5th Regiment, New York Veteran Infantry

Brief History
Organized into a Battalion of four Companies by consolidation of the Veterans and Recruits of the 5th New York Infantry, with those recruited for the reorganized 31st and 37th New York Infantry October 14, 1863. A Battalion of the 12th New York Infantry assigned as Companies "E" and "F," and the Veterans and Recruits of the 94th New York Infantry assigned June 2, 1864, as Companies "G," "H," "I" and "K." Served in various locations. At the Grand Review May 23, 1865. Moved to Hart's Island, N. Y., and duty there until August, 1865. Mustered out August 21, 1565.

Predecessor units:

NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS, 38th REGIMENT VETERAN INFANTRY. Failed to complete organization. Men enlisted transferred to 5th Regiment New York Veteran Infantry October 14, 1862.

NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS, 37th REGIMENT VETERAN INFANTRY. Failed to complete organization. Men enlisted transferred to 5th Regiment New York Veteran Infantry October 14, 1863.

NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS, 31st REGIMENT VETERAN INFANTRY. Failed to complete organization. Men enlisted transferred to 5th Regiment New York Veteran Infantry, October 14, 1863.

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


 * The Civil War Archive, 5th Regiment Veteran Infantry, (accessed 2 August 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.

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 ‘New York 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.


 * New York in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for New York, 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.


 * Frederick Henry Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, (Des Moines, Iowa: Dyer Publishing Co., 1908), as cited at Civil War Soldiers; Sailors System (database on-line)


 * New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs. "Unit History Project : New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center citing Frederick Phisterer, New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. (Albany, N.Y.: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912).


 * Hawks, Steve.The Civil War in the East. Database.


 * Phisterer, Frederick. New York in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1865. Albany, New York : J.B. Lyon, 1912. Google Books, other libraries with this book,


 * Schroeder, Patrick A. (Patrick Andrew); Pohanka, Brian C. We came to fight : the history of the 5th New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry, Duryee's Zouaves, 1863-1865. (Brookneal, Virginia : Patrick A. Schroeder Publications, c1998),


 * Tilney, Robert. My life in the army : three years and a half with the Fifth Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, 1862-1865. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992), ( and (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1994), and.


 * The Union Army : a History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States, 1861-65, Records of the Regiments in the Union Army, Cyclopedia of Battles, Memoirs of Commanders and Soldiers, Reprint of original published: Madison, WI.: Federal Pub. Co., 1908. Other libraries with this book,


 * Warren, Gouverneur Kemble. Dedication services at the unveiling of the bronze statue of Maj.-Gen. G. K. Warren at Little Round Top, Gettysburg, Pa. (Washington, District of Columbia : Filmed by the Library of Congress Photoduplication Service, 1987),


 * Williams, George F. Bullet and shell, war as the soldier saw it, camp, march, and picket, battlefield and bivouac, prison and hospital. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992),