5th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry

Brief History
The 5th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry was organized at Leavenworth City July 12, 1861, to January 22, 1862. Specifics by company are:


 * Companies "L" and "M" organized April to July, 1862.
 * Non-Veterans mustered out (Cos. "A" to "H") August 11 to December 8, 1864.
 * Companies "I" and "K" mustered out June 22, 1865.
 * Companies "L" and "M" consolidated with 15th Kansas Cavalry August 22, 1865.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 5th Regiment Cavalry, (accessed 27 June 2012).
 * The Wikipedia article, 5th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, (accessed 27 June 2012).

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
The 5th Regiment consisted of the companies of men who enlisted from Brown, Clay, Chase, Geary, Johnson, Dickinson, Saline, Ottawa, Anderson, Allen, Neosho, Shawnee, Wilson, Woodson Wyandotte and Coffey counties. 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.

5th Kansas Cavalry Rosters


 * Field and Staff Officers
 * Non-Commissioned Staff
 * Company A - Many men from Shawnee County and Jackson County
 * Company B
 * Company C -Many men from Decatur County, Iowa, andButler County, Missouri
 * Company D - Many men from Linn County
 * Company E - Many men from Coffey County
 * Company F
 * Company G
 * Company H
 * Company I - Many men from Johnson County
 * Company K
 * Company L - Many men from Leavenworth County
 * Company M - Many men from Leavenworth County


 * Index

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,919 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 or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in 'Kansas 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.


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