The 5th Pennsylvania Cavalry (65th Volunteers / "Cameron Dragoons") 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 ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

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 ...

Service

The 5th Pennsylvania Cavalry was organized at

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

beginning in July 1861 as the "65th Volunteers" and mustered in for three years service under the command of

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 ...

Max Friedman. The regiment was attached to Smith's Division,

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...

, to March 1862. Unattached, IV Corps, Army of the Potomac, to December 1862. West's Advance Brigade, IV Corps,

Department of Virginia The Department of Virginia and North Carolina was a United States Military department encompassing Union-occupied territory in the Confederate States during the Civil War. In 1863 it was formed by the merging of two previously existing departmen ...

, to June 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, IV Corps, Department of Virginia, to July 1863. Wistar's Brigade, Yorktown, Virginia,

Department of Virginia and North Carolina The Department of Virginia and North Carolina was a United States Military department encompassing Union-occupied territory in the Confederate States during the Civil War. In 1863 it was formed by the merging of two previously existing departmen ...

, to August 1863. U.S. Forces, Portsmouth, Virginia, Department of Virginia and North Carolina, to December 1863. District Currituck, Department of Virginia and North Carolina, to January 1864. Heckman's Division, XVIII Corps, Department of Virginia and North Carolina, to April 1864. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Department of Virginia and North Carolina,

Army of the James The Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River (Virginia), James River during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia. Histor ...

, to May 1864. 1st Brigade, Kautz's Cavalry Division, Department of Virginia and North Carolina, to April 1865. Cavalry Brigade, Department of Virginia, to July 1865. Richmond, Virginia, District Henrico, Department of Virginia, to August 1865. The 5th Pennsylvania Cavalry mustered out August 7, 1865 and was discharged August 16, 1865 at Philadelphia.

Detailed service

Moved to Washington, D.C., August 22, 1861. Duty in the Department of Washington, D.C., until May 8, 1862. Reconnaissance to Pohick Church, Va., December 18, 1861 (Companies C, F, and H). Flint Hill and Hunter's Mill February 7, 1862. Fairfax Court House February 6. Expedition to Vienna and Flint Hill February 22. Duty near Alexandria until May. Ordered to Yorktown, Va., May 8. Scouting about Gloucester Point May 10 (Companies A, B, E, and L). Scouting about Williamsburg May 12. Skirmishes at Mechanicsville May 23-24. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1 (Companies I and K). Savage Station June 29. White Oak Swamp Bridge June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. Reconnaissance from Yorktown to Gloucester, Matthews, and King and Queen Counties July 7-9 (Companies B, E, L, and M). Duty at Yorktown and Williamsburg until September 8, 1863. Williamsburg and Fort Magruder September 9, 1862. Reconnaissance from Yorktown to Gloucester, Matthews, King and Queen, and Middlesex Counties December 11-15. Reconnaissance to Burnt Ordinary December 17. Expedition to West Point and White House January 7-9, 1863 (detachment). Burnt Ordinary January 19. Near Olive Creek Church February 5 (Companies L and M). Williamsburg and Olive Branch Church February 7. Williamsburg March 23 and 29. Whittaker's Mills April 11. Reconnaissance through Gates County and down Chowan River June 5-13. Nine Mile Ordinary June 14. Diascund Bridge June 20. Dix's Peninsula Campaign June 24-July 8. Barnesville June 28. Baltimore Cross Roads June 29. Expedition from White House to Bottom's Bridge July 1-7. Baltimore Cross Roads July 1. Bottom's Bridge July 2. Expedition to Bottom's Bridge August 26-29. New Kent Court House August 28. Bottom's Bridge August 29. Ordered to Norfolk, Va., September 8, and duty about Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va., until December. Companies C, D, F, H, and I at South Mills, N.C., September 13. Companies A, B, E, G, K, L, and M at Great Bridge. Expedition to Indiantown, N.C., September 15-20 (Company D). Near Kempsville September 15. Indiantown September 20. (Companies F and H at Drummond Lake September 15.) Companies C, F, H, and I advanced to Raleigh September 22; Companies A, B, L, and M to Currituck Court House September 23. Affair on Back Bay September 30 (detachment). Scout from Great Bridge to Indiantown, N.C., October 13 (detachment). Bingo Landing October 16-17 (detachment). Camden Court House October 17. Regiment assembled at Great Bridge October 20. Expedition from Norfolk to South Mills, Camden, etc., N.C., December 5-24. Duty at Yorktown and in District of the Currituck until May 1864. Wistar's Expedition toward Richmond February 6-8. Bottom's Bridge February 4. Ballahock on Bear Quarter Road and Deep Creek February 29-March 1. Ballahock Station near Dismal Swamp Canal March 1. Deep Creek March 2. Reconnaissance from Portsmouth to the Blackwater April 13-15 (detachment). Kautz's Raid on Petersburg & Weldon Railroad May 5-11. Birch Island Bridges May 5. Stony Creek Station and Jarrett's Station May 7. White's Bridge, Nottaway Creek, May 8. Nottaway Railroad Bridge May 8. Jarrett's Station May 8-9. Kautz's Raid on Richmond & Danville Railroad May 12-17. Coalfield Station May 13. Powhatan Station May 14. Belcher's Mills May 16. Petersburg June 9. Before Petersburg June 15-18. Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond June 1864 to April 1865. Roanoke Station June 20, 1864. Wilson's Raid on South Side & Danville Railroad June 22-July 2. Staunton River Bridge or Roanoke Station June 25. Sappony Church, Stony Creek, June 28-29. Ream's Station June 29. Demonstration north of the James at Deep Bottom July 27-29. Malvern Hill July 30. Chaffin's Farm, New Market Heights, September 29-30. Darbytown Road October 7-13 and December 10. Charles City Cross Roads October 26. Battle of Fair Oaks October 27-28. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9, 1865. Dinwiddie Court House March 31. Five Forks April 1. Gravelly Ford on Hatcher's Run April 2. Near Amelia Court House April 4-5. Burkesville and Sailor's Creek April 6. Prince Edward's Court House April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Duty at Richmond, Va., and in District of Henrico, Department of Virginia, to August.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 293 men during service; 1 officer and 76 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 6 officers and 210 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

* Colonel Max Friedman - resigned March 9, 1862 * Colonel David Campbell - resigned October 16, 1862 * Colonel Robert M. West

References

* Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. ;Attribution * {{CWR Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union Army from Pennsylvania 1861 establishments in Pennsylvania

Service

Detailed service

Casualties

Commanders

See also

References