. Clear Creek July 30. Near Newnan August 15. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Flint River Station August 30. Jonesboro Aug. 31-September 1. (5th Iowa Infantry consolidated with Regiment as Companies "G" and "I" September 1, 1864.) Lovejoy Station September 2-6. Operations against Hood in North Georgia and North Alabama September 29-November 3. Camp Creek September 30. Sweetwater and Noyes Creek, near Powder Springs October 1-3. Van Weft October 9. Nashville Campaign November-December. Columbia, Duck River, November 24-27. Crossing of Duck River November 28. Columbia Ford November 28-29. Battle of Nashville December 15-16. Pursuit of Hood December 17-28. Franklin and West Harpeth River December 17. Spring Hill December 18. Richland Creek December 24. King's Gap near Pulaski December 25. At Gravelly Springs, Ala., until March, 1865. Wilson's Raid on Macon, Ga., March 22-April 24. Near Elyton March 28. Near Montevallo March 31. Ebenezer Church, near Maysville April 1. Selma April 2. Montgomery April 12. Columbus, Ga., April 16. Capture of Macon April 20. Duty in North Georgia and at Nashville, Tenn., until August. Mustered out August 11, 1865. Regiment lost during service 7 Officers 58 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 179 Enlisted men by disease. Total 246.

Total strength and casualties

A total of 1625 men served in the 5th Iowa at one time or another during its existence. It suffered 7 officers and 58 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds and 2 officers and 179 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 246 fatalities.

Commanders

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

William Warren Lowe William Warren Lowe (12 October 1831 - 18 May 1898) led a volunteer regiment of cavalry from Iowa in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1853. He served as a cavalry officer on the ...

Iowa Genweb Iowa in the Civil War Project after Logan, Guy E., Roster and Record of Iowa Troops In the Rebellion, Vol. 1

Notes

References

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The Civil War Archive
Units and formations of the Union Army from Iowa 1861 establishments in Iowa Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 {{AmericanCivilWar-unit-stub