The 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

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 Infantry was assembled at

Camp Randall Camp Randall was a United States Army base in Madison, Wisconsin, the largest staging point for Wisconsin troops entering the American Civil War. At this camp fresh volunteers received quick training before heading off to join the Union Army. Also ...

, in

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...

, 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
Ordered to Washington, D.C July 24, 1861
Camp on Meridian Hill until September 3, 1861 October, 1861 Hancock's Brigade, Smith's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862
Lewinsville, Va., September 10, 1861. (Cos. "B," "C" and "G"). Reconnaissance to Lewinsville September 25, 1861
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
March to Flint Hill March 9, 1862
March to near Alexandria March 16, 1862
Moved to Fortress Monroe March 23–25, 1862
Reconnaissance to Warwick Court House March 27, 1862
Advance from Newport News to Warwick River and toward Yorktown April 4–5, 1862
Reconnaissance toward Yorktown April 16, 1862
Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4, 1862
Battle at Lee's Mills, Burnt Chimneys, April 16, 1862
Battle of Williamsburg May 5, 1862 May, 1862 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to February, 1863
Duty at White House until May 18, 1862
March to near Richmond May 24, 1862
Picket duty on the Chickahominy until June 5, 1862
Richmond June 25
Battle at Gaines' Mill, Virginia 27 June 1862
Battle at Goldings Farm June 27, 1862
Battle at Garnett's Farm June 27, 1862
Savage Station June 29, 1862
White Oak Swamp and Glendale June 30, 1862
Malvern Hill July 1, 1862
At Harrison's Landing until August 16, 1862
Moved to Alexandria August 16–24, 1862
March to Centreville August 29–30, 1862
Maryland Campaign September 6–22, 1862
Sugar Loaf Mountain September 10–11, 1862
Crampton's Pass, South Mountain, September 14, 1862
Battle of Antietam, Maryland September 16–17, 1862
At Williamsport September 18–22, 1862
Expedition to intercept Stuart's Cavalry October 11, 1862
At Hagerstown October 13–31, 1862
March to Aquia Creek November 3–18, 1862
Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12–15, 1862
"Mud March" January 20–24, 1863 February, 1863 Light Division, 6th Army Corps, to May, 1863
At White Oak Church until April, 1863
Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6, 1863
Operations about Franklin's Crossing April 29-May 2, 1863 May, 1863 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, to January, 1864
Battle at Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, Va May 3, 1863
Battle at Salem Heights May Fredericksburg, Va 3-4, 1863
Battle at Fredericksburg, Va May 5, 1863
Banks' Ford May 4, 1863
Battle at Orangeville, Ohio June 4, 1863
Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24, 1863
Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2–4, 1863
Near Fairfield, Pa., July 5, 1863
About Funkstown, Md., July 10–13, 1863
Detached duty at New York, Albany and Troy August–September 1863 during draft disturbances
Bristoe Campaign October 9–22, 1863
Advance to the line at Rappahannock Station, Va November 7–8, 1863
Battle of the Rappahannock Station, Va November 7, 1863
Battle at Rapidan, Virginia, on 20 November 1863
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
Duty at Brandy Station until April, 1864
Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River May 4-June 15, 1864
Battle of the Wilderness May 5–7, 1864;
Battle of Spotsylvania May 8–12, 1864;
Battle of the Spotsylvania Court House May 12–21, 1864
Assault on the Salient, "Bloody Angle," May 12, 1864
North Anna River May 23–26, 1864
On line of the Pamunkey May 26–28, 1864
Totopotomoy May 28–31, 1864
Battle at Cold Harbor June 1–12, 1864
Before Petersburg June 17–18, 1864
Weldon Railroad June 22–23, 1864
Siege of Petersburg until July 9, 1864
Moved to Washington, D.C., July 9–12, 1864
Repulse of Early's attack on Washington July 12, 1864
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
Veterans consolidated to a Battalion of three Companies
Battle of Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7-November 28, 1864
Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19, 1864
Provost duty at Winchester, Va., and at Cedar Creek, Va., until December 1864 December, 1864 and Army of the Potomac to July, 1865
Seven new companies organized September, 1864, and left State for Winchester, Va., October 2, 1864
At Alexandria until October 20, 1864, then Joined Regiment at Cedar Creek
Moved to Petersburg, Va., October 1–4, 1864
Siege of Petersburg December 4, 1864, to April 2, 1865
Battle at Dabney's Mills, February 5, 1865
Battle at Hatcher's Run February 5–7, 1865
Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9, 1865
Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2, 1865
Pursuit of Lee April 3–9, 1865
Battle at Sailor's Creek, Va April 5–6, 1865
Appomattox Court House April 9, 1865
Surrender of Lee and his army
March to Danville April 23–27, 1865, thence to Richmond, Va., and Washington, D.C., May 18-June 2, 1865
Corps Review June 8, 1865
Mustered out June 24 (three Companies) and July 11, 1865 (Regiment)

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.Civil War Archive
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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 ...

Amasa Cobb Amasa Cobb (September 27, 1823July 5, 1905) was an American politician and judge. He was the 6th and 9th Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court and the 5th Mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska. Earlier in his life, he was a United States Congressm ...

(May 28, 1861December 25, 1862) resigned his commission due to his election to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

. He later returned to military service as colonel of the 43rd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. After the war, he was elected mayor of

Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln is the capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Lancaster County. The city covers with a population of 292,657 in 2021. It is the second-most populous city in Nebraska and the 73rd-largest in the United Sta ...

, and became chief justice of the

Nebraska Supreme Court The Nebraska Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Nebraska. The court consists of a chief justice and six associate justices. Each justice is initially appointed by the governor of Nebraska; using the Missouri Plan, each jus ...

. * 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.

Notable people

James Sibree Anderson James Sibree Anderson (December 25, 1841 – May 9, 1927) was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Biography Anderson was born on December 25, 1841, in Kelvin Haugh, now part of Glasgow, Scotland. He moved to what is now Kossuth, Wisconsin i ...

, Sergeant, later a member of the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...

and a county judge. *

William A. Bugh William Augustus Bugh (July 29, 1823August 19, 1875) was an American lawyer, politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He served one term in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Green Lake County, and was a Union Army officer in the American Civi ...

, Captain of Co. G, later a member of the

. * Temple Clark, Captain of Co. A, later adjutant to General

William Rosecrans William Starke Rosecrans (September 6, 1819March 11, 1898) was an American inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and U.S. Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War. He was ...

. * 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 The 24th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was a volunteer infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 24th Wisconsin was organized at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and mustered into Federal service August 15, 18 ...

, and after the war became Mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin. *

Henry Harrison Hoyt Henry Harrison Hoyt was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Biography Hoyt was born on January 21, 1840, in Sheldon, New York. During the American Civil War, he served with the 5th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment of the Union Army. E ...

, enlisted, later a member of the

. * 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

. 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 The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862, in York County, James City County, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the first pitc ...

. 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 Burton Millard (1828April 7, 1862) was an American machinist and Republican politician. He served one term in the Wisconsin State Assembly. He died at the Siege of Yorktown during the American Civil War. Biography Born in Scio, New York, Mill ...

, commissary sergeant, was killed at Lee's Mill Earthworks. Before the war, he had served in the Wisconsin State Assembly. *

Henry Clay Sloan Henry Clay Sloan (August 12, 1846January 19, 1915) was an American lawyer and politician. He served two non-consecutive terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly. His father, , and uncle, , both served in the United States House of Representatives. ...

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 The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes more simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania (or the 19th-century spelling Spottsylvania), was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's 186 ...

. After the war he served as a Wisconsin state legislator. * Horace M. Walker, son of

Lyman Walker Lyman Walker (May 30, 1799October 16, 1886) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician. He was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly, representing Brown, Door, and Kewaunee counties. He also served 13 years as district atto ...

, was first lieutenant and later captain of Co. A. He was wounded several times and died at the Second Battle of Rappahannock Station.

References

The Civil War Archive

Notes

{{Reflist Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union Army from Wisconsin 1861 establishments in Wisconsin