5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment

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5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment

5th Minnesota Battle Flag

The Civil War was underway. The young state of Minnesota had already been authorized to raise four regiments of infantry. On October 23, 1861, the Assistant Secretary of War for the United States, Thomas A. Scott, sent correspondence to Governor Alexander Ramsey of Minnesota:

War Department,

Washington, October 23, 1861.

Hon. Alexander Ramsey,

Governor of Minnesota:

Sir : Please consider yourself authorized to raise an additional regiment of infantry, being the fifth from your State.

Respectfully,

THOMAS A. SCOTT,

Assistant Secretary of War.

The Fifth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment was subsequently organized at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, from March 15 to April 30, 1862, and was disbanded September 6, 1865. The 5th Minnesota participated in western theater Civil War activities as part of the Union Army; it also was employed in managing Indian affairs at times. During its 3 1/2 years of service, the regiment lost 4 officers and 86 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and 4 officers and 175 enlisted men by disease for a total loss of 269 men. A synopsis of regiment activities may be viewed at http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/regiments.cfm .

This web site has information on the 10 companies of the 5th Minnesota (designated A-I and K) as well as the Field and Staff officers and Generals who commanded the 5th Minnesota.

I started this web-site because my great great grandfather, Johann "Michael" Herrmann, served in the 5th Minnesota, Company E, from September 1864 until he was wounded at the Battle of Nashville on December 16, 1864.

Tim Bode

5th Minnesota Researcher & Webmaster

Companies of the 5th Minnesota

Field & Staff

Alphabetical Index of Soldiers with Individual Pages

(at this web-site; by last name)

Generals

who commanded the 5th Minnesota

Military Activities of the 5th Minnesota

Siege of Corinth, Mississippi, May 26-30, 1862
Dakota War of 1862, Minnesota
Battle of Iuka, September 19, 1862 (present, but held in reserve)
Battle of Corinth, Mississippi October 3-4, 1862
Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign, November, 1862, to January, 1863
Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, May 18-July 4, 1863
Meridian Campaign, February 3-March 2, 1864
Red River Campaign, March 10-May 22, 1864
Battle of Pleasant Hill, April 9, 1864
Action at Old River Lake, June 6, 1864: Defeat of Marmaduke
Battle of Tupelo, Mississippi, July 17, 1864
March through Arkansas and Missouri in pursuit of Price, September 17-November 15, 1864
Battle of Nashville, Tennessee, December 15-16, 1864
Assault and capture of Fort Blakely, April 9, 1865

Specific Localities Represented in the 5th Minnesota

Wabasha County

Memorabilia & Photos

Do you have any photos of soldiers or memorabilia from the 5th Minnesota that you'd like to share? Please contact me at timbode@juno.com . Thanks!

Additional Resources Concerning the 5th Minnesota

Thomas P. Gere Diary

5th Minnesota in the Official Records - direct links to reports concerning the 5th Minnesota from the Ohio State University (text) and from Google Books (pdf) (under construction)

Fifth Minnesota, Company C - Reenactment web site

5th Minnesota for Kids - includes the diary of Orlando McFall, private in Company C

5th Minnesota Company C - Facebook group

Historical Fort Abercrombie - in Dakota Territory

Fort DeRussy - Report of John Becht concerning the role of the 5th Minnesota in the capture of Fort DeRussy, Louisiana