5th US Colored Troops
in the American Civil War
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Online Books
5th US Colored Troops Soldier Roster - Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866, Volume 1, by Ohio Roster Commission (Wm. McKinley, Jr., Governor, Samuel M. Taylor, Sec'y of State and James C. Howe, Adjutant-General), 1893 Regimental History Fifth U. S. Colored Troops.— Cols., James W. Conine, Giles W. Shurtleff; Lieut.-Col., John B. Cook; Maj., Ira C. Terry. This was the first colored regiment recruited in Ohio, the nucleus of which was a few colored men collected at Camp Delaware. Much difficulty was met in the organization, as there was no law of Congress regulating the same and no order from the war department calling for their services. The initiative, however, was taken by mustering into the U. S. service J. B. T. Marsh, as quartermaster of the 127th Ohio infantry, and the formation of this regiment was commenced under what was known as the "contraband law," which gave a colored laborer in the service $10 per month, $3 of which was for clothes. Recruiting progressed slowly and but for a few faithful men, who were ambitious to show themselves worthy of their freedom, the organization would have failed. The companies were mustered into the U. S. service as follows : B, C, E, G and H, July 23, 1863; D, Aug. 20; F, Sept. 9; I, Oct. 17, and K, Jan. 15, 1864. The war department finally called colored men into the service and promised that Congress would place them on an equality with other troops. Officers were examined and assigned to the regiment and early in November the regimental organization was formed. The synonym of the regiment was changed to 5th U. S. colored troops, the equipment was completed and the regiment was ordered to Virginia with nine companies and nearly the full complement of officers. It served the government honorably in many battles, and no troops ever did better fighting. Upon the roll of honor will be found the names of 266 brave soldiers, who gave up their lives on the field of battle, in hospital from mortal wounds received, or from disease. The regiment was mustered out on Sept. 20, 1865, at Carolina City, N. C. Footnotes: Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 2 |
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