5th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
In the Second Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) this unit is listed by the Manassas Battlefield Park as an independent unit. They were sent by Gen. Milroy during the battle to link up with an Ohio infantry troop to try to provide support for other units attempting to hold Gen. Stonewall Jackson's line at the unfinished railroad tracks just down from Henry Hill. The units got lost and ended up right in the middle of Jackson's line. After a short skirmish, the 5th WV infantry pulled back to re-group. Eventually they were directed to try to support the Union troops trying to hold Henry Hill, with Gen. Milroy waving his saber in a desperate attempt to stop the tide of soldiers escaping the tremendous onslaught reigning down on them from the Confederates.
The 5th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
and mustered in on October 18, 1861.
Veterans of the regiment who chose to re-enlist were amalgamated with the 1st West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment (3 Year)
on November 9, 1864, to form the 2nd West Virginia Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment
.
Lieutenant-colonel Stephen P. Colvin, October 18, 1861.
Major Ralph Ormstead, October 18, 1861.
The 5th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
that served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Service
The regiment was organized at Ceredo, West VirginiaCeredo, West Virginia
Ceredo is a city in Wayne County, West Virginia, along the Ohio River. The population was 1,675 at the 2000 census. Ceredo is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 288,649.The city is also near the location of...
and mustered in on October 18, 1861.
Veterans of the regiment who chose to re-enlist were amalgamated with the 1st West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment (3 Year)
1st West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment (3 Year)
The 1st West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service record:...
on November 9, 1864, to form the 2nd West Virginia Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment
2nd West Virginia Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 2nd West Virginia Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:...
.
Casualties
The 5th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment suffered 4 officers and 57 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded in battle and 2 officers and 88 enlisted men dead from disease for a total of 151 fatalities.http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unwvinf1.htm#5thinfColonels
Colonel John L. Zeigler, October 18, 1861.Lieutenant-colonel Stephen P. Colvin, October 18, 1861.
Major Ralph Ormstead, October 18, 1861.