5th Virginia Cavalry Regiment

Confederate Regiments & Batteries * Virginia

1862
June Organized by expanding the 2nd Battalion Virginia Cavalry under the command of Colonel Thomas L. Rosser, Colonel H. Clay Pate and Major J.W. Puller. Assigned to W.H.F. Lee’s Cavalry Brigade.
July 28 The Cavalry Division of the Army of Northern Virginia was created under the command of Major General James E.B. Stuart. The 5th Virginia Cavalry was assigned to the brigade of Brigadier General Fitzhugh Lee, along with the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 9th Virginia Cavalry and Breathed’s Battery of Horse Artillery.
September 17
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)

From the War Department marker for F. Lee’s Brigade on the Antietam battlefield:

The 3rd, 4th and 9th Virginia Cavalry of Lee’s Brigade reached the field late in the afternoon of the 15th and took position on the extreme left of the Confederate Army… On the night of the 16th the Brigade was massed near the river in support of the Horse Artillery. The 1st Cavalry, detached on the 10th, rejoined on the morning of the 17th and the Brigade took position on the left of Jackson’s Command, which it assisted in resisting the Union advance. On September 18th and 19th the Brigade covered the withdrawal of the Army of Northern Virginia to the south bank of the Potomac.
November Transferred to W.H.F. Lee’s Cavalry Brigade, Stuart’s Cavalry Division, Army of Northern Virginia
 December 13
Battle of Fredericksburg
1863
March 17
Battle of Kelly’s Ford

Colonel Rosser was wounded. He would be out of action until the Gettysburg campaign.
June 9
Battle of Brandy Station
June 17
Battle of Aldie

Captain Boston was captured
July 3, 1864
Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment brought about 150 men to the field under Colonel Rosser.

From the monument to F. Lee’s Brigade on the Gettysburg battlefield:

July 3. The Battalion being on duty with Ewell’s Corps the Brigade brought only five regiments to this field where it arrived soon after midday and took position on the left of Hampton’s Brigade on the edge of the neighboring woods. It participated actively in the conflict which ensued.
September 9 Stuart’s Cavalry Division was enlarged to a corps. Brigadier General Fitzhugh Lee was promoted to major general and given command of a division. The 5th Virginia Cavalry was assigned to the newly formed brigade of Lumsford Lomax in Fitz Lee’s division.
October Colonel Rosser was promoted to Brigadier General and Lt. Colonel Pate was promoted to colonel.
November 26-December 2
Mine Run Campaign
1864
March 10 Captain Boston was exchanged and returned to the regiment
May Captain Reuben B. Boston was promoted to colonel
May 5-7
Battle of The Wilderness
May 7
Battle of Todd’s Tavern

Captain Graves was wounded.
May 8 Alsop’s Farm, Spotsylvania
May 9-24 Sheridan’s Expedition to the James
May 9-10 Beaver Dam Station
May 11
Yellow Tavern

Colonel H. Clay Pate was killed.
May 11 Ground Squirrel Church
June 6 Captain James H. Allen of Company H was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
June 11-12
Battle of Trevilian’s Station

Captain Boston was captured
mid-August The regiment, with Fitzhugh Lee’s Division, was transferred to the Shenandoah Valley and assigned to Lieutenant General Jubal Early’s Army of the Valley.
August 16 Front Royal
August 18 Opequon Creek
August 19-21 Berryville
October 9
Battle of Tom’s Brook
November 8 Consolidated with 15th Virginia Cavalry and assigned to Payne’s Brigade. Redesignated the 5th Consolidated Virginia Cavalry Regiment.
1865
January The brigade’s men were disbanded to their homes to forage their mounts through the winter.
mid-March The regiment re-formed and moved to the Richmond area
April 1
Battle of Five Forks
April 7 Colonel Boston was killed
April 9
Appomattox Court House

The army’s cavalry cut their way through Federal lines and escaped. Only two men were left to surrender with the army.
April 11 The 5th Virginia Cavalry Regiment disbanded at Lynchburg