5th Alabama Infantry Regiment

The 5th Alabama Infantry Regiment mustered 1,719 men during the Civil War, of whom 300 were killed in action and 240 died of disease.

1861

May 5

Organized at Montgomery with Robet Rodes as its Colonel. Rodes had been captain of the Warrior Guards of Tuscaloosa, which became Company H

May

Duty at Pensacola, Florida

June

Ordered to Manassas, Virginia, becoming part of Ewell's Brigade

October 21

Colonel Rodes was promoted to brigadier general, with the 5th as part of his brigade. Lt. Col. Jones took over as Colonel of the regiment.

December 28

Most of Company H organized into artillery battery.

1862

March

Moved to Yorktown

May

The regiment reenlisted and was reorganized. Colonel Jones was replaced by Colonel Christopher Pegues.

May 31- June 1

Battle of Seven Pines

The regiment lost 27 killed and 128 wounded of 660 men engaged, including Captain James V. Tutt was wounded and resigned due to disability.

June 27

Battle of First Cold Harbor (Gaines' Mill)

Colonel Pegues and Captain George W. Reed were killed. Major E. L. Hobson took command of the regiment.

July 1

Battle of Malvern Hill (Poindexter's Farm)

The regiment lost 15 killed and 58 wounded of the 225 engaged.

July 17

Major Hobson was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Eugene Blackford of Company K was promoted to major.

September 15 - 17

Maryland Campaign

Commanded by Major Hobson, the regiment lost 11 killed and 39 wounded at Bonesboro and Sharpsburg

December 13

Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel E. L. Hobson, while Colonel Josephus Hall temporarily commanded the brigade. It lost 1 wounded.

May 1-4

Battle of Chancellorsville

Commanded by Colonel Hall, the regiment was in the forefront of Jackson's flank attack, the regiment suffered 24 killed, 13 wounded and 121 missing, including Lt. Colonel Hobson, who was wounded, and Captain William Thomas Renfro, who was killed. The 5th lost its colors to the 111th Pennsylvania Regiment. They were returned by the U. S. War Department to the State of Alabama in 1905 and are in the possession of the Alabama Department of Archives and History.

July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded by Colonel Josephus Marion Hall, and brought 24 officers and 293 men to the field. It lost 26 men killed, 116 wounded, and 67 missing. Lieutenant J.N. Robertson was captured.

1864

May 5 - 18

Battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House

Colonel Hall was wounded and resigned due to disability, Captain N. R. E. Ferguson was killed

June

Battle of Cold Harbor

Captain John M. Gilchrist killed

August

The regiment was sent to the Shenandoah Valley

September 19

Third Battle of Winchester

The regiment was part of Battle's Brigade, Ramseur's Division, Army of the Valley; Captain George W. Reed was killed

October 19

Battle of Cedar Creek

Lt. Colonel Hobson temporarily took over the brigade when Colonel Battle was wounded.. Major Blackford was cashiered by a court-martial for "misbehavior before the enemy" but was reinstated by Presdietn Davis after overwhelming support from his men, fellow officers and commanders.

November 29

Lt. Colonel Hobson was promotted to colonel.

1865

January 31

Attached to Grimes' (formerly Rodes') Brigade, Second Army Corps

April 9

Appomattox

Surrendered 4 officers and 53 men under Captain Thomas M. Riley.