Girish Mahajan (Editor)

5th Regiment Massachusetts Colored Volunteer Cavalry

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Country
  
United States

Branch
  
Cavalry

Allegiance
  
Union

Size
  
Regiment

Active
  
January 9, 1864-October 31, 1865

Engagements
  
American Civil War Baylor's Farm Siege of Petersburg

The 5th Regiment Massachusetts Colored Volunteer Cavalry (or 5th Regiment, Massachusetts Cavalry (Colored)) was a cavalry regiment from Massachusetts, that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It has not to be confused with the 5th United States Colored Cavalry.

Contents

Service

The regiment was organized from January 9-May 5, at Camp Meigs, Readville. From May 12, 1864, it served dismounted and equipped as infantry until the end of war.

Detailed service

The regiment fought at Baylor's Farm during the Second Battle of Petersburg and the Siege of Petersburg.

Casualties

The regiment lost 123 enlisted men; 7 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, 116 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

  • Colonel Henry S. Russell (March 7-June 14, 1864; wounded at Baylor's Farm)
  • Major Bowditch (June 14-September 30, 1864)
  • Colonel Henry S. Russell (September 30, 1864-February 14, 1865; resigned)
  • Colonel Charles Francis Adams, Jr. (February 14-August 1, 1865)
  • Colonel Samuel Chamberlain (August 1-October 31, 1865; regiment mustered out)

    • Notable soldiers and officers

  • Private Prince Romerson (c. 1840–1872), a Native Hawaiian soldier from the Kingdom of Hawaii who also fought as a Buffalo Soldier.
  • Joshua Dunbar, the father of renowned American poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar, served as a volunteer soldier in both the 5th Regiment Massachusetts Colored Volunteer Cavalry and the 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment.

    • References

    5th Regiment Massachusetts Colored Volunteer Cavalry Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA