5th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry

Brief History
The 5th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry was organized at Fort Snelling, Minnesota on March 15 to April 30, 1862. It mustered out on September 6, 1865 after a duty at Montgomery, Selma and Demopolis, Alabama.

For more information on this regiment see the following:


 * Wikipedia, (accessed 9 Dec 2010) article on the 5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment.


 * The Civil War Archive. (accessed 9 Dec 2010) Brief history of the 5th Regiment Infantry.

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.

The following counties of origin are taken from the Adjutant General's Report, found on the Internet Archives web site. The rosters show the men who served in each regiment, their residences, dates of enlistment and mustering out, and other remarks. Also see the Dalby Database, a site from Minnesota, searchable by men, counties, regiments and companies.

Company A - many men from Goodhue County and Dodge County - Roster, page 232.

Company B - many men from Fillmore County - Roster, page 236.

Company C - many men from Freeborn County and Faribault County - Roster, page 240.

Company D - many men from Carver County, Ramsey County and others- Roster, page 244.

Company E - many men from Ramsey County, Carver County, and Scott County - Roster, page 248.

Company F - many men from Waseca County, Ramsey County, Faribault County and Anoka County - Roster, page 252.

Company G - many men from Wabasha County and Dakota County - Roster, page 256.

Company H - many men from Goodhue County and Wabasha County - Roster, page 260.

Company I - many men from Ramsey County, Olmsted County, and others - Roster, page 264.

Company K - many men from Washington County - Roster, page 268.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,621 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 ‘Minnesota 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.


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


 * Rootsweb. (accessed 9 Dec 2010) 5th Regiment history and a roster of the men from Wabasha county.


 * The Civil War Index. (accessed 9 Dec 2010) Website with detailed Minnesota regimental histories.


 * The American Civil War. (accessed 9 Dec 2010) Unit History.


 * Findagrave. (accessed 9 Dec 2010) List of known burial locations of Company B, 5th Minnesota Infantry soldiers


 * 5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment, (accessed 9 Dec 2010) Website dedicated to the Minnesota 5th Regiment. Contains rosters of all the companies, short biographies and/or photos of some of the soldiers, and links to other sites about the 5th.


 * MilitaryHistoryOnline, (accessed 9 December 2010) has submissions by people about their ancestors who served in the Civil War.


 * Carley, Kenneth, and Richard Moe. Minnesota in the Civil War: An Illustrated History. (Minnesota Historical Society Press, c2000). Book of battle histories, photographs, short biographies and a roster of the different regiments with their officers, beginning on page 204. Google book (Not all pages are shown). WorldCat book.


 * Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion Compiled and Arranged from Official Records of the Federal and Confederate Armies : [Minnesota]. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1993). . FHL US/CAN Fiche 6084700. Other libraries with this book.


 * Minnesota. Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars 1861-1865. (St. Paul, Minn: Electrotyped and printed for the State by the Pioneer Press Company, 1890).. FHL US/CAN Book 977.6 H2bc. Other libraries with this book. Click on the FHL Collection link to view this book online. It contains detailed histories and rosters of each Minnesota Military Unit.


 * United States. War Department. Record and Pension Office. Compiled Records Showing Service of Military Units in Volunteer Union Organizations. (Washington, District of Columbia : The National Archives, c1964). FHL US/CAN Film 1488543. Other libraries with this microfilm. View online at Internet Archives.