5th Ohio Cavalry
Encyclopedia
The 5th Regiment, Ohio Cavalry was a regiment
of Union
cavalry
raised in seven counties in southwestern Ohio
for service during the American Civil War
. It primarily served in the Western Theater
in several major campaigns of the Army of the Tennessee
.
, between October 23 and November 14 as the 2nd Ohio Cavalry. Its designation was changed by Gov. William Dennison
in mid-November 1861.
to the vicinity of Pittsburg Landing. From there, the regiment was part of a raid on Confederate
supply lines in Mississippi. On March 15, the 5th encountered Confederates near the small Shiloh Chapel and skirmished with the enemy frequently over the next few weeks. In early April, it participated in the Battle of Shiloh
, where it participated in a series of charges on enemy infantry columns. Subsequently, the 3rd Battalion of the 5th Cavalry took part in the Siege of Corinth
, Mississippi, in the army of Maj. Gen.
William S. Rosecrans. After the evacuation, the entire regiment transferred its base of operations to Memphis, Tennessee
.
On December 21, 1862, near what is today known as Michigan City, Mississippi
, the 1st and 3rd battalions fought against Confederates under Sterling Price
and Earl Van Dorn
at the Battle of Davis Mill, firing 200 rounds without changing position. In 1863 the 5th Ohio Cavalry guarded the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, and raided into Mississippi in support of Ulysses S. Grant
's Vicksburg Campaign
. Companies E, H, I, and K (under Major Joseph C. Smith) were at the Siege of Vicksburg serving in the XVI Corps
.
In October, the regiment joined William T. Sherman's march to Chattanooga, Tennessee
. It was present at the battles about Chattanooga, and went with Sherman to Knoxville. It then went back to Alabama and wintered at Huntsville
.
In the spring of 1864, the 5th Ohio Cavalry participated in Sherman's Atlanta campaign
. However, having lost most of its horses in hard service, the regiment acted as infantry
. The regiment then was attached to Maj. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick's command and subsequently took part in Sherman's March to the Sea
. At the Battle of Buck Head Creek
on November 28, Kilpatrick was surprised and nearly captured, but the 5th Ohio Cavalry halted Wheeler
's advance. The 5th also fought against Confederates near Waynesboro, Georgia
, and at other places during the march to Savannah
, arriving there in December.
In early 1865, the 5th was part of the Carolinas Campaign
, skirmishing and raiding throughout its march through South Carolina and into North Carolina. It fought in two significant battles, taking severe casualties in both actions.
After the war ended, the 5th Ohio remained on active duty for several months, performing picket duty in North Carolina until mustered out October 30, 1865. The regiment lost during its term of service 1 officer and 26 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and 3 officers and 140 enlisted men by disease, for a total of 170 casualties.
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
raised in seven counties in southwestern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
for service during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It primarily served in the Western Theater
Western Theater of the American Civil War
This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.-Theater of operations:...
in several major campaigns of the Army of the Tennessee
Army of the Tennessee
The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. It should not be confused with the similarly named Army of Tennessee, a Confederate army named after the State of Tennessee....
.
Organization
The 5th Cavalry Regiment was commissioned as a three-years regiment under Colonel William H. H. Taylor. It was originally organized at Camp Dick Corwin, near Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, between October 23 and November 14 as the 2nd Ohio Cavalry. Its designation was changed by Gov. William Dennison
William Dennison (Ohio governor)
William Dennison, Jr. was a Whig and Republican politician from Ohio. He served as the 24th Governor of Ohio and as U.S...
in mid-November 1861.
Field duty
The 5th Cavalry was sent to the front lines in February 1862, taking boats down the Tennessee RiverTennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
to the vicinity of Pittsburg Landing. From there, the regiment was part of a raid on Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
supply lines in Mississippi. On March 15, the 5th encountered Confederates near the small Shiloh Chapel and skirmished with the enemy frequently over the next few weeks. In early April, it participated in the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
, where it participated in a series of charges on enemy infantry columns. Subsequently, the 3rd Battalion of the 5th Cavalry took part in the Siege of Corinth
Siege of Corinth
The Siege of Corinth was an American Civil War battle fought from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi.-Background:...
, Mississippi, in the army of Maj. Gen.
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
William S. Rosecrans. After the evacuation, the entire regiment transferred its base of operations to Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
.
On December 21, 1862, near what is today known as Michigan City, Mississippi
Michigan City, Mississippi
Michigan City is a community in Benton County, Mississippi, United States. It is located along Mississippi Highway 7 in north central Benton County, just south of the Tennessee state line, approximately three miles north of U. S. Route 72. Michigan City has a post office, with the ZIP code of 38647....
, the 1st and 3rd battalions fought against Confederates under Sterling Price
Sterling Price
Sterling Price was a lawyer, planter, and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, who served as the 11th Governor of the state from 1853 to 1857. He also served as a United States Army brigadier general during the Mexican-American War, and a Confederate Army major general in the American Civil...
and Earl Van Dorn
Earl Van Dorn
Earl Van Dorn was a career United States Army officer, fighting with distinction during the Mexican-American War and against several tribes of Native Americans...
at the Battle of Davis Mill, firing 200 rounds without changing position. In 1863 the 5th Ohio Cavalry guarded the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, and raided into Mississippi in support of Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
's Vicksburg Campaign
Vicksburg Campaign
The Vicksburg Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi River. The Union Army of the Tennessee under Maj. Gen....
. Companies E, H, I, and K (under Major Joseph C. Smith) were at the Siege of Vicksburg serving in the XVI Corps
XVI Corps (ACW)
The XVI Army Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. The corps rarely fought as one unified unit, as its divisions were often scattered across the country.-Creation and Vicksburg:...
.
In October, the regiment joined William T. Sherman's march to Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
. It was present at the battles about Chattanooga, and went with Sherman to Knoxville. It then went back to Alabama and wintered at Huntsville
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
.
In the spring of 1864, the 5th Ohio Cavalry participated in Sherman's Atlanta campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
. However, having lost most of its horses in hard service, the regiment acted as infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
. The regiment then was attached to Maj. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick's command and subsequently took part in Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted around Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War...
. At the Battle of Buck Head Creek
Battle of Buck Head Creek
The Battle of Buck Head Creek was the second battle of Sherman's March to the Sea, fought November 28, 1864, during the American Civil War. Union Army cavalry under Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick repulsed an attack by the small Confederate cavalry corps under Maj. Gen...
on November 28, Kilpatrick was surprised and nearly captured, but the 5th Ohio Cavalry halted Wheeler
Joseph Wheeler
Joseph Wheeler was an American military commander and politician. He has the rare distinction of serving as a general during war time for two opposing forces: first as a noted cavalry general in the Confederate States Army in the 1860s during the American Civil War, and later as a general in the...
's advance. The 5th also fought against Confederates near Waynesboro, Georgia
Waynesboro, Georgia
Waynesboro is a city in Burke County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,813 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Burke County...
, and at other places during the march to Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, arriving there in December.
In early 1865, the 5th was part of the Carolinas Campaign
Carolinas Campaign
The Carolinas Campaign was the final campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. In January 1865, Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman advanced north from Savannah, Georgia, through the Carolinas, with the intention of linking up with Union forces in Virginia. The defeat of ...
, skirmishing and raiding throughout its march through South Carolina and into North Carolina. It fought in two significant battles, taking severe casualties in both actions.
After the war ended, the 5th Ohio remained on active duty for several months, performing picket duty in North Carolina until mustered out October 30, 1865. The regiment lost during its term of service 1 officer and 26 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and 3 officers and 140 enlisted men by disease, for a total of 170 casualties.
External links
- Stevens, Larry, 5th Ohio Cavalry, 1995.
- Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System