5th West Virginia Infantry Regiment

The 5th West Virginia Infantry Regiment was organized at Ceredo, West Virginia, beginning on September 3, 1861, and mustered in on October 18, 1861. Originally mustered into service as the 5th Virginia Regiment of the Union Army, it became the 5th West Virginia when West Virginia was designated a distinct state. Organized in southwestern West Virginia, the majority of men were recruited from southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky, with many others from Wayne County, West Virginia.^[1] Lawrence County, Ohio alone provided 419 men to the regiment.^[2]

Under Gen. Robert H. Milroy, the regiment fought at the Battle of McDowell on May 8, 1862, and the Battle of Cross Keys on June 8, 1862, with Col. John L. Ziegler in command.

The regiment's assignments were as follows:

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

The regiment performed duty at Ceredo and in the Kanawha Valley until December 10, 1861, when it moved to Parkersburg, West Virginia, then on to New Creek, West Virginia, in February 1862. A detachment was at Linn Creek, Logan County, on February 8. The regiment remained on duty at New Creek until May, when it joined Milroy's Brigade on May 2.

The regiment then saw action in the Shenandoah Valley campaign of 1862, participating in the following engagements:

The regiment moved to Sperryville on July 11, then to Woodville on July 22, remaining there on duty until August 9. It then participated in Gen. Pope's Northern Virginia Campaign:

During the Second Battle of Bull Run on August 30, 1862, the regiment was sent by Gen. Milroy to link up with an Ohio infantry regiment to support units attempting to hold Gen. Stonewall Jackson's line at the unfinished railroad tracks below Henry Hill. The units became disoriented and found themselves in the middle of Jackson's line. After a brief skirmish, the 5th West Virginia withdrew to regroup, before being directed to support Union troops defending Henry Hill, where Gen. Milroy was seen waving his saber in a desperate attempt to stem the Confederate onslaught.

The regiment then performed duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C., until September 29, before moving to Beverly, West Virginia (September 29 – October 9), then Parkersburg on October 10. It remained on duty at Ceredo until March 1863, scouting the Little Kanawha and the east side of the Big Sandy Rivers. In March it was ordered to Wayne Court House, skirmishing at Hurricane Creek on March 28. The regiment served at Charlestown, Barboursville, Hurricane Bridge, and other points in the Kanawha Valley until April 1864, including Scammon's demonstration from the Kanawha Valley (December 8–25, 1863).

The regiment participated in Crook's Raid on the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad (May 2–19, 1864) and Hunter's Expedition to Lynchburg (May 26 – July 1, 1864):

The regiment moved to the Shenandoah Valley on July 13–15, 1864, and participated in Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign (August 6 – November 1, 1864):

Veterans of the regiment were consolidated with the 9th West Virginia Infantry Regiment on November 9, 1864, to form the 1st West Virginia Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment.^[3]

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.

• Colonel John L. Zeigler (resigned April 14, 1863)
• Colonel Abais Allen Tomlinson

• West Virginia Units in the Civil War
• West Virginia in the Civil War