5th Regiment, Missouri State Militia Cavalry (Union)

Brief History
This regiment was organized at St. Joseph, Mo., March and April, 1862. Attached to District of Central Missouri, Dept. of Missouri, to February, 1863.

Another source gives the following. The 5th Regiment, Missouri State Militia Cavalry was enrolled between 24 February 1862 and 14 May 1862. They were mustered between 8 March 1862 and 14 May 1862. The Regiment was discharged on 22 June 1863. The Colonel in charge was William R. Penick.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 5th Regiment State Militia Cavalry (Old), (accessed 13 July 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 - Captains David E. Shannon and John G Woods - Many men from St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri.

Company B - Captain Daniel H. David - Many men from St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri.

Company C - Captain Joseph H. Richards - Many men from Rock Port, Atchison County, Missouri.

Company D - Captain John S. Minick - Many men from Rock Port, Atchison County, Missouri.

Company E - Captain George Wakerlan - Many men from St. Joseph, Buchanan County

Company F - Captain John B. VanSant - Many men from St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri.

Company G - Captain Robert G. Hubbard - Many men from St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri.

Company H - Major Peter A. Joseph - Many men from St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri.

Company I - Captain William McCarty - Many men from St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri.

Company K - Major William Druhiller - Many men from St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri.

The above information about the companies with partial rosters is found in Kenneth E. Weant's book, Civil War Records Union Troops Missouri Militia Cavalry, Volume 8

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 'Missouri 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.


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