5th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment

The 5th Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Service
The 5th Michigan Infantry was organized at Detroit, Michigan and mustered into Federal service for a three year enlistment on August 28, 1861.

In October 1862 the Army of the Potomac was reorganized. The 5th Michigan, along with the 17th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment, was placed in the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Corps. "Our regiment is assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, III Corps (Union Army). This Brigade is commanded by General Berry of Maine (Hiram Gregory Berry), who is at this time sick at home. The division is commanded by General Birney of Pennsylvania (David B. Birney), the corps by Major General George Stoneman (George Stoneman). Colonel Poe of Michigan is in temporary command of our brigade."

The regiment was mustered out on July 5, 1865 at Jeffersonville, Indiana.

Total Strength and Casualties
The regiment mustered a total of 1586 men during its existence. It suffered 16 officers and 247 enlisted men who were killed in action or motally wounded and 3 officer and 188 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 454 fatalities.

"When compared to other Michigan regiments that fought in the Civil War, the Fifth Michigan stands out. It had the second highest number of casualties of all Michigan infantry regiments in the war. Of all Union infantry regiments in the war, the Fifth Michigan ranked fifth in total number of casualties endured. A logical explanation for so many combat deaths and wounds is the fact that the Fighting Fifth played a key role in numerous charges against Confederate positions: twice at Williamsburg (Battle of Williamsburg), and at Fair Oaks (Battle of Seven Pines) the Wilderness (Battle of the Wilderness), Spotsylvania, North Anna, and Petersburg."

Commanders

 * Colonel Henry D. Terry; 1861- Jun 1862
 * Major John D. Fairbanks; 25 Jun 1862- 30 Jun 1862
 * Captain Judson S. Farrar; Jul 1862
 * Captain William Wakenshaw; Aug 1862
 * Lieutenant Colonel Gilluly; - 13 Dec 1862 (KIA)
 * Lieutenant Colonel Sherlock; 13 Dec 1862 - 3 May 1863 (KIA)
 * Lieutenant Colonel John Pulford; 3 May 1863 – 5 May 1864
 * Major S Mathews; 5 May 1864
 * Captain William Wakenshaw; 6 May 1864
 * Captain Edgar H. Shook; 6 May 1864,
 * Lieutenant (unnamed); May 1865
 * Colonel John Pulford; Jun 1864
 * Major Daniel S. Root; Aug 1864
 * Lieutenant Colonel S. S. Mathews; Oct 1864
 * Lieutenant Colonel Daniel S. Root; 31 Jan 1865
 * Colonel John Pulford; 28 Feb 1865 – 17 Jul 1865

Timeline
The Regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Lieutenant Colonel John Pulford, who was wounded on July 2 - the third of five times during the war. From the Gettysburg monument: "Effective strength July 2nd 1863; present and detached service 21 officers and 262 men, total 283. Casualties: Killed 2 officers, 17 men; Wounded 8 officers 78 men; Missing 4 men; Total 109." "The regiment fought here about 4:30 o'clock p.m., July 2, 1863, after it had been assembled from the skirmish line far in advance of this position. It moved to the support of the 2nd Corps in resisting Pickett's Charge, July 3."
 * August 28, 1861	Organized at Detroit, Mich., and mustered in
 * September 11	Left State for Washington, D.C.
 * September 13	Attached to Richardson's Brigade, Heintzelman's Division, Army of the Potomac and duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.
 * October 21–24	Reconnaissance to Occoquan
 * January 9, 1862	Pohick Run, Va.
 * March, 1862 	Attached to Berry's 3rd Brigade, Kearny's 3rd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
 * March 10–15	Advance to Manassas, Va.,
 * March 17	Moved to the Virginia Peninsula
 * March to August.	Peninsula Campaign
 * April 5-May 4	Siege of Yorktown, Va.
 * May 31-June 1	Battle of Fair Oaks, or Seven Pines
 * June 25-July 1	Seven days before Richmond
 * June 25	Oak Grove
 * June 29	Savage Station and Peach Orchard
 * June 30	Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale
 * July 1	Malvern Hill
 * July 2 - August 16	Duty at Harrison's Landing
 * August 16–26	Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Centreville; 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps
 * August 29	Battle of Groveton
 * August 30	Bull Run
 * September 1	Chantilly
 * September 2 - October 11	Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D, C.
 * October 11-November 23	March up the Potomac to Leesburg, and then to Falmouth
 * December 12–15	Battle of Fredericksburg
 * January 20–24, 1863	"Mud March"
 * January 25 - April 27	At Falmouth
 * April 27-May 6	Chancellorsville Campaign
 * May 1–5	Battle of Chancellorsville
 * June 11-July 24	Gettysburg Campaign
 * July 1–3	Battle of Gettysburg
 * July 5–24	Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va.
 * July 23	Action at Wapping Heights, Va.
 * August 16-September 17	On detached duty at New York City and at Troy, N.Y.
 * October 9–22	Bristoe Campaign
 * October 13	Auburn
 * November 7–8	Advance to line of the Rappahannock
 * November 7	Kelly's Ford
 * November 26-December 2	Mine Run Campaign
 * November 27	Payne's Farm
 * January 4 to
 * February 14, 1864	Veterans on furlough
 * February 6–7	Demonstration on the Rapidan
 * March	Attached to 2nd Brigade. 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps
 * May 4-June 15	Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River
 * May 5–7	Battles of the Wilderness
 * May 8	Laurel Hill
 * May 8–12	Spotsylvania
 * May 10	Po River
 * May 12–21	Spotsylvania Court House
 * May 12	Assault on the Salient ("Bloody Angle")
 * May 19	Harris Farm, Fredericksburg Road
 * May 23–26	North Anna River
 * May 26–28	On line of the Pamunkey
 * May 8–31	Totopotomoy
 * June 1–12	Cold Harbor
 * June 16–18	Before Petersburg
 * June 16	Siege of Petersburg begins
 * June 22–23	Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon Railroad
 * July 27–29	Demonstration on north side of the James
 * July 27–28	Deep Bottom
 * August 13–20	Demonstration on north side of the James at Deep Bottom
 * August 14–18	Strawberry Plains
 * September 29-October 2	Poplar Springs Church
 * October 27–28	Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run
 * December 7–12	Warren's Raid on Weldon Railroad
 * February 5–7, 1865	Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run
 * March 25	Watkins' House
 * March 28-April 9	Appomattox Campaign
 * March 30–31	White Oak Road
 * March 31	Crow's House
 * April 2	Fall of Petersburg
 * April 3–9	Pursuit of Lee
 * April 6	Sailor's Creek
 * April 7	High Bridge
 * April 9	Appomattox Court House, surrender of Lee and his army
 * May 2–12	March to Washington, D.C.
 * May 23	Grand Review
 * June 10–14	Moved to Louisville, Ky.
 * June 15 - July 5	At Jeffersonville, Ind.
 * July 5, 1865	Mustered out
 * 17 July 1865	Disbanded at Detroit, Mi.