5th Battalion, Alabama Infantry Volunteers

Brief History
5th Infantry Battalion was formed near Dumfries, Virginia, in December, 1861, with men from Sumner, Calhoun, and Mobile counties. Composed of six companies it was known as the 8th Battalion prior to October 22, 1862. In September, 1864, it totalled 159 effectives and surrendered with 125.

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 Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database lists 1,010 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Companies by County:


 * Company A "North Sumter Rifles" - many men from Sumter County
 * Company B "Calhoun Sharpshooters" - many men from Calhoun County
 * Company C "White Plains Rangers" - many men from Calhoun County
 * Company D "The Daniel Boone Rifles" - many men from Mobile County
 * Company E - temporarily attached in April and May, 1862 to the Fifth Alabama Battalion; this was a Florida unit. On June 10th 1862 this company was transferred and became Company L of the Fifty-fifth Virginia Regiment.
 * Company F -temporarily attached in April and May, 1862 to the Fifth Alabama Battalion; this was an artillery unit. On June 10th, 1862 this company was transferred and became Company M of the Fifty-fifth Virginia Infantry Regiment.

The companies by county are found on the history-sites.com web site. The history of Companies E and F is found in the unit history on the history-sites.com web site.

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 'Alabama 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.


 * Alabama in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Alabama, 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, e