5th Ohio Infantry - 3 Years Service
in the American Civil War
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Online Books
5th Ohio Infantry Soldier Roster - Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866, Volume 2, by Ohio Roster Commission (Joseph B. Foraker, Governor, James S. Robinson, Sec'y of State and H. A. Axline, Adjutant-General), 1886 Regimental History Fifth Infantry. — (Three Years' Service.) Cols., Samuel H. Dunning, John H. Patrick; Lieut.-Cols., Harry G. Armstrong, Robert L. Kilpatrick, Robert Kirkup; Majs., William Gaskill, John Collins, Henry E. Symmes, Krewson Yerkes. This regiment was organized at Camp Dennison, June 21, 1861, to serve for three years. After an active campaign in West Virginia the 5th was at Winchester in March, and on the 23d marched out to Kernstown, took position in support of Daum's W. Va. battery, and the battle of Winchester opened. Late in the afternoon companies A, B, C, D and E moved up, and passing through a clump of underbrush emerged into an open field where they received the fire of the enemy. When the 84th Pa. fell back in confusion Gen. Sullivan, commanding the brigade, exclaimed that the army was whipped : but observing the 5th Ohio still fighting, he exclaimed: "No, thank God, the brave 5th Ohio is still standing its ground, and holding the rebels." The regimental colors were perforated with 48 bullet holes and the state flag with 10. During the following May the regiment was presented with a beautiful stand of colors, sent to it by the city council of Cincinnati as a token of appreciation for its bravery and efficiency in the battle of Winchester. At the battle of Port Republic the regiment conducted itself with its usual courage and dash, and after firing a couple of volleys it charged on a fence behind which two Confederate regiments had taken position. The charge was a success, the Confederates fleeing into the woods, where they rallied, but again the 5th charged and captured a piece of artillery. Immediately thereafter it marched to the left and repulsed a charge made by the enemy on a battery. When the order to retreat was finally given, the 5th was designated to cover the movement, in doing which it lost 185 men taken prisoners. On Aug. 9 it made a forced march of 8 miles to reach the battle-field of Cedar mountain. At Antietam the regiment marched on the field at daylight, advanced to the edge of a belt of woods and opened fire, driving the Confederates into a cornfield, where it followed and engaged them in a fierce hand-to-hand conflict, many of them using the butts of their guns. The conflict was terrible, but the enemy was at last compelled to give way, contesting every foot of the ground as he did so. During the time the 5th Ohio was engaged in this battle its cartridge-boxes were emptied three times, making about 100 shots per man. On the outer edge of the cornfield lay a row of dead Confederates on their faces, as though they had been dragged there and laid in order. After various marches and counter-marches, the 5th went into camp at Dumfries, Va., where it was attacked by Gen. Stuart's cavalry, but the attack was repulsed. On May 1, the regiment entered the battle of Chancellorsville and performed a distinguished part, and following that came the great battle of Gettysburg. In the grand advance of Rosecrans' army toward Chattanooga the 5th formed a part and had the honor of opening the battle above the clouds, on Lookout mountain. It was with Sherman in his march to Atlanta, and when its time of enlistment had expired — notwithstanding its hard and almost continual service, and the fact that it was literally shattered to pieces — this brave band of heroes resolved to "go in for the war." After a short furlough home they were back "to the front," marching to the sea with Sherman and participating in all the hardships of the campaign. Then came the great flood of sunlight, Lee's surrender; the triumphant march to Washington, joining in the grand review ; thence to the Queen City of the West, their home, and at last the muster-out at Louisville, July 26, 1865. Footnotes: Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 2 |
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