5th Michigan Infantry Regiment

5th Michigan Infantry Regiment
Michigan state flag
ActiveAugust 28, 1861, to June 5, 1865
CountryUnited States
AllegianceUnion
BranchInfantry
Engagements

The 5th Michigan Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment from Michigan that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was mustered into federal service in August 1861 and served in the Eastern Theater. It fought in all the major battles of the Army of the Potomac, including Seven Pines, the Seven Days Battles, Second Bull Run, Chantilly, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Appomattox. The regiment was mustered out in June 1865.

Service

The 5th Michigan Infantry was organized at Detroit, Michigan and mustered into Federal service for a three-year enlistment on August 28, 1861.

In October 1862, the Army of the Potomac was reorganized. The 5th Michigan, along with the 17th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment, was placed in the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Corps. "Our regiment is assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, III Corps (Union Army). This Brigade is commanded by General Berry of Maine (Hiram Gregory Berry), who is at this time sick at home. The division is commanded by General Birney of Pennsylvania (David B. Birney), the corps by Major General George Stoneman (George Stoneman). Colonel Poe of Michigan is in temporary command of our brigade."

The regiment was mustered out on July 5, 1865, at Jeffersonville, Indiana.

Total Strength and Casualties

The regiment mustered a total of 1586 men during its existence. It suffered 454 fatalities: 16 officers and 247 enlisted men were killed in action or mortally wounded, and 3 officers and 188 enlisted men died of disease.

5th Michigan Infantry monument at Gettysburg National Military Park

"When compared to other Michigan regiments that fought in the Civil War, the Fifth Michigan stands out. It had the second highest number of casualties of all Michigan infantry regiments in the war. Of all Union infantry regiments in the war, the Fifth Michigan ranked fifth in total number of casualties endured. A logical explanation for so many combat deaths and wounds is the fact that the Fighting Fifth played a key role in numerous charges against Confederate positions: twice at Williamsburg (Battle of Williamsburg), and at Fair Oaks (Battle of Seven Pines) the Wilderness (Battle of the Wilderness), Spotsylvania, North Anna, and Petersburg."

Commanders

Timeline

The Regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Lieutenant Colonel John Pulford, who was wounded on July 2 - the third of five times during the war.

From the Gettysburg monument: "Effective strength July 2nd 1863; present and detached service 21 officers and 262 men, total 283. Casualties: Killed 2 officers, 17 men; Wounded 8 officers 78 men; Missing 4 men; Total 109."

"The regiment fought here about 4:30 o'clock p.m., July 2, 1863, after it had been assembled from the skirmish line far in advance of this position. It moved to the support of the 2nd Corps in resisting Pickett's Charge, July 3."

See also

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Haley, Private John W., The Rebel Yell & the Yankee Hurrah: The Civil War Journal of a Maine Volunteer, Down East Books (Camden, Maine), 1985, page 38.
  2. ↑ http://www.michiganinthewar.org/infantry/5thinf.htm Archived 2007-08-21 at the Wayback Machine Michigan in the Civil War Website
  3. ↑ http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unmiinf1.htm The Civil War Archive website after Dyer, Frederick Henry. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. 3 vols. New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1959.
  4. ↑ Sebrell, Thomas E. II, The 'Fighting Fifth': The Fifth Michigan Infantry Regiment in the Civil War's Peninsula Campaign, The Michigan Historical Review, Volume 35 No. 2, Fall 2009, page 51."
  5. ↑ Michigan in the War, Michigan Adjutant General, W.S. George & Company, State Printers, 1882 - Michigan
  6. ↑ Michigan in the War, Michigan Adjutant General, W.S. George & Company, State Printers, 1882 - Michigan
  7. ↑ Michigan in the War, Michigan Adjutant General, W.S. George & Company, State Printers, 1882 - Michigan
  8. ↑ BATTLES AND LEADERS OF THE CIVIL WAR, VOL 2, 1887 The Century Company, New York, NY
  9. ↑ Michigan in the War, Michigan Adjutant General, W.S. George & Company, State Printers, 1882 - Michigan
  10. ↑ Michigan in the War, Michigan Adjutant General, W.S. George & Company, State Printers, 1882 - Michigan
  11. ↑ Michigan in the War, Michigan Adjutant General, W.S. George & Company, State Printers, 1882 - Michigan
  12. ↑ Michigan in the War, Michigan Adjutant General, W.S. George & Company, State Printers, 1882 - Michigan
  13. ↑ Michigan in the War, Michigan Adjutant General, W.S. George & Company, State Printers, 1882 - Michigan
  14. ↑ Michigan in the War, Michigan Adjutant General, W.S. George & Company, State Printers, 1882 - Michigan
  15. ↑ Michigan in the War, Michigan Adjutant General, W.S. George & Company, State Printers, 1882 - Michigan
  16. ↑ Michigan in the War, Michigan Adjutant General, W.S. George & Company, State Printers, 1882 - Michigan
  17. ↑ "OR XLII P1 #85: Report of Major Daniel S. Root, 5th MI, August 15-17, 1864". December 5, 2010.
  18. ↑ Michigan in the War, Michigan Adjutant General, W.S. George & Company, State Printers, 1882 - Michigan
  19. ↑ The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96)
  20. ↑ Official Communications Between The War Department and Lieut. Colonel John Pulford U.S. Army, John Pulford, United States Adjutant General’s Office
  21. ↑ "5th Michigan". Archived from the original on June 19, 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  22. ↑ Official Communications Between The War Department and Lieut. Colonel John Pulford U.S. Army, John Pulford, United States Adjutant General’s Office

Sources

  • The Civil War Archive
  • Haley, Private John W., The Rebel Yell & the Yankee Hurrah: The Civil War Journal of a Maine Volunteer, Down East Books (Camden, Maine), 1985. This is a journal about the 17th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The 5th Michigan was in the same brigade and references are made regarding the whereabouts of the 5th.
  • Crotty, Color Sergeant Daniel G., Four Years Campaigning in the Army of the Potomac, Dygert Bros. & Co. Printers and Binder (Grand Rapids, MI), 1874. Reprinted with new material in 1995 by Belle Grove Publishing Co. (Kearney, NJ). This is a journal of the 3rd Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The 5th Michigan was in the same brigade and references are made regarding the whereabouts of the 5th.
  • De Trobriand, Regis, Brevet Major-General, U.S. Volunteers, Four Years with the Army of the Potomac, Ticknor and Company (Boston, MA), 1889. Translated from French by George K. Dauchy. Régis de Trobriand was the commanding officer of the Army of the Potomac, III Corps (Union Army), 1st Division, 3rd Brigade, of which the 5th Michigan was a part of during much of the American Civil War.
  • Sneden, Private Robert Knox, Eye of the Storm: A Civil War Odyssey, The Free Press (New York), 2000. Private Sneden was a member of the 40th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The 40th New York and 5th Michigan were members of the same brigade (Army of the Potomac, III Corps (Union Army), 1st Division, 3rd Brigade) and several mentions of the Michigan boys are included in the book.
  • Sebrell, Thomas E. II, The 'Fighting Fifth': The Fifth Michigan Infantry Regiment in the Civil War's Peninsula Campaign, The Michigan Historical Review, Volume 35 No. 2, Fall 2009, pages 27 – 51."