5th Kansas Cavalry

Regimental History and Service Record

Organized at Leavenworth City July 12, 1861, to January 22, 1862. (Cos. "L" and "M" organized April to July, 1862.) Attached to Dept. of Kansas to June, 1862. Unattached, Army of Southwest Missouri, Dept. of Missouri, to July, 1862. District of Eastern Arkansas, Dept. of Missouri, to December, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division, District of Eastern Arkansas, Dept. of Missouri, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, 13th Army Corps, Army of Tennessee, to April, 1863. 2nd Brigade, District of Eastern Arkansas, Dept. of Tennessee, to June, 1863. Clayton's Independent Brigade, District of Eastern Arkansas, Dept. of Tennessee, to August, 1863. Clayton's Cavalry Brigade, Arkansas Expedition, to January, 1864. Pine Bluff, Ark., 7th Corps, Dept. of Arkansas, to September, 1864. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, 7th Corps, to February, 1865. Post St. Charles, 7th Corps, to August, 1865.

SERVICE.--Companies "A" and "F" moved to Kansas City, Mo., July 17, 1861. Expedition to Harrisonville July 20-25. Skirmish at Harrisonville July 25 (Cos. "A" and "F"). Regiment moved to Fort Scott, Kansas, as escort to a supply train and duty there until September 17, 1861. (Cos. "B," "C" and "E" Joined at Fort Scott.)

• August 28, 1861 - Skirmish at Ball's Mills, Missouri

Ball's and Morse's Mills August 28-29. Fort Scott September 1. Drywood Creek, Fort Scott, September 2. Fort Scott September 3. Papinsville September 5. Morristown September 17. Moved to West Point, Mo., September 17; thence with 3rd and 4th Kansas to Osceola. Actions with Price at Osceola September 20, 21 and 22.

• October 1, 1861 - Skirmish at Butler, Missouri

West Point October 5. Moved to Kansas City, Mo., thence to Springfield, Mo., and Join Fremont. Little Santa Fe November 6. Moved to Fort Scott, Ossawatomee, and Fort Lincoln, Kansas, and duty at Camp Denver, near Barnesville, until February, 1862. Camp near Fort Scott until March 17. March to Carthage, Mo., March 17-19. Duty there until April 10. Moved to Springfield, Mo., April 10-12. Turnback Creek April 26. Moved to Houston May 25-27, thence to Rolla, Mo. March to Join Curtis June 17. Eminence June 17. March to Helena, Ark., June 17-July 12. (Cos. "A," "D" and "K" escort train June 25-July 14.) Salem July 6. Jacksonport, Black River, July 8. Duty at Helena, Ark., until August, 1868. Operations against Quantrell in Kansas August 20-28, 1862 (Detachment). Washburne's Expedition from Helena against Mobile & Ohio Railroad July 24-26, 1862 (Co. "C"). Expedition to Oldtown and Trenton July 28-31 (Co. "C"). Clayton's Expedition toward Clarendon August 4-17. Expedition to Johnsonville and Marianna September 26 (Detachment). Action at Trenton October 14. Expedition to Moro November 5-8 (Detachment). Expedition against Arkansas Post November 16-26. Expedition to Grenada, Miss., November 27-December 5. Oakland, Miss., December 8. Expedition to Big and Little Creeks and skirmishes March 6-10, 1863 (Detachment). Little Rock Road April 2 (Co. "G"). Mount Vernon May 11. Polk's Plantation, near Helena, May 25. Repulse of Holmes' attack on Helena July 4. Steele's Expedition to Little Rock August 1-September 10. Bayou Metoe August 27. Bayou Fourche and capture of Little Rock September 10. Near Brownsville September 12. Moved to Pine Bluff September 14 and duty there until March 27, 1864. Tulip October 10, 1863. Pine Bluff October 25. Scout to Monticello January 13-14, 1864. Monticello January 16. Branchville, Ivy's Ford, January 19.

• March 23-May 3, 1864 - Expedition from Little Rock to Camden, Arkansas (10 companies)
  • Expedition to Mount Elba and Longview March 27-31.
  • Branchville March 27 (Detachment).
  • Longview March 29-30.
  • Action at Mount Elba and pursuit to Big Creek March 30.
  • Swan Lake April 23.
  • April 25, 1864 - Engagement at Mark's Mills, Arkansas

Duty at Pine Bluff and Little Rock until October, 1864. Monticello Road, near Pine Bluff, June 17. Reconnaissance from Pine Bluff July 13. Scout on Arkansas River, near Pine Bluff, and skirmishes August 27-28. Expedition from Pine Bluff September 9-11 (Detachment). Near Monticello September 10. Brewer's Lane September 11. Reconnaissance from Little Rock toward Monticello and Mount Elba October 4-11. Expedition from Kansas into Missouri June 16-20, 1864 (Co. "L"). Pursuit of Price through Arkansas and Missouri September-October. Lexington, Mo., October 19. Little Blue October 21. Independence October 22. Big Blue and State Line October 22. Westport October 23. Mine Creek, Little Osage River and Marias Des Cygnes October 26. Battle of Charlot October 25. Mound City and Fort Lincoln October 25. Newtonia October 28. Scout to Rich land December 24 (Detachment). Near Oxford January 13, 1865 (Detachment). Non-Veterans mustered out (Cos. "A" to "H") August 11 to December 8, 1864. Companies "I" and "K" mustered out June 22, 1865. Companies "L" and "M" consolidated with 15th Kansas Cavalry August 22, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 2 Officers and 45 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 219 Enlisted men by disease. Total 268.

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Sources

• Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. The Dyer Publishing Company (Des Moine, 1908). (Pages 682, 683, 798, 799, 1182)