5th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Union)

Brief History
5th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry was organized at Murfreesboro, Nashville and Carthage, Tennessee, July 15, 1862. It mustered out August 14, 1865.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 5th Regiment Cavalry (1st Middle Tennessee), (accessed 30 March 2012).
 * The Wikipedia Article, 5th Regiment Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, (accessed 28 November 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 from DeKalb County

Company B - many men from Dekalb County

Company C - many men from Bedford County and Dekalb County

Company D - many men from Wilson County transferred to 1st Tennessee Regiment September 8, 1862; became Co. "I", 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment.

Company E - many men from Wilson County transferred to 1st Tennessee Cavalry Regiment September 8, 1862; became Co. "K", 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment.

Company F - many men from Beford County

Company G - many men from Wilson County

Company H - many men from Bedford County

Company I - men from various middle Tennessee Counties including Wilson County

Company K - men from various middle Tennessee Counties including Wilson County and DeKalb County

Company L - men from various middle Tennessee Counties including Wilson County

Company M - many men from Bedford County The information about the companies and their counties of orgin came from Tennesseans in the Civil War : a military history of Confederate and Union units with available rosters of personnel, part 1, (Nashville, Tennessee : Civil War Centennial Commission, 1964).

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,798 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 'Tennessee 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.


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


 * Wright, General Marcus J., Tennessee in the War 1861-1865, (Ambrose Lee Publishing Company, Williamsbridge, New York City, 1908), Online book at Internet Archive. Roster of the volunteer force in the United States army from Tennessee. Roster of officers is given as it stood on the day of the muster out. Cavalry 5th Regiment begins on page 141.


 * Wikepedia, 5th Regiment Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, (accessed 4 Jan 2012). Service, casualties, commanders, etc.


 * Federal Military Rosters, 5th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, (accessed 26 Feb 2012).


 * Tennesseans in the Civil War, 5th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, USA, (accessed 4 Jan 2012). A brief history, field officers, captains and companies.


 * Civil War Records, Bradley County, Tennessee, (accessed 26 Feb 2012). Resources available at the Cleveland Public Library. Military Records of Union and Confederate Soldiers from Bradley County (microfilm), Federal Regiments:  5th Tenn. Cavalry Regiment.