5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment
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The 5th Minnesota Infantry Regiment was a Minnesota USV
infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...
regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...
that served in the Union Army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and
Dakota War of 1862 The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, the Dakota Uprising, the Sioux Outbreak of 1862, the Dakota Conflict, or Little Crow's War, was an armed conflict between the United States and several eastern bands of Dakota people, Da ...
. The regiment distinguished itself serving in its home state and the south, particularly at the Battles of Fort Ridgely,
Corinth Corinth ( ; , ) is a municipality in Corinthia in Greece. The successor to the ancient Corinth, ancient city of Corinth, it is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Sin ...
and
Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
.


History


Organization and early service

On October 23, 1861, Assistant Secretary of War Thomas A. Scott sent correspondence to Minnesota Governor
Alexander Ramsey Alexander Ramsey (September 8, 1815 April 22, 1903) was an American politician, who became the first Minnesota Territorial Governor and later became a U.S. Senator. He served as a Whig and Republican over a variety of offices between the 18 ...
, authorizing him to raise a fifth regiment of infantry in the state. The 5th Minnesota Infantry Regiment was mustered into Federal service at
Fort Snelling Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S. state of Minnesota on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. The military site was initially named Fort Saint An ...
,
Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...
, between March 15 and April 30, 1862. The Regiment was split with B Company posted to
Fort Ridgely Fort Ridgely was a frontier United States Army outpost from 1851 to 1867, built 1853–1854 in Minnesota Territory. The Sioux called it Esa Tonka. It was located overlooking the Minnesota River southwest of Fairfax, Minnesota. Half of th ...
, Company C to Fort Ripley, Company D to
Fort Abercrombie Fort Abercrombie, in North Dakota, was a United States Army fort established by authority of an Act of Congress, March 3, 1857. The act allocated twenty-five square miles of land on the Red River of the North in Dakota Territory to be used for ...
. Companies A and E-K sailed off to fight in the Civil War. The 5th Minnesota was the last regiment raised in response to
President Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War, defeating the Confederate State ...
's first call for 500,000 men.


First Corinth


Farmington

Companies A, E-K were ordered south in May 1862 and joined the II
brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...
, I division of Major General John Pope in the
Army of the Mississippi Army of the Mississippi was the name given to two Union armies that operated around the Mississippi River, both with short existences, during the American Civil War. History 1862 The first army was created on February 23, 1862, with Maj. Gen ...
on May 24, 1862, to take part in the
Siege of Corinth The siege of Corinth, also known as the first battle of Corinth, was an American Civil War engagement lasting from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. A collection of Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry H ...
. Before the regiment could settle in camp, they were called into action four days later to take part in the Battle of Farmington. The action served as the regiment's baptism of fire and they contributed a number of casualties; more of which succumbed to the effects of heat and exhaustion throughout the campaign.


Dakota War of 1862


Redwood Ferry

At the outbreak of the Dakota War of 1862 on August 18, 1862, companies B, C and D of the 5th Minnesota were the only immediate military forces available to defend the frontier until the arrival of reinforcements from Fort Snelling. As bands of the
Dakota Dakota may refer to: * Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux ** Dakota language, their language Dakota may also refer to: Places United States * Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Dakota, Illinois, a town * Dakota, Minnesota ...
advanced along the
Minnesota River The Minnesota River () is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles (534 km) long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa. It rises in southwestern ...
, survivors fled to
Fort Ridgely Fort Ridgely was a frontier United States Army outpost from 1851 to 1867, built 1853–1854 in Minnesota Territory. The Sioux called it Esa Tonka. It was located overlooking the Minnesota River southwest of Fairfax, Minnesota. Half of th ...
which was then garrisoned by Company B, numbering , under
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
John S. Marsh. A detachment set out with 46 men under Cpt. Marsh to investigate the situation. Upon reaching the Ferry, Marsh found a Dakota man named White Dog and spoke to him through the interpreter Peter Quinn. Suspicious of the man, he advanced his men toward the river bed in line formation. Suddenly, gunshots rang out on all sides, inflicting losses on the detachment. The men returned fire, advanced and engaged in limited hand-to-hand combat before withdrawing to a nearby thicket for cover. However, the Dakota had men placed there as well. With no alternative, Marsh began guiding his men across the river before being seized by a leg cramp, which drowned him. It was up to Sergeant John F. Bishop to lead the 20 survivors across and reach Fort Ridgely. The survivors reached the outpost at 10:00 pm. Eight more survivors, who hid near the ferry, returned later. Company B suffered heavily, casualties are numbered at 24 killed, 1 drowned, and 5 wounded.


Fort Ridgely


= Situation on August 18

= As survivors of the Ambush at Redwood Ferry returned the night of August 18, 1862, 22 out of 51 remaining men of Company B were counted as effectives due to the rest suffering from illness. Second
Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
Thomas P. Gere took command of the garrison in the absence of his commander, sending for help from First Lieutenant Timothy J. Sheehan of Company C, at the time en-route to Fort Ripley. 50 men of Company C, along with roughly 50 other reinforcements arriving the next morning. 1st Lt. Sheehan took command of the Fort upon arrival, which was now home to 300 refugees, and a garrison of around 180 men. There was no attack on the 19th; instead an attempt on New Ulm would be made by the Santees.


= Action of August 20

= Chief
Little Crow Little Crow III ( Dakota: ''Thaóyate Dúta''; 1810 – July 3, 1863) was a Wahpekute Dakota chief who led a faction of the Dakota in a five-week war against the United States in 1862. In 1846, after surviving a violent leadership contest w ...
finally began the battle on the Fort's northeast corner and drove out the soldiers posted to the outbuildings shortly after 1:00 pm. Lieutenant Gere sent a detachment of Company B with Sergeant McGrew to return fire with two twelve-pound howitzers, eventually dispersing the advancing warriors with
canister shot Canister shot is a kind of anti-personnel artillery ammunition. It has been used since the advent of gunpowder-firing artillery in Western armies, and saw particularly frequent use on land and at sea in the various wars of the 18th and 19th cent ...
. Little Crow then joined the attack personally at the southwest corner, where Ordnance Sergeant Jones, supported by the Renville Rangers, wheeled a six-pound field gun in position whilst under fire. Carefully aimed shots discouraged further assault. The makeshift artillerists of Company B were trained by Sgt. Jones, Sgt. McGrew of Company B, and Mexican War veteran John Whipple. Fighting kept on for five more hours, but the Dakota failed to overwhelm the defenders despite all efforts and withdrew at nightfall.


= Action of August 22

= On the 22nd, Little Crow was reinforce. Bolstered, he decided to launch another attack surrounding the whole fort at 1:00 pm. The first attack was made in the hopes of breaching the fort through force of numbers, but was repulsed. The warriors returned to the slopes surrounding the fort and fired from their safety, attempting to exhaust the defenders of their low reserves of ammunition. The chief gathered the strength of his forces at the southwest corner, charged, and succeeded in capturing the stables. Sergeant McGrew wheeled his twelve-pound howitzer into position and fired into the stables, intentionally setting them ablaze. Dakota bowmen fired flame-tipped arrows onto the roofs of some buildings in retaliation, but the shingles were still wet from the previous day's rainfall and failed to catch fire. When attempting to rush the fort, Sergeant Jones managed to disperse the Dakota with close-range canister. An assault on the northwest corner was repelled that evening, which was discouraged by the burning of one of the buildings and combined artillery and infantry fire, including a 24-pounder cannon brought into action by Sgt. McGrew. No other attacks commenced after the 22nd, but the garrison remained until the 27th when Colonel
Henry Hastings Sibley Henry Hastings Sibley (February 20, 1811 – February 18, 1891) was a fur trader with the American Fur Company, the first U.S. Congressional representative for Minnesota Territory, the first governor of the state of Minnesota, and a U.S. mi ...
arrived with 1,400 men from eastern Minnesota.


Attacks on Fort Abercrombie


= August 18 - September 3

= When war broke out on August 18, 1862, Company D of the 5th Minnesota had garrisoned
Fort Abercrombie Fort Abercrombie, in North Dakota, was a United States Army fort established by authority of an Act of Congress, March 3, 1857. The act allocated twenty-five square miles of land on the Red River of the North in Dakota Territory to be used for ...
in the
Dakota Territory The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of ...
under the command of Captain John Vander Horck since March. A detachment of 30 men under 1st Lieutenant Francis A. Cariveau were placed at Georgetown, 52 miles north on the
Red River of the North The Red River (), also called the Red River of the North () to differentiate it from the Red River of the South, Red River in the south of the continent, is a river in the north-central United States and central Canada. Originating at the confl ...
. News of the outbreak arrived on August 19. Vander Horck immediately ordered Cariveau's detachment and anyone else in the area return to the fort. Signs of enemy presence were noted when mutilated bodies were discovered near Breckenridge. On the 23rd, messengers were hurried out to request reinforcements and ammunition from
St. Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...
. Defenses were prepared right away and were mostly completed by August 29. On September 3, Capt. Vander Horck was shot accidentally in the right arm by a frightened picket; leaving 2nd Lt. Groetch in command of the fort as 1st Lt. Cariveau was sick. One hour later, the
Sioux The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin ( ; Dakota/ Lakota: ) are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations people from the Great Plains of North America. The Sioux have two major linguistic divisions: the Dakota and Lakota peoples (translati ...
attacked from the southwest corner, and the skirmish lasted from 5:00-11:00 am, until the warriors fell back on their camp.


= September 6

= The next few days were unnerving for the defenders, but largely uneventful. Another attack began on the 6th with the Sioux, numbering around 400, attacking the fort's stables first; during which a short fight ensued until they were driven back. A second attack commenced from the east, south and west sides of the fort. Resistance from the fort's howitzer and the infantry of Company D just managed to keep the braves from overwhelming the breastworks. From the 6th, no more larger attacks were made. Finally, on September 23, 500 reinforcements arrived with fresh ammunition under Captain Burger. Fort Abercrombie was the last action of the 5th Minnesota in the Dakota War of 1862. The garrison suffered 4 men killed and 2 wounded throughout the weeks of the siege.


Camp Clear Creek to Iuka

While companies B-D fought in Minnesota itself, companies A and E-K continued campaigning with the Union army in the south. The regiment was encamped at Clear Camp Creek,
Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...
. Here,
Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
Borgesrode resigned. Lucius F. Hubbard was promoted to Colonel and William B. Gere was promptly promoted to
Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...
. The Army of the Mississippi, now under the command of Major General
William Rosecrans William Starke Rosecrans (September 6, 1819March 11, 1898) was an American inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and U.S. Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War. He was ...
, soon met with
Sterling Price Sterling Price (September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was an American politician and military officer who was a senior General officers in the Confederate States Army, officer of the Confederate States Army, fighting in both the Weste ...
's Army of the West at
Iuka, Mississippi Iuka is a city in and the county seat of Tishomingo County, Mississippi, United States. Its population was 3,028 at the 2010 census. Woodall Mountain, the highest point in Mississippi, is located just south of Iuka. History Iuka is built o ...
, on September 19, 1862. Here, the Regiment skirmished in the rearguard, but did not participate in the main engagement. As the II brigade, I division marched toward Corinth, it is claimed that the regiment was nearly overwhelmed by a large crowd of
freedmen A freedman or freedwoman is a person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, slaves were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their owners), emancipation (granted freedom as part of a larger group), or self- ...
(referred to by the soldiers as "contrabands") fleeing Confederate pursuit. The battle ended in a Union victory, but a withdrawal back to Corinth went underway.


Second Corinth

Rosecrans eventually combined with the forces of Maj. Gen
Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was the 18th president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877. In 1865, as Commanding General of the United States Army, commanding general, Grant led the Uni ...
at Corinth, where the 5th Minnesota had its first action earlier that year. The 5th now took place in the II brigade, II division of the Army of the Mississippi. On October 3, 1862, the combined forces of Confederate Generals Sterling Price and
Earl Van Dorn Earl Van Dorn (September 17, 1820May 7, 1863) was an American Major General who started his military career as a United States Army officer and became famous for successfully leading two defenses of a Native American settlement from the Comanch ...
attacked the Union lines. The rebels managed to push back the northerners, and the men of the 5th Minnesota could hear the sounds of battle headed their way, however the Minnesotans would not see action until the next day. By night, the regiment was ordered to leave its position at Tuscumbia Creek and move to the town itself.


October 4

The regiment was called into line early on the 4th and almost immediately the lines of both armies engaged in an artillery duel. Another barrage of artillery opened around 11:00 am and the day's fighting began. The Confederate assault managed to break through the Union right flank as rebel troops poured into the streets of Corinth. The 5th Minnesota would distinguish itself at this crucial point in the battle. The regiment advanced to the breakthrough, fired several volleys into the flanks of advancing Confederates and pushed out the assailants at bayonet point. They proceeded to chase the enemy all the way to the federal guns lost earlier that day and aided in their recapture. II Division's Brigadier general David S. Stanley complimented the regiment for its decisive intervention. Maj. Gen. Rosecrans wrote to and thanked the then regimental
Chaplain A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secular institution (such as a hospital, prison, military unit, intellige ...
, Archbishop John Ireland, on the conduct of the 5th Minnesota at Corinth:
Yes, you were with me at the battle of Corinth, Miss., Oct. 3 and 4, 1862. We were of the 17,500 patriots, dying and living, who offered up their best that this nation might live. You wish me to write what I remember of the services in that battle of the Fifth Minnesota, United States Volunteer Infantry. There were many things to think of at that time, and many things when writing my official report of it which excluded observation of numerous details, and of individual and regimental action. The memory of many I then noted, but did not recount, has been laid under twenty-seven years of strivings in the battle of life. The sunshine of young manhood has given place to the grayer lights of autumn, yet when digging down I find the events of the Fifth Minnesota's work on the 4th come vividly before me. Colonel Mower had ordered the Fifth Minnesota to guard the bridge across the Tuscumbia on the 3d, when, with the remainder of the brigade, he went to help Davies. Late in the evening Colonel Hubbard brought up his regiment and formed facing westward on the Mobile & Ohio railway, with its left near the depot, where they bivouacked for the night. On the next morning, when the enemy from the north assaulted our line and forced it back a few hundred yards into the edge of town, Colonel Hubbard, moving by his right flank, faced the coming storm from that quarter, and, by his promptitude, anticipated General Stanley's order from me, to use the reserves of his division in meeting the enemy s charge. He drove back the fragments of his columns, overtaking and bringing back some pieces without horses of our reserve artillery, which the enemy had seized, and covering the retiring of a battery which had gone too far to the front. Veterans could hardly have acted more opportunely and effectively than did the gallant Fifth Minnesota on that occasion. God bless the members of the gallant Fifth and the land we love!


Vicksburg campaign


The regiment comes together

After the battles of Iuka and Corinth, Grant began planning for a campaign into central Mississippi and west
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
to capture Vicksburg; the last Confederate stronghold on the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
. In the meantime, companies B and C reinforced A and E-K on December 12, 1862. Company D finally arrived on February 14, 1863. For the first time since mustering into service, all 10 companies of the 5th Minnesota were united on the field. The Army of the Mississippi was transformed into the
Army of the Tennessee The Army of the Tennessee was a Union Army, Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. A 2005 study of the army states that it "was present at most of the great battles that became turning points ...
under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. The 5th took place in this army in the II Brigade, III Division, William Tecumseh Sherman's XV Army Corps.


Mississippi Springs and Jackson

Operations for the Vicksburg campaign began in December, 1862 and eventually it was time to campaign against the city itself. On May 2, 1863, Sherman's XV Corps moved into western Mississippi to secure Grant's position from Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston's army. The 5th Minnesota led the column while deployed as
skirmisher Skirmishers are light infantry or light cavalry soldiers deployed as a vanguard, flank guard or rearguard to screen a tactical position or a larger body of friendly troops from enemy advances. They may be deployed in a skirmish line, an irre ...
s. The regiment engaged in sharp fighting with their rebel counterparts all the way to Mississippi Springs near Jackson: Sherman's main objective. On May 13, the Minnesotans skirmished once again all day until the Confederates finally withdrew. On May 14, the 5th maintained its deployment and fought in the Battle of Jackson. Fighting was relatively light, lasting for roughly an hour before Johnston withdrew his forces. Casualties were relatively light on both sides, but the Union army, victorious, rendered much of the city's infrastructure unusable. The 5th then acted as
provost Provost may refer to: Officials Ecclesiastic * Provost (religion), a high-ranking church official * Prince-provost, a high-ranking church official Government * Provost (civil), an officer of local government, including the equivalent ...
guards during the occupation.


Assault on Vicksburg, 22 May 1863

On May 21, 1863, preparations for a general assault on Vicksburg were complete. At 10:00 am the next morning, the attacks began. The 5th Minnesota took position on the left of the II brigade, which would attack along Graveyard Road at 3:00 pm with the rest of Tuttle's III division. The II brigade attacked by the right flank as there was not enough space to form into line of battle. The brigade's front suffered severe losses to no avail, but the regiment was saved from said losses thanks to its position on the brigade's left. After being repulsed, the men awaited the cover of night to return to friendly lines.


Richmond, Louisiana

After performing duty in the siege trenches for several days, the 5th was assigned to an expedition up the
Yazoo River The Yazoo River is a river primarily in the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is considered by some to mark the southern boundary of what is called the Mississippi Delta, a broad floodplain that was cultivated for cotton plantations before the Ame ...
. Grant decided that Vicksburg could not be overrun by assault, and settled for a siege. During which he would still need his flanks secured from Johnston's army. The brigade skirmished with the enemy into
Satartia Satartia is a village in Yazoo County, Mississippi. Per the 2020 Census, the population was 41, Mississippi's smallest incorporated municipality by population. Located on the east bank of the Yazoo River, Satartia was once a thriving river port, ...
and Mechanicsburg on June 4–5. before being ordered into the interior of
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
to halt the army of Richard "Dick" Taylor. Confederate General John G. Walker's Greyhounds Division was discovered at
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
on the 14th and the next day the 5th's brigade along with the Mississippi Marine Brigade attacked the Confederates. The 5th were deployed as skirmishers as they began returning fire from the 18th Texas Infantry Regiment. The Texans temporarily beat back the Union skirmishers until the 5th had fallen back on their brigade's main line. At this point the Greyhounds were compelled to retreat after the line counterattacked, the Minnesotans once again leading in front. The fight was short and light on casualties, but Richmond was soon taken with 25 prisoners taken by the II brigade.


Surrender of Vicksburg

The regiment remained in Louisiana until Vicksburg's garrison commander, John C. Pemberton, capitulated on July 4, 1863, with the entire remaining garrison of 29,495 men. The surrender coincided with the Union victory at Gettysburg the previous day. The Minnesotans could finally rest, recruit and continue smaller operations along the Mississippi River into 1864.


Veteran Volunteers

Come February 12, 1864, the three-year enlistments had expired for the regiment. However, the majority of the men re-enlisted and the regiment was veteranized by order of the War Department. Col. Hubbard held command of the 5th's brigade while immediate command of the regiment fell to Lieutenant Colonel William Gere. The 5th Minnesota was promptly re-assigned to the II brigade, I division, XVI Army Corps under the command of Andrew J. Smith in time for the Red River Campaign.


Red River campaign

On March 10, 1864, the 5th Minnesota embarked with the XVI Corps of General Nathaniel P. Banks'
Army of the Gulf The Army of the Gulf was a Union Army that served in the general area of the Gulf states controlled by Union forces. It mainly saw action in Louisiana and Alabama. History The Department of the Gulf was created following the capture of New Orl ...
. The expedition's main objective was to capture
Shreveport Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...
, a major Confederate port city in Louisiana, and destroy the forces in the area under General
Edmund Kirby Smith Edmund Kirby Smith (May 16, 1824March 28, 1893) was a General officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate States Army Four-star rank, general, who oversaw the Trans-Mississippi Department (comprising Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, western L ...
.


Fort DeRussy

As A.J Smith's corps disembarked, they set to work against Fort DeRussy, one of the outposts guarding the entrance to the Red River. The fort was garrisoned by 350 men and 10 heavy cannon. On March 14, Smith's command invested and assaulted the battery. The 5th Minnesota took part in the charge that caused the rebel gun crews to surrender.


Henderson's Hill

After the capture of Fort DeRussy, the 5th took part in clearing the countryside of Confederate forces. On reconnaissance to Henderson's Hill near
Boyce, Louisiana Boyce is a town in northern Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 888 at the 2020 census. The community is nearly 70 percent African American. Histo ...
, the 5th Minnesota aided in an ambush that resulted in the capture a battery of four cannon and 250 men On the 26th, movement up the Red River valley commenced.


Pleasant Hill

Come April, General Banks engaged in battle with Dick Taylor at
Mansfield Mansfield is a market town and the administrative centre of the Mansfield District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the wider Mansfield Urban Area and the second largest settlement in Nottinghamshire (following the city ...
on April 8, 1864, and was soundly defeated. A.J Smith's XVI Corps arrived from Grand Ecore to reinforce Banks that night. The next day Taylor attacked the Union lines in the
Battle of Pleasant Hill The Battle of Pleasant Hill on April 9, 1864, in Louisiana formed part of the Red River Campaign during the American Civil War, when Union Army, Union forces were attempting to occupy the Louisiana state capital, Shreveport, Louisiana, Shrevepo ...
, but was repulsed. The 5th Minnesota was only lightly engaged, and was missing just one man by battle's end. Though a Union tactical victory, the campaign as a whole would remain a decisive failure. The regiment continued to skirmish along the retreat route at Moore's Plantation and Bayous Robert and La Moure. The regiment further built their reputation as effective skirmishers at the Battles of
Mansura Mansoura (; ' , rural: ) is a city in Egypt located on the eastern bank of the Damietta branch of the Nile river. The city is the capital of the Dakahlia Governorate and has a population of 621,953 as of 2021. Etymology ''Mansoura'' in Arabic ...
and Bayou La Glaise.


Action at Lake Chicot and furlough

The regiment returned to Vicksburg on May 24, 1864, after the expedition closed. The 5th Minnesota was granted 30 days of
furlough A furlough (; from , "leave of absence") is a temporary cessation of paid employment that is intended to address the special needs of a company or employer; these needs may be due to economic conditions that affect a specific employer, or to thos ...
from veteranizing and embarked up the Mississippi on June 4 as part of the Lake Village expedition. On the way, Confederate General John S. Marmaduke had a
battery Battery or batterie most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source * Battery indicator, a device whic ...
posted near
Lake Chicot Lake Chicot can refer to: * Lake Chicot, Arkansas Lake Chicot ( ) is a lake adjacent to the Mississippi River. The lake is located on the east side of Lake Village, Arkansas in Chicot County. It is the largest oxbow lake in North America, as w ...
and Greenfield, Arkansas. Not wishing to let the rebels get in the way of furlough, the restive soldiers of the 5th landed and overran the battery on June 6. Afterwards, the regiment continued to St. Paul, Minnesota and began their brief return home. The action at Lake Chicot is remembered as part of the
Battle of Old River Lake The Battle of Old River Lake, also known as Ditch Bayou, Furlough, and Fish Bayou, was a small skirmish between U.S. Army troops and Confederate troops from June 5 to June 6, 1864, during the American Civil War. A Union Army force marched into Co ...
.


Tupelo and Abbeville

While the re-enlisted veterans went north, the non-veterans under the command Capt. Timothy J. Sheehan fought in the
Battle of Tupelo The Battle of Tupelo, also known as the Battle of Harrisburg, was a battle of the American Civil War fought July 14–15, 1864, near Tupelo, Mississippi. The Union victory over Confederate forces in north Mississippi ensured the safety of She ...
on July 14–15, 1864. The non-veterans' performance was regarded well but in little detail. Confederate Generals
Nathan Bedford Forrest Nathan Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821October 29, 1877) was an List of slave traders of the United States, American slave trader, active in the lower Mississippi River valley, who served as a General officers in the Confederate States Army, Con ...
and Stephen D. Lee were defeated. On August 7, the veterans returned to the front and reached A.J Smith's XVI Corps near Holly Springs on the
Tallahatchie River The Tallahatchie River is a river in Mississippi which flows from Tippah County, through Tallahatchie County, to Leflore County, where it joins the Yalobusha River to form the Yazoo River, which ultimately meets the Mississippi River at Vic ...
. A small action was fought against raiding rebel cavalry on the river near
Abbeville, Mississippi Abbeville is a town in Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 372. History Abbeville was originally settled by pioneers from Abbeville, South Carolina in the 1830s. They lived in apparent peace ...
, in which the 5th Minnesota captured some prisoners.


Sterling Price's Missouri expedition

From August 29 - December 2, 1864, the 5th Minnesota marched hundreds of miles in the chase of Sterling Price's Army of Missouri through
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
,
Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
,
Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
, and the
Indian Territory Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United States, ...
. Conditions during the expedition were severe for the Union army, as Col. Hubbard described in the regiment's narrative:
This was, all things considered, the hardest campaign it he regimentmade during the war. The route lay through almost impenetrable cypress swamps and over unused mountain roads, washed by continuous rains down to their rocky beds. Severe storms prevailed much of the time, and the men often lay down at night, drenched, sore, weary and hungry, feeling that they would never be able to rise to their feet again. It was developed after the command had been out several days that its supply train was loaded with moldy and decayed hard bread, refuse stores issued by the commissary at Little Rock. In consequence of this the army was early put upon half-rations, then one-third, and much of that unfit to eat. The men became nearly starved, and driven to that extreme that they sought for nourishment in the bark of sassafras boughs and beech leaves, which the forest trees afforded. The country was largely uninhabited, and hence afforded nothing upon which an army could subsist.
Nonetheless, the 5th took part in the pursuit of Price after the
Battle of Westport The Battle of Westport, was fought on October 23, 1864, in modern Kansas City, Missouri, during the American Civil War. Union Army, Union forces under Major General (United States), Major General Samuel R. Curtis decisively defeated an outnumber ...
. Despite the wretched condition of the regiment and the XVI corps, Price's expedition proved to be a failure for the Confederacy. The 5th reached
St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
on November 15 and quartered in
Benton Barracks Benton Barracks, also known as Camp Benton, was a United States Army barracks in St. Louis, Missouri, located at present-day St. Louis Fairground Park. Before the American Civil War, the site was owned and used by the St. Louis Agricultural and ...
.


Nashville


Arrival at Nashville

On November 30, 1864 the regiment, refitted and reinforced, reported to Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas commanding the
Army of the Cumberland The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio. History The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creatio ...
at
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
. The regiment then took a new place in the II brigade, I division as part of a detachment
Army of the Tennessee The Army of the Tennessee was a Union Army, Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. A 2005 study of the army states that it "was present at most of the great battles that became turning points ...
now commanded by Maj. Gen. Andrew Jackson Smith. Confederate General
John Bell Hood John Bell Hood (June 1 or June 29, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Hood's impetuosity led to high losses among his troops as he moved up in rank. Bruce Catton wrote that "the decision to replace ...
led the rebel
Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was a Field army, field army of the Confederate States Army in the Western theater of the American Civil War, Western Theater of the American Civil War. Named for the Confederate States of America, Confederate state of Tenn ...
to defeat at
Franklin Franklin may refer to: People and characters * Franklin (given name), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (surname), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (class), a member of a historic ...
the same day the 5th reported to Nashville, but Hood still remained hopeful to capture Nashville itself.


= December 15

= By December 14, Hood had invested Nashville in a defensive position on high-ground, with an attack from Thomas delayed by harsh weather. On this day, however, the army received orders to advance the next day. On the 15th, the I division and the 5th Minnesota were then ordered to capture two
redoubt A redoubt (historically redout) is a Fortification, fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on Earthworks (engineering), earthworks, although some are constructed of ston ...
s on the Confederate left. The men advanced under a severe barrage of musketry and
grape shot In artillery, a grapeshot is a type of ammunition that consists of a collection of smaller-caliber round shots packed tightly in a canvas bag and separated from the gunpowder charge by a metal wadding, rather than being a single solid projectile ...
from these fortifications, but the Minnesotans kept their pace. The infantry and artillerymen who garrisoned the forts panicked and fled. The Minnesotans pursued, but were halted by artillery fire from the rebel guns on higher ground. The 5th spent the night with little sleep and the battle would continue the next day.


= December 16

= On December 16, the I division's brigades were replenished and plans were made. The 5th, supported by their comrades, were to advance across open ground and seize the Confederate breastworks atop Shy's Hill. At 4:00 pm the general advance began. As the plan set in motion, the regiment took fire almost immediately as they stood up. As the advance continued many of the regiment's color bearers fell either dead or wounded. The fire was indiscriminate and Col. Hubbard's horse was shot from underneath him. Despite severe losses, the II brigade and the 5th reached the breastworks. During the combat, Lt. Thomas P. Gere captured the regimental flag of the 4th Mississippi. Overall, the 5th Minnesota suffered 106 casualties in the Battle of Nashville. Other elements of the Union army supported the effort; Hood's terror-stricken army nearly disintegrated in the retreat. Along with the 5th Minnesota, the 7th, 9th and 10th Minnesota regiments, all in the I division of A.J Smith's army, fought in relatively close proximity that day. The conduct of the Minnesota regiments was noted in the St. Paul Press by J.P Owens:
The hour arrives four o clock precisely by McArthur's time. The order goes forth, and with a shout that is heard plainly away off in our old lines near Nashville seven miles the division starts for the works before it. The Second Brigade leads off. Colonel Hubbard, with hat in hand, waving it over his head, leads on his trusty warriors. He knows what is coming, but he also knows the men he leads. Across the cornfield, the soft ground giving away un til men and horses sink at every step knee- deep; under a shower of canister, shell and Minie-balls filling every inch of the atmosphere and meeting them square in the face, they keep onward. The -works are gained; no faltering yet; and now goes up the flag of the Ninth Minnesota on the works; simultaneously with it the flag of the veteran Fifth which has been shot down four times in this advance and riddled with a full charge of canister ascends; the works are carried in front of all the brigades of the division, and Minnesota holds the position in an unbroken line of half a mile in extent. Prisoners commence passing to the rear. First comes Capt. McGrew of the Fifth, a staff officer of Col. Hubbard's, with about a regiment of them; then we meet officers and enlisted men of all the regiments with squads larger than they can be supposed to take care of in all, the captures amounting to at least as many men as there were in the Second Brigade. The whole work a work that all military men who witnessed it agree in pronouncing a charge of scarcely equaled brilliancy in the annals of warfare was accomplished in ten minutes time. The enemy was completely routed and driven to the adjacent hills in utter confusion. Ten pieces of artillery of the first quality were captured, in addition to small arms and prisoners without number. Of the ten pieces four were taken by the Second Brigade. Minnesota gained more glory than the war had previously allowed her to gain. The gallantry of her officers and men is the theme of all tongues and pens.
On January 10, 1865, the veteran 5th Minnesota reached
Eastport, Mississippi Eastport is an unincorporated community in Tishomingo County, Mississippi, United States. During the 1840s and 1850s, Eastport became an important river port and boasted a population of 2,000 and many businesses. In 1857, the railroad missed East ...
, and spent the month there.


Mobile campaign

On February 6, 1865, the 5th's XVI corps reached Dauphin Island near Mobile Bay in preparation of General
Edward Canby Edward Richard Sprigg Canby (November 9, 1817 – April 11, 1873) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. He served as a military governor after the war. In 1861–1862, Canby commanded the Depart ...
's campaign to capture the port of
Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. After a successful vote to annex areas west of the city limits in July 2023, Mobil ...
. If captured, the Union army's advance into Alabama would go unimpeded. The capture of the two main forts defending the city: Spanish Fort and Fort Blakeley were the keys to Mobile's capitulation.


Spanish Fort

The 5th Minnesota and the II brigade constructed the second parallel and thus were closest to the entry of Spanish Fort than any other approach. On April 7, commotion was heard by the Union soldiers from inside the fort. Curious soldiers investigated the next day and found the place abandoned. While losses were suffered in the siege, the capture itself was bloodless.


Fort Blakeley

A.J Smith's column reinforced the efforts to take Fort Blakeley, but the 5th Minnesota was only able to lightly support the endeavor on the assault of April 9. Though the defenders fought, they were heavily outnumbered. Fort Blakely fell the same day and on April 12, 1865, Mobile capitulated. This was the last campaign of the 5th Minnesota Infantry.


End of service

When Fort Blakely fell on April 9, 1865, Confederate Gen.
Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a general officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War, who was appointed the General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate ...
surrendered his
Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was a field army of the Confederate States Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed agains ...
to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and the
Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the primary field army of the Union army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the Battle of ...
. Confederate forces everywhere followed, and the war was over. The 5th Minnesota remained in service into the summer at
Demopolis, Alabama Demopolis is the largest city in Marengo County, Alabama, Marengo County, in west-central Alabama. The population was 7,162 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city lies at the confluence of the Black Warrior River and Tombigbee ...
. The 5th was finally mustered out on September 6 and reached
Fort Snelling Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S. state of Minnesota on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. The military site was initially named Fort Saint An ...
where they were finally discharged on September 22, 1865.


Casualties

The 5th Minnesota Infantry suffered a total of 4 officers and 86 enlisted men killed in action or who later died of their wounds, plus another 4 officers and 175 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 269 fatalities.Civil War Archive
/ref>


Colonels

*
Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
Rudolph von Borgesrode - April 30, 1862, to August 31, 1862. * Colonel Lucius Frederick Hubbard - August 31, 1862, to September 6, 1865.


Notable people

* Thomas P. Gere,
first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...
,
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
recipient *
John Ireland John Benjamin Ireland (January 30, 1914 – March 21, 1992) was a Canadian-American actor and film director. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia and raised in New York City, he came to prominence with film audiences for his supporting roles i ...
, Chaplain and Archbishop of St. Paul, Minnesota * Timothy J. Sheehan, the
first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...
in charge of
Fort Ridgely Fort Ridgely was a frontier United States Army outpost from 1851 to 1867, built 1853–1854 in Minnesota Territory. The Sioux called it Esa Tonka. It was located overlooking the Minnesota River southwest of Fairfax, Minnesota. Half of th ...
during the
Battle of Fort Ridgely The Battle of Fort Ridgely was an early battle in the Dakota War of 1862. As the closest U.S. military post to the Lower Sioux Agency, the lightly fortified Fort Ridgely quickly became both a destination for refugees and a target of Dakota wa ...
. Sheehan was later promoted to the rank of Captain and commanded Company C until 1865 when he was breveted with the rank of Lieutenant colonel. Sheehan was later worked for the
United States Marshals Service The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The Marshals Service serves as the enforcement and security arm of the United States federal judi ...
and was present at the Battle of Sugar Point in 1898.


References

* Flandrau, Charles E. 1890 Minnesota. Board of Commissioners on Publication of History of Minnesota in Civil and Indian Wars ''Minnesota in the CIivil and Indian Wars 1861-1865'' Volume I, Pioneer Press Co. * Hutchinson, Matthew. "Fifth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment." MNopedia, Minnesota Historical Society. http://www.mnopedia.org/group/fifth-minnesota-volunteer-infantry-regiment (accessed January 4, 2024).


Notes

{{Reflist


See also

* List of Minnesota Civil War Units


External links


The Civil War Archive

Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars 1861-1865, by Minnesota, Charles Eugene FlandrauMinnesota and the Civil War
Units and formations of the Union army from Minnesota 1862 establishments in Minnesota Military units and formations established in 1862 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865