5th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union)

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Brief History
The 5th Regiment of the Kentucky Infantry was organized in 1861 under Lovell H. Rousseau, as Colonel and was mustered into the United States service on the 9th of September, 1861, at Camp Joe Holt. At the alarm of an invasion of Kentucky by Buckner, this gallant command was thrown out in defense of Louisville and held them in check until reinforcements arrived from Ohio and Indiana. This forever refuted the idea of a State standing in a neutral position when the integrity or unity of a nation was assailed.

The 5th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry was organized at Camp Joe, Holt, Kentucky, September 9, 1861. The regiment moved to Louisville, Kentucky in June. It mustered out July 25, 1865.

For more information on the history of this unit, see:


 * The Civil War Archive section, 5th Regiment Infantry "Louisville Legion", (accessed 29 June 2012).
 * The Wikipedia article, 5th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, (accessed 29 June 2012).

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

Company A – Many men mustered in from Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana. Company B – Many men mustered in from Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana. Company C – Many men mustered in from Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana. Company D – Many men mustered in from Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana. Company E – Many men mustered in from Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana. Company F – Many men mustered in from Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana. Company G – Many men mustered in from Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana. Company H – Many men mustered in from Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana. Company I – Many men mustered in from Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana. Company K – Many men mustered in from Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana.

The records for this Regiment's Companies are from the book "Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky" Vol. 1-1861-1866.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,797 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘Kentucky in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Kentucky in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Kentucky, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.