| If this website has been useful to you, please consider
making a Donation.
Your support will help keep this website free for everyone, and will allow us to do
more research. Thank you for your support! |
5th Iowa
Infantry
in the American Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Fifth Iowa Infantry. — Cols., William H. Worthington, Charles L. Matthies; Lieut-Cols., Charles L. Matthies, Ezekiel S. Sampson; Majs., William S.
Robertson, Jabez Banbury. This regiment was organized in April and May, 1861, but was not
ordered into camp until July. It was mustered in July 15-17 and took steamer the last of
the month for Fort Madison, thence to Keokuk. A detachment under Lieut. -Col. Matthies
made an expedition in pursuit of Martin Green, who was operating in northeastern Missouri,
but returned after a fruitless chase. In August it was ordered to Lexington, Mo., and
embarked on the 14th, but met a regiment coming up stream whose members made such
statements of the rashness of going there that a return was made to Jefferson City, where
Gen. Fremont was advised of the matter and the regiment was ordered to go into camp. On
Aug. 25 a detachment moved to Boonville, seized and confiscated the stock of a shot-tower,
a tin-shop, a printing office, the specie of the Boonville bank, and took a number of the
citizens prisoners. On Sept. 1, the regiment proceeded to Rocheport, where five companies
disembarked and marched for Columbia. The other companies landed 10 miles below and
marched for the same point in hope of capturing a body of the enemy said to be at that
place, but finding no one there it proceeded via Jefferson City to Boonville. From there
it moved to Glasgow, assisted in preventing the passage of Price's force, and then
returned to Boonville, from which place it moved with Fremont's command into southwestern
Missouri. During the winter, Col. Worthington, in command of the brigade, had his
headquarters at Otterville; Lieut. -Col. Matthies, with seven companies of the regiment,
was at Boonville, the remaining companies were encamped at Syracuse engaged in railroad
patrol duty until Feb. 1, when they joined the regiment at Boonville. After moving to
Franklin, St. Charles, St. Louis, Cairo and Commerce, the regiment joined the army of the
Mississippi at Benton and was assigned to the 1st brigade, 2nd division, Gen. Schuyler
Hamilton commanding. It took an active part in the operations against New Madrid and
Island No. 10. It debarked at Hamburg landing and joined the advance on Corinth which
place was occupied on May 30. Col. Worthington was killed by a Union picket at Farmington,
while visiting the grand guard of the division as general officer of the day. Lieut. -Col.
Matthies was promoted to the colonelcy, Capt. Sampson to the lieutenant-colonelcy, and
Capt. Banbury was made major. The regiment remained in camp near Booneville, Miss., until
June 11 and then moved to Corinth until Aug. 5, with a few movements towards Ripley,
Rienzi, and other points. It took part in the battle of Iuka where it won high honors by
holding its ground against four times its numbers, making three charges with the bayonet,
and driving back the enemy in disorder, until its ammunition was exhausted and it was
compelled to fall back. Col. Matthies was promoted to brigadier- general for his conduct
and the regiment was accorded the highest praise. Out of 480 engaged the 5th lost 220 in
killed and wounded. It remained at Jacinto until Oct. 1, when it marched to Corinth, where
it repulsed a charge upon the 11th Ohio battery and drove the enemy in great disorder. In
the pursuit the regiment marched to the Hatchie river, but returned to Corinth and went
into camp until Nov. 2, when it marched to Grand Junction, Tenn., from which place it
moved southward with the Army of the Mississippi, but retraced its steps on receipt of the
news of the surrender of Holly Springs and reached Memphis on the 29th. At this time it
became a part of the 7th division, 17th army corps, Gen. McPherson commanding. It remained
in the vicinity of Memphis until March 2, then moved to Helena by steamer, took part in
expeditions to Yazoo Pass, up the Coldwater and the Tallahatchie. From Milliken's bend it
marched to Jackson and took part in the battle there. It was in the thick of the fight at
Champion's hill, where it lost 19 killed and 75 wounded out of 350 in action, keeping the
enemy back with bayonets after its ammunition was exhausted. At Vicksburg it took part in
the siege until the surrender, and with its brigade kept off Johnston's forces at the Big
Black river. Col. Boomer was killed in the assault at Vicksburg May 22, and Maj. Banbury
was promoted to colonel. The regiment joined the pursuit of Johnston's army, and then
encamped at Vicksburg until Sept. 12 when it moved to Helena, Ark., thence to Memphis and
Corinth, and took part in the rebuilding of the railroad toward Iuka. At Missionary ridge
it fought through the afternoon, being nearly overcome by an overwhelming force and many
were captured. It moved via Bridgeport, Ala., to Larkinsville, where it remained until
Jan. 7, 1864, and then moved to Huntsville for the balance of the winter. About 150 of the
members reenlisted as veterans and were furloughed home in April. They rejoined the army
at Decatur, Ala., in May. The regiment was on railroad guard duty at Madison until the
last of the month when it moved to Huntsville, thence to Stevenson and Kingston, Ga.,
performing railroad guard duty until the last of July when the non-veterans were mustered
out. The remainder of the regiment was transferred to the 5th Ia. cavalry. Its original
strength was 918; gain by recruits 119; total 1,037. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 4
|
Whats New
Bibliography
About Us
Share this page with your friends!
|