5th Ohio Cavalry
​in the American Civil War

​​​​​​​​Online Books
5th Ohio Cavalry Soldier Roster - Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866, Volume 11, by Ohio Roster Commission (Joseph B. Foraker, Governor, James S. Robinson, Sec'y of State and H. A. Axline, Adjutant-General), 1886     View Entire Book
Regimental History
Fifth Cavalry.— Cols., William H. H. Taylor, Thomas T. Heath; Lieut. -Cols., John Henry, John Pummill; Majs., Frederick Scherer, Elbridge G. Ricker, Charles S. Hayes, Charles B. Cooper, Joseph C. Smith, George H. Rader, John Dalzell. This regiment was organized at Camp Dick Corwin, from Sept. to Nov., 1861, to serve for three years. On Feb. 26, 1862, it received orders to move, and on March 1 left Camp Dennison for Paducah, Ky., reporting to Brig.-Gen. W. T. Sherman. The regiment aggregated 1,142 strong, composed principally of men from Hamilton and Clermont counties, although Greene, Clark, Preble and Brown each furnished a number. On the night of March 15 the regiment dropped down to Pittsburg landing and the next evening an expedition, consisting of six squadrons of the regiment and one battalion of the 4th Ill., under Lieut. -Col., Heath, was ordered in the direction of Corinth and when 5 miles from the landing, in front of Shiloh chapel, was suddenly fired upon by a considerable body of the enemy, several of the Illinois troops being wounded. A charge was immediately made, in which several prisoners were taken. On April 4 the second battalion of the regiment had a sharp skirmish with Confederate cavalry, infantry and artillery at Crump's landing, in which the battalion had 2 wounded, but brought in 14 prisoners. At the battle of Shiloh the regiment was constantly under fire. Gen. Grant giving direct orders to it and assigning it various difficult and dangerous duties and positions in the field. The behavior of officers and men throughout their virgin battle was highly commended by both Gens. Grant and Sherman. The regiment advanced with the army in the slow "siege" of Corinth, and had its share of picket duty and other exposure. The first and second battalions brought on the battle of Metamora, Miss. — or as the Confederates call it, "The Hatchie" — where it fought bravely throughout the day, driving the rear-guard in its retreat and capturing many prisoners. Squadrons M and B formed one-half the garrison which, with 250 cavalry and infantry, checked the advance of Van Dorn's division of 10,000 men, in the battle of Davis' mills, and the conduct of this heroic handful of men shone so brilliantly that it caused Gen. Grant to recount their valor in general orders, requesting the whole army to follow their example and ordering that the 5th Ohio cavalry inscribe on its colors, in addition to "Pittsburg Landing," the name of "Davis mills." In December, 200 recruits en route for the regiment, were captured by Gen. Forrest, about 11 miles from Lexington, Tenn., and afterward paroled. In an expedition from Memphis in April, 1863, 47 men of squadron F charged Col. Ferguson's Confederate regiment and drove it in confusion, bringing back 48 prisoners. The same month a severe battle was fought at Coldwater, Miss., in which the regiment was engaged. An expedition, composed of 100 men each from the 5th Ohio, 2nd Ill. and 1st Mo. cavalry, was sent out toward Panola, Miss., under command of Maj. Henry, and on June 20, while in bivouac on the plantation of Dr. Adkins, 12 miles south of Hernando, was surrounded in a dense fog by Gen. Chalmers with a force of 2,000 men, with 6 field-guns. The little band, however, by a gallant charge cut through the enemy's lines and escaped, although closely pursued for 10 miles, the killed, wounded and missing of the 5th numbering 80 men. In August the 3d battalion, which had been detached for more than a year, joined the regiment and after resting but one day the regiment commenced the work to which it had been ordered — the protection of Corinth and the railroad thence to Memphis — by marching southward along the Mobile railroad to attack a brigade of the enemy's cavalry, which it met and drove through Baldwin and as far south as Guntown, without loss. In the engagement at Clear creek, Ala., and in the eight days of almost constant fighting that preceded it, the regiment did its whole duty and won weighty compliments from Gen. Osterhaus and staff. During the spring of 1864 it effected a veteran organization and in the autumn joined Sherman in his march to the sea and up through the Carolinas. It was retained in service until Oct. 30, 1865, when it was mustered out.
​Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 2