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5th United States Cavalry

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Muster In: Organized by direction of the President from 2nd United States Cavalry August 3, 1861.1
Muster Out: Unit was in existence after the Civil War.2

Commander(s):
Captain Julius W. Mason
Commander Image

Captain Thomas Drummond
Commander Image

Lieutenant Thomas E. Maley
Commander Image

Lieutenant Jeremiah C. Denney
Commander Image

Lieutenant Gustavus Urban
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Reserve Brigade | First Division | Cavalry Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army3,4

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Reserve Brigade | First Division | Cavalry Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army5,6

  • Commander: Lieutenant Thomas E. Maley (June 30, 1864)7
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Companies B, F, and K, under Captain Julius W. Mason, were detailed as an escort to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant at this time.8

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Reserve Brigade | First Division | Cavalry Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army9,10

  • Commander: Lieutenant Jeremiah C. Denney (July 31, 1864)11
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Companies B, F, and K, under Captain Julius W. Mason, were detailed as an escort to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant at this time.12

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Reserve Brigade | First Division | Cavalry Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Companies B, F, and K were detailed as an escort to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant at this time. (I need to find a source for this, but I know it is true.)
  • Note: The Reserve Brigade, First Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac was ordered to Washington, D. C. and embarked in early August 1864.  More research is needed on the exact date(s).13

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer present at the Siege of Petersburg.14
  • Note: Companies B, F, and K were detailed as an escort to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant at this time and were stationed at City Point, Va.15

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer present at the Siege of Petersburg.16
  • Note: Companies B, F, and K were detailed as an escort to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant at this time and were stationed at City Point, Va. (need source)

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer present at the Siege of Petersburg.17
  • Note: Companies B, F, and K were detailed as an escort to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant at this time and were stationed at City Point, Va. (need source)

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer present at the Siege of Petersburg.18
  • Note: Companies B, F, and K were detailed as an escort to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant at this time and were stationed at City Point, Va. (need source)

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Third (Reserve) Brigade | First Division | Cavalry | Army of the Shenandoah | Union Army19,20

  • Commander:
    • Captain Thomas Drummond (killed April 1)(March 31-April 1, 1865)21
    • Lieutenant Gustavus Urban (April 1-2, 1865)22
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Sheridan’s cavalry from the Army of the Shenandoah, formerly the 1st and 3rd Divisions, Cavalry Corps, AotP, crossed the James River from the north side on March 26, 1865 to rejoin the Union Armies operating against Richmond and Petersburg.
  • Note: Companies B, F, and K under Captain Julius W. Mason were detailed as an escort to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant at this time and were stationed at City Point, Va.23,24

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles25:

  • Sheridan’s Trevillian Raid June 7-24.
  • Trevillian Station June 11-12.
  • Mallory’s Cross Roads June 12.
  • Black Creek or Tunstall Station and White House or St. Peter’s Church June 21.
  • Jones’ Bridge June 23.
  • (Expedition from Point Lookout to Pope’s Creek June 11-21, Detachment.)
  • Siege of Petersburg until August.
  • Deep Bottom July 27-28.
  • Malvern Hill July 28.
  • …away…
  • Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9.
  • Dinwiddie Court House March 30-31.
  • Five Forks April 1.
  • Scott’s Cross Roads April 2.
  • Tabernacle Church or Beaver Pond Creek April 4.
  • Amelia Springs April 4-5.
  • Sailor’s Creek April 6.
  • Appomattox Station April 8.
  • Appomattox Court House April 9.
  • Surrender of Lee and his army.

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    2. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    3. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 232 ↩
    4. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 551 ↩
    5. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 232 ↩
    6. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 551 ↩
    7. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 551 ↩
    8. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 551 ↩
    9. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 261 ↩
    10. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 736 ↩
    11. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 736 ↩
    12. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 250 ↩
    13. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    14. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    15. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1297. ↩
    16. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    17. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    18. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    19. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 575: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    20. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 591: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865” ↩
    21. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 575: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    22. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 575: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    23. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 564: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    24. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 581: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865” ↩
    25. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩

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    { 2 comments… add one }
    • Ed Sargus May 16, 2015, 2:02 pm

      The 5th U.S. Cavalry was under Sheridan’s command and was engaged in stopping Early’s Army in late 1864. The unit arrived near Petersburg in March of 1865. It was primarily commanded by Captain Thomas Drummond, about him I have done research. He led the 5th at Five Forks, where he was killed. Captain Julius W. Mason led three of the regiment’s ten companies which were assigned to Grant’s headquarters for messaging and security. I have a lot more, if you are interested.

      ∞
    • Brett Schulte May 17, 2015, 11:32 am

      Mr. Sargus,

      Thanks for commenting! I would be very interested in your research on the 5th and Captain Drummond. I am going to try to send you an email directly via the email address you provided, but I’ve had trouble getting emails through to that extension in the past. If I get a returned email, I’ll contact you here again and have you try to send me an alternate email address via the Contact link at the top of every page on this site.

      Brett

      ∞

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