Fifth Maryland Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > Maryland > Fifth Maryland Infantry Regiment

The Fifth Maryland Volunteer Infantry Regiment lost 1 officer and 63 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 6 officers and 91 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. There are two monuments to the 5th Maryland at Antietam.

1861
September Organized at Baltimore, Maryland under Colonel William L. Schley.  Attached to Dix’s Division, Baltimore. Camp at LaFayette Square, Baltimore, Md.
1862
March 11 Ordered to Fortress Monroe, Virginia.
March Duty at Fort Monroe
July At Suffolk, Va. Attached to Weber’s Brigade, Division at Suffolk, Va., 7th Corps, Dept. of Virginia
September 8-16 Moved to Washington, D. C., then to Sharpsburg, Maryland. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac
September 16-17

Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg)

The regiment was commanded by Major Leopold Blumenberg until he was seriously wounded, when Captain William W. Bamberger took command. Captain Bamberger was then shot through both lungs, and Captain Salome Marsh took over although being lightly wounded.

Text from the main regimental monument at Antietam:

Advanced to the knoll above the Bloody Lane, 300 feet in rear of this marker. Loss 43 killed, 123 wounded.

From the monument to Companies A & I, a short distance to the north:

This stone marks the extreme advance of Weber’s Brigade French’s Div. 2nd Army Corps. Can their glory ever fade.

From the brigade marker at Antietam:

Weber’s Brigade, forming the advance of French’s Division, encountered the enemy near Roulette’s house at about 9:15 A.M., pushed them back to the Bloody Lane and gained a position on the high ground about 60 yards north of this point. Here the Brigade became engaged in an obstinate contest with the enemy which was maintained until, having lost one third of its numbers in killed or wounded, it was relieved by Morris’ Brigade and withdrawn to the vicinity of Roulette’s house where it remained until the close of the day.
September 22 Moved to Harper’s Ferry
October 16-17 Reconnaissance to Charlestown.
December Assigned to Point of Rocks Defenses, Upper Potomac, 8th Corps, Middle Department. At Point of Rocks and Maryland Heights protecting Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
1863
March Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 8th Corps
March 9 Captain William Bamberger was discharged due to disability from his Antietam wounds.
June 2 Moved to Winchester, Va.
June 13-15

Second Battle of Winchester

Most of the regiment was captured in the rout of Milroy’s force at Stephenson Depot.
June Those not captured at Winchester withdrew to Bloody Run, Pennsylvania, and Loudon, Pennsylvania.
July Duty in the Defenses of Baltimore, Middle Department, 8th Corps
1864
January Assigned to the District of Delaware, Middle Department
June 4 Ordered to join Army in the field; assigned to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Corps, Army of the James
June 16

Siege of Petersburg 
July 30

Mine Explosion, Petersburg (Reserve)
August Duty in trenches before Petersburg assigned to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Corps
September 4 Colonel Schley was relieved from command and ordered to appear before a Board of Examination.
September 28-30

Battle of Chaffin’s Farm, New Market Heights
October 6 Colonel Schley resigned.
October 27-28

Battle of Fair Oaks
November Duty in trenches before Richmond
November 22 Former Captain William Bamberger returned to the regiment as lieutenant colonel.
December Assigned to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 24th Corps
1865
April 3 Occupation of Richmond
April 3-9 Pursuit of Lee to Appomattox Court House
April 9

Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.
May Duty in the Department of Virginia
May 1 Lieutenant Colonel William W. Bamberger was promoted to colonel.
September 1 The Fifth Maryland Infantry Regiment mustered out at Fredericksburg, Va.