Overview
The 5th Ohio Independent Cavalry Company served as an independent cavalry unit from Ohio during the early period of the Civil War. Organized at Cincinnati, the company was composed mainly of residents from that city and became part of the body-guard for Major General John C. Frémont, under the command of Major Charles Zagonyi. The company is notable for its participation in the daring charge at Springfield, Missouri, on October 25, 1861, as part of Frémont’s Body-Guard.
Organization & Service
The 5th Ohio Independent Cavalry Company was organized in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1861. Captain James L. Foley commanded the company, with Joseph M. Kennedy as First Lieutenant and Isaac B. McLinn as Second Lieutenant. The company joined three other independent cavalry companies to form Frémont’s Body-Guard, a select mounted unit tasked with the personal protection of Major General Frémont and special assignments in the Western Department.
The company’s most significant action occurred on October 25, 1861, at Springfield, Missouri. Three companies of the guard, including the 5th Ohio Independent Cavalry Company, numbering about 150 men, launched a daylight attack against a Confederate force of approximately 1,900. The guards advanced down a lane, receiving a heavy cross-fire before forming for the charge. Despite being outnumbered, the unit pressed the attack, with only about 110 men able to participate after the initial fire. The company suffered significant casualties in this engagement, which was the only major action in which it participated. The captured members of the company were exchanged soon after the battle.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
- Springfield, Missouri (October 25, 1861)
Casualties
During the charge at Springfield, Missouri, the 5th Ohio Independent Cavalry Company suffered 4 killed, 13 wounded, and an unspecified number captured (part of 10 total captured from the guard). The captured men were later exchanged. These figures are based on contemporary reports and regimental histories.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Captain James L. Foley
- First Lieutenant Joseph M. Kennedy
- Second Lieutenant Isaac B. McLinn
- Major Charles Zagonyi (commanded Frémont’s Body-Guard, including this company)
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 5th Ohio Independent Cavalry Company, including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and service details for members of the company.
To view the complete roster, visit the 5th Ohio Independent Cavalry Company Roster page.
Sources & References
- The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 3
- Ohio Roster Commission, Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Reid, Whitelaw, Ohio in the War: Her Statesmen, Her Generals, and Soldiers
- The Union Army, Vol. 2 (Federal Publishing Company, 1908)