5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > Wisconsin > 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment

The 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment originally mustered 1,108 men. Another 832 men were recruited to the regiment during the Civil War, for a total of 1,940 men. It lost 15 officers and 180 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 132 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument on the Gettysburg battlefield.

1861
The 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Randall in Madison, Wisconsin.

Organization of the Regiment
  • Company A – Captain Temple Clark
  • Company B – Captain Elisha C. Hibbard
  • Company C – Captain William F. Behrens
  • Company D – Captain Theodore B. Catlin
  • Company E – Captain Horace M. Wheeler
  • Company F – Captain Irving M. Bean
  • Company G – Captain William A. Bugh
  • Company H – Captain Robert C. Hawkins
  • Company I – Captain Richard H. Emerson
  • Company K – Captain William Evans
July 12 Mustered in under the command of Colonel Amasa Cobb, Lieutenant Colonel Harvey W. Emery, and Major Charles H. Larrabee.
July 24 Left Wisconsin for Washington, D.C. and Attached to King’s Brigade, McDowell’s Division, Army of the Potomac at Camp on Meridian Hill
September 3 Detached to construct Fort Marcy on north bank of the Potomac. At Camp Griffin, near Washington
September 10 Lewinsville, Va. (Companies B, C and G)
September 25 Reconnaissance to Lewinsville
October Attached to Hancock’s Brigade, Smith’s Division, Army of the Potomac
December 14 Captain Elisha C. Hibbard of Company B resigned. Second Lieutenant Robert Ross was promoted to Captain of Company B.
1862
March Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 9 March to Flint Hill
March 16 To near Alexandria
March 23-25

Peninsula Campaign

Moved by ship to Fortress Monroe
March 27 Reconnaissance to Warwick Court House
April 4-5 Advance from Newport News to Warwick River and toward Yorktown
April 5-May 4

Siege of Yorktown
April 7 Captain Temple Clark of Company A became Assistant Adjutant General and Captain U.S. Volunteers.
April 10 First Lieutenant Horace Walker was promoted to Captain of Company A.
April 16 Reconnaissance toward Yorktown; Lee’s Mills, Burnt Chimneys
May 5

Battle of Williamsburg

Captains William A. Bugh of Company G and Captain Robert C. Hawkins of Company H, and First Lieutenants Horace Walker of Company A and George B. Madison of Company B were wounded.
May 6 – 18 Duty at White House Transferred to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Corps, Army of the Potomac
May 24 – June 5 March to near Richmond and picket duty on the Chickahominy
June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond
June 27

Garnett’s Farm (Gaines’ Mill)

Captain William Evans of Company K was mortally wounded and First Lieutenant Horace Walker of Company A was wounded.
June 29

Savage Station
June 30

White Oak Swamp and Glendale
July 1

Malvern Hill
July 25
  • Major Charles H. Larrabee resigned.
  • Captain William F. Behrens of Company C was promoted to Major.
  • First Lieutenant Charles F. Herrmann was promoted to Captain of Company C.
July-August At Harrison’s Landing
August 16-24 Moved to Alexandria
August 29-30 March to Centreville
September 1 John Milton Mott became Captain of Company K.
September 6-22

Maryland Campaign
September 6 Captain William A. Bugh of Company G was transferred to the 32nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. First Lieutenant Louis G. Strong was promoted to Captain of Company G.
September 10-11 Sugar Loaf Mountain
September 14

South Mountain

The 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment fought at Crampton’s Gap.
September 16-17

Battle of Antietam

The 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was assigned to support artillery and suffered little loss. Colonel Amasa Cobb took over brigade command as senior colonel when Brigadier General Hancock was transferred to command of the 1st Division, 2nd Corps after Major General Richardson was wounded.
September 18-22
At Williamsport

Captain Captain Robert C. Hawkins of Company H resigned. First Lieutenant Jeremiah J. Turner was promoted to Captain of Company H.
October 11
Expedition to intercept Stuart’s Cavalry
October 12-16
  • Lieutenant Colonel Harvey W. Emery died of disease
  • Captain Theodore B. Catlin of Company D was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
  • Captain Robert Ross of Company B resigned.
  • First Lieutenant James B. Oliver was promoted to Captain of Company B.
October 13-31 At Hagerstown
November 3-18 March to Aquia Creek
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg
December 25-26
  • Major William F. Behrens resigned.
  • Captain Horace M. Wheeler of Company E was promoted to Major.
  • First Lieutenant Henry R. Clum was promoted to Captain of Company E.
1863
January-April At White Oak Church
January 14 First Lieutenant James Ordway was promoted to Captain of Company D.
January 18 Captain Charles F. Herrmann of Company C resigned. Second Lieutenant Charles W. Kempf was promoted to Captain of Company C.
January 20-24
“Mud March”
January 26 Attached to Light Division, 6th Corps.

  • Colonel Amasa Cobb was elected to congress and resigned his comission to take his seat.
  • Lieutenant Colonel Thomas S. Allen of the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry was appointed colonel of the 5th.
  • Captain Joseph B. Oliver of Company B resigned.
  • First Lieutenant George W. Madison was promoted to Captain of Company B.
March 1-3
  • Captain Irving M. Bean of Company F resigned.
  • Captain Henry R. CLum of Company E was transferred to the U.S. Signal Corps.
  • First Lieutenant Enoch Totten was promoted to Captain of Company F.
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign
April 29-May 2 Operations about Franklin’s Crossing
May 3

Maryes Heights (Second Fredericksburg)

  • Captains Louis G. Strong of Company G and Jeremiah J. Turner of Company H and Second Lieutenant Alpheus H. Robinson of Company H  were killed.
  • Major Horace M. Wheeler and Captain Charles W. Kempf of Company C were wounded
  • First Lieutenant Asa W. Hathaway of Company E and Second Lieutenants Aaron B. Gibson of Company A and Charles H. Mayer of Company C were wounded.
  • First Lieutenant George E. Hilton was promoted to Captain of Company G.
  • First Lieutenant John McMurtrey was wounded and was promoted to Captain of Company H, but his wound was mortal and he died on May 30.
May 3-4

Salem Heights
May 4

Banks’ Ford
May The experimental Light Division of the sixth Corps was broken up and the regiment was transferred to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Corps
May 11 Captain Richard H. Emerson of Company I resigned. First Lieutenant Jacob H. Cook was promoted to Captain of Company I.
June 4 First Lieutenant George E. Bissell of Company B was promoted to Captain of Company H.
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign
July 2-4

Battle of Gettysburg

The 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Colonel Thomas S. Allen. It brought 491 men to the field, suffering no casualties as it served in reserve positions in the army’s flank and rear.

From the monument to the 5th Wisconsin Infantry at Gettysburg:

“Gettysburg July 2, 3, 4, 5. 3d Brig (Russels’) 1st. Div. 6th Corps. War losses 174 killed, 548 wounded. Col. Amasa Cobb 1861-2. Col. T.S. Allen 1863-4-5. This regiment moved from centre to this point early July 3rd to resist threatened attack on this flank. Moved hastily back in the afternoon to assist in repelling attack on the center and later took position on the crest of Big Round Top.”

July 5 Near Fairfield, Pa.
July 10-13 About Funkstown, Md.
July 26 Captain John Milton Mott of Company K died in Frederick City, Maryland.
August-September Detached duty at New York, Albany and Troy during draft disturbances.
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign
October 31 First Lieutenant Asa W. Hathaway was promoted to Captain of Company E.
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 7

Rappahannock Station

  • Captains Horace Walker of Company A and James Ordway of Company D were killed.
  • Major Horace M. Wheeler was mortally wounded.
  • First Lieutenant Calvin T. Hutchinson of Company B and Second Lieutenant Henry C. Farewell of Company K were wounded.
  • First Lieutenant Wilson S. Goodwin was promoted to Captain of Company A.
  • First Lieutenant Samuel White was promoted to Captain of Company D.
November 26-December 2

Mine Run Campaign
December 23 Captain Enoch Totten of Company F was promoted to Major.
1864
January Duty at Brandy Station attached to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Corps, Army of the Potomac
January 28 First Lieutenant Miles L. Butterfield was promoted to Captain of Company F.
February Transferred to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Corps, Army of the Potomac
April 12 Captain George W. Madison of Company B was discharged due to disability.
April 19 Captain Wilson S. Goodwin of Company A resigned.
May 4-June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River
May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

  • First Lieutenant Edwin P. Mills of Company E was killed
  • Captain George E. Bissell  of Company H and Second Lieutenant Andrew Turnbull of Company D were wounded.
May 8-21

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

  • First Lieutenant Louis F. Mueller of Company D and Second Lieutenant Henry H. Stout of Company K were killed.
  • Captains Samuel White of Company D and George E. Hilton of Company G were mortally wounded.
  • Major Enoch Totten and Second Lieutenant Aaron B. Gibson of Company A were wounded.
May 12

Assault on the Salient, “Bloody Angle”
May 23-26

North Anna River
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31

Totopotomoy
June 1-12

Battle of Cold Harbor

Captain Jacob H. Cook of Company I and First Lieutenant B. Franklin Cram of Company F were wounded.
June 17-18

Grant’s First Assault on Petersburg

First Lieutenant William H. Kees was promoted to Captain of Company G.
June 18

Siege of Petersburg
June 22-23

Weldon Railroad
July 9-12 Moved to Washington, D.C.
July 12

Repulse of Early’s attack on Washington
July 16 Non-veterans were ordered to Wisconsin. Veterans consolidated to an Independent Battalion of three Companies:

  • Company A – Captain Charles W. Kempf (from Company C)
  • Company B – Captain Jacob H. Cook (from Company L)
  • Company C – Captain Miles L. Butterfield (from Company F)
August 3 Non-veterans mustered out in Wisconsin, commanded by Colonel Thomas Allen, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas B. Catlin, and Major Enoch Totten.
August 7-November 28

Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign.

Attached to 3rd Brig., 1st Div., 6th Corps, Army of the Shenandoah, Middle Military Division
September 5 Seven new companies were organized in Wisconsin, commanded by Colonel Thomas S. Allen. Captain Charles A. Kempf of Independent Battalion, Company A, was promoted to Major.
September 19

Battle of Opequan, Third Battle of Winchester

Second Lieutenant Henry H. Linnell of Company C was wounded.
September Provost duty at Winchester and at Cedar Creek, Virginia.
September 27 Captain Jacob H. Cook of Company B resigned due to diability.
October 2 The new companies left Wisconsin for Winchester, Va. via Alexandria.
October 20 The seven new companies joined the three original companies of the Independent Battalion at Cedar Creek to form the reorganized Fifth Wisconsin Infantry Regiment

Reorganization of the Fifth Wisconsin Infantry Regiment
  • Company A – Captain John B. Doughty (Captain from original Company H)
  • Company B – Captain Charles D. Moore (Captain from original Company G)
  • Company C – Captain Miles L. Butterfield (Captain from original Company F)
  • Company D – Captain John W. Van Myers
  • Company E – Captain Charles R. Neavitt
  • Company F – Captain William Bremmer
  • Company G – Captain Henry L. Walker
  • Company H – Captain Charles T. Wyman (Second Lieutenant from original Company D)
  • Company I – Captain Thomas Flint
  • Company K – Captain Shedrach A. Hall
November 10  James M. Bull was appointed Lieutenant Colonel.
December 1-4

Siege of Petersburg

Returned to Petersburg, Va. rejoining Army of the Potomac
1865
February 5-7

Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run
March 9 Captain Henry L. Walker of Company G was discharged.
March 23 Second Lieutenant Henry Curran of Company A was promoted to Captain of Company G.
March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign
April 2

Fall of Petersburg

Captain John B. Doughty of Company A was killed. First Lieutenant Ransom D. Squires of Company G was wounded.
April 3-9 Pursuit of Lee
April 6

Sailor’s Creek

First Lieutenant Charles H. Mayer of Company A was mortally wounded. Captains John W. Van Myers of Company B and William Bremmer of Company F were wounded.
April 9

Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.
April 22 Second Lieutenant Evan R. Jones was promoted to Captain of Company A.
April 23-27 March to Danville
May 18-June 2 To Richmond, Va., and Washington, D.C
June 8 Corps Review
June 24 Companies A, B & C mustered out.
July 11 Remainder of the 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment mustered out.