Confederate Regiments & Batteries * Alabama
The 5th Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized in Alabama in May of 1861 and fought through the war until it was surrendered at Appomattox Court House in April of 1865. It mustered a total of 1,719 men during the Civil War, of whom 300 were killed in action and 240 died of disease.
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1861
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| May 11 | Organized at Camp Jeff Davis in Montgomery under Colonel Robert Rodes, Lieutenant Colonel Allen Cadwallader Jones and Major J.T. Morgan. |
| May 12-15 | Moved by rail to Pensacola, Florida. |
| May 13-15 | Mustered in to Confederate service for 12 months. |
| June 2 | Nine companies returned by rail to Montgomery. The artillery company was permanently detached and stayed at Pensacola |
| June 3-10 | Moved by rail to Richmond in two groups and stayed at Camp Lee. |
| June 18-19 | Moved by rail to Manassas, Virginia and camped that night on the Van Pelt farm near the Stone Bridge. |
| June 20 | Assigned to the Second Brigade, Army of the Potomac, under Brigadier General Richard Ewell. |
| June 22-23 | Moved to Farr’s Crossroads. |
| July 7 | The Barbour Greys joined the regiment at Farr’s Crossroads to become the new Company K. |
| July 17 | Withdrew across Bull Run and took position at Union Mills. |
| July 21 |
Battle of Manassas (Bull Run)Stationed at Union Mills. The regiment was placed downstream from the Orange & Alexandria railroad bridge, with part of the regiment in reserve and part entrenched along the stream bank. |
| July 25 | Assigned to the Second Brigade, First Corps, Army of the Potomac |
| August 23 | Moved to Sangster’s Crossroads |
| October 21 | Colonel Rodes was promoted to brigadier general, with the 5th as part of his brigade. |
| November 20. | Lt. Colonel Jones was promoted to Colonel. |
| November | Assigned to Rodes’ Brigade, D.H. Hill’s Division, Second Corps |
| December 28 | Most of Company H organized into artillery battery. |
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1862
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| March | Moved to Yorktown |
| April 27 | The regiment reenlisted and was reorganized. Colonel Jones was replaced by Colonel Christopher Pegues. Captain Josephus M. Hall of Company A was elected lieutenant colonel and Captain Edwin Hobson of Company I was elected major. |
| May 7 | Assigned to Rodes’ Brigade, Rodes’ Division, Second Corps |
| May 31- June 1 |
Battle of Seven PinesThe regiment lost 27 killed and 128 wounded of 660 men engaged, including Captain James V. Tutt was wounded and resigned due to disability. |
| June 27 |
Battle of First Cold Harbor (Gaines’ Mill)Colonel Pegues and Captain George W. Reed were killed. Major Edwin L. Hobson took command of the regiment. |
| July 1 |
Battle of Malvern Hill (Poindexter’s Farm)The regiment lost 15 killed and 58 wounded of the 225 engaged. |
| July 17 | Lieutenant Colonel Hall was promoted to colonel. Major Hobson was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Eugene Blackford of Company K was promoted to major. |
| September 15-17 |
Maryland CampaignCommanded by Lieutenant Colonel Hobson, the regiment lost 11 killed and 39 wounded at Boonesboro and Sharpsburg |
| September 15 |
Battle of South Mountain (Boonesboto) |
| September 17 |
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam) |
| December 13 |
Battle of FredericksburgThe regiment was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel E. L. Hobson, while Colonel Josephus Hall temporarily commanded the brigade. It lost 1 wounded. |
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1863
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| May 1-4 |
Battle of ChancellorsvilleCommanded by Colonel Hall, the regiment was in the forefront of Jackson’s flank attack, the regiment suffered 24 killed, 13 wounded and 121 missing, including Lieutenant Colonel Hobson, who was wounded, and Captain William Thomas Renfro, who was killed. The 5th lost its colors to the 111th Pennsylvania Regiment. They were returned by the U. S. War Department to the State of Alabama in 1905 and are in the possession of the Alabama Department of Archives and History. |
| July 1-3 |
Battle of GettysburgThe regiment fought on Oak Ridge on July 1 and at Culp’s Hill on July 2 and 3. It was commanded by Colonel Josephus Marion Hall, and brought 24 officers and 293 men to the field. It lost 26 men killed, 116 wounded, and 67 missing. Lieutenant J.N. Robertson was captured. From the brigade monument at Gettysburg: July 1. Soon after arriving at this position three regiments attacked the Union flank, the 5th Regiment being ordered to guard the wide interval between the Brigade and Doles’s Brigade in the valley on the left and the 3rd Regiment joining Daniel’s and afterwards Ramseur’s Brigade. The three regiments were repulsed with heavy loss but the entire Brigade took part in the general attack soon made by the Confederates which finally dislodged the Union forces from Seminary Ridge. July 2. The Brigade in position all day in or near the town but not engaged. July 3. The 5th Regiment lay in the southern borders of the town firing upon the Union artillery with their long range rifles. The other regiments moved to Culp’s Hill to reinforce Johnson’s Division. July 4. Moved to Seminary Ridge. At night began the march to Hagerstown. |
| August 25 | Assigned to Battle’s Brigade, Rodes’ Division, Second Corps |
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1864
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| May 4-5 |
Battle of the Wilderness |
| May 8-21 |
Battle of Spotsylvania Court HouseLieutenant Colonel Hobson was wounded again. |
| May 10 | Colonel Hall was wounded, losing his arm, and Captain N. R. E. Ferguson was killed. |
| June |
Battle of Cold HarborCaptain John M. Gilchrist killed |
| June 13 | Transferred to the Shenandoah Valley and assigned to Battle’s Brigade, Rodes’ Division, Army of the Valley. |
| June 17-18 | Battle of Lynchburg |
| June 19-21 | Pursuit of Hunter |
| June 26 | At Stanton |
| June 30 | At New Market |
| July 1 | Marched through Winchester |
| Juy 5-6 | Crossed the Potomac at Boteler’s Ford |
| July 9 |
Battle of Monocacy |
| July 11-12 | Battle of Fort Stevens |
| July 24 |
Second Battle of Kernstown |
| August | The regiment was sent to the Shenandoah Valley |
| September 19 |
Third Battle of WinchesterCaptain George W. Reed was killed. |
| September 20 | Major General Ramseur took command of the division after General Rodes was killed. |
| September 21-22 |
Battle of Fisher’s Hill |
| September 30 | Colonel Hall retired due to his Spotsylvania wound and Lieutenant Colonel Hobson was promoted to colonel. |
| October 19 |
Battle of Cedar CreekColonel Hobson took over the brigade when Colonel Battle was wounded.. Major Blackford was cashiered by a court-martial for “misbehavior before the enemy” but was reinstated by President Davis after overwhelming support from his men, fellow officers and commanders. |
| October 20 | With the death of General Ramseur, Brigadier General Bryan Grimes took command of the division. |
| mid-December | The division left the Shenandoah Valley and returned to the Richmond defences as part of the Second Corps. |
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1865
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| February 23 | Brigadier General Bryan Grimes was promoted to major general and given permanent command of the division. |
| April 9 |
AppomattoxThe regiment surrendered 4 officers and 53 men under Captain Thomas M. Riley. |