5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment

The 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

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

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.

Commanders

 * Colonel Amasa Cobb (May 28, 1861 – December 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, 1862 – August 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, 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.
 * 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.