Fifth Kentucky
Infantry
(The Louisville
Legion)
Typed by Joseph
Reinhart, Fort Duffield Camp #1,
SUVCW, member
While in Camp Holt, Rousseau’s
command was presented with a flag by Mrs. Joshua F. Speed. It was
carried
throughout the war. One of the incidents in the camp was an address
made by
Hon. Joseph Holt. The men who had gathered under Rousseau at Camp Holt
were
formed into the Louisville Legion, or 5th Ky. Infantry, and 2d Ky. Cavalry and
Stone’s battery. A portion also went into the 6th Ky. Infantry, under W. C.
Whitaker.
On the 9th of September, the
Louisville Legion was mustered into the service of the United States.
It was at
first called the 3d Ky. Infantry, but afterward the number was changed
to the
5th. This was done by Gov. Bramlette, and the change was very
displeasing to
the Legion.
On the 17th of September,
1861, Rousseau led his men from Camp Holt, and proceeded under the
command of
Gen. W. T. Sherman, to Muldraugh’s Hill.
While at Muldraugh’s Hill,
Rousseau was commissioned brigadier-general, and Lieut. Col. Harvy M.
Buckley
became colonel. The regiment remained for some time on duty along the
railroad
to Bowling Green and Nashville. From Nashville it marched with Buell’s
army by
way of Columbia to Savannah, from thence it was conveyed by boats to Pittsburg
Landing. It arrived in time to take part in the second day’s battle
at that
place. Rousseau’s brigade at that time was a very fine one, being
composed of
the 6th Ind., Col.
T. T. Crittenden; the 1st Ohio,
which was McCook’s regiment;
the 15th,
16th
and 19th
Regulars, the Louisville Legion and Terrell’s battery.
McCook commanded the division to which this brigade belonged. The
services of
Rousseau’s brigade and the Legion were favorably mentioned in the
official
reports.
Gen. McClernand, who
commanded a division in Grant’s army, which had fought the first day,
in
speaking of the events of the second day, says:
"Our position at this
moment was most critical and a repulse seemed inevitable, but
fortunately the
Louisville Legion, forming part of Gen. Rousseau’s brigade, came up at
my
request and succored me; extending and strengthening my line, this
gallant body
poured into the enemy’s ranks one of the most terrible fires I ever
witnessed,
then breaking its center it fell back in disorder, and thenceforth he
was
beaten at all points, until our successful pursuit was stayed. The
generous
response of Gen. Rousseau to my request for succor, no less than the
gallant
bearing of himself, Col. Buckley, Lieut. Col.
Berry and Maj. Treanor,
officers
of the same command, challenge my gratitude while commanding my
admiration." These are handsome expressions from one who, up to that
moment, was a total stranger.
Gen. McCook, in his report,
speaks of Rousseau’s brigade debarking at 5 o’clock a.m., the 7th
inst., and
proceeding at once to the front, where it became engaged. After
pursuing the
retiring enemy for a mile it encountered a "desperate stand."
"At this juncture,"
says he, "Col. Buckley’s 5th Regiment Kentucky Volunteers charged and
captured the two guns in position with four more of the same battery
partially
disabled, which the enemy could not carry off." Gen. Rousseau’s brigade
continued to advance, and recaptured the headquarters of Gen.
McClernand, of
the day before. Gen. McCook speaks in his report in the highest terms
of Gen.
Rousseau. He says: "Gen. Rousseau led his brigade into action and
opened
the conflict of this division in the most handsome and gallant style.
He was
ever to be seen watching the contest with a soldierly care and
interest, which
made him the admiration of the entire command."
Gen. McCook was so pleased
with Col. Buckley’s conduct he expressed his thanks to him on the
field, and
declared he would do all in his power to place stars on his shoulders
instead
of the eagles.
The writer has learned from
Col. Buckley, that Gen. Sherman was also profuse and full of enthusiasm
in
complimenting the work of the Legion. Riding in front of the regiment,
he said
he would like to make a speech to the men, but he was not a speaker; if
his
brother John were there he could do it - that he had nothing to give
them
except his hat, and threw it to them; with great shouts it was taken,
but
consideration for the general caused them to return it to him.
From Shiloh, the Legion went
to Corinth, and from thence with Buell’s army to Huntsville, Ala. In
the summer
of 1862, it marched to Kentucky with Buell. From Louisville, it marched
to
Perryville. On the way it was engaged with the enemy at a place called
Dog’s
Walk, near Lawrenceburg. It was not with the troops engaged in the
battle of
Perryville. After that battle it went in pursuit of Bragg, as far as
Crab
Orchard, and thence to Bowling Green and Nashville, and camped on the
road to
Franklin.
There Maj. John Treanor was
complimented by being appointed by Gen. Rosecrans on a board of
examination, of
which Maj. John King, U. S. A., was president. He served for several
weeks on
this board, investigating the fitness and qualifications of officers.
In the battle of
Murfreesboro,
the Legion bore its part, losing men killed and wounded. Among
the wounded was Maj. Treanor. He was also captured and held as a
prisoner five
months, being in Libby Prison. At the same time he was promoted
lieutenant-colonel, and upon his return was with the regiment in the Tullahoma
campaign. The regiment also took part in all the movements about
Chattanooga,
and in the battle
of Chickamauga, under Gen. Thomas, whose troops stood so
bravely in the battle. At that time it was in the 3d Brigade (Col.
Baldwin),
1st Division (Gen. R. W. Johnson), 20th Army Corps (McCook). Gen.
McCook says,
in his report: "Johnson’s division fought on the left. All acknowledge
the
gallantry of his division. He never attacked that he was not
successful, and
the enemy never assaulted him without being repulsed." He recommended
Col.
Berry for promotion. Gen. Johnson in his report specially mentions the
5th
Kentucky and compliments its officers. In this terrible battle, Col.
Baldwin
commanding the brigade was killed and Col. Berry of the 5th Ky. took
his place.
Maj. Thomasson of
the 5th was also killed, and the command of the regiment
devolved on Capt. John M. Houston. Col. Berry reports that at a
critical point
in the battle the 5th Ky. "charged under the lead of Capt. Houston with
an
impetuosity never excelled, struck the enemy in the flank and drove
them a mile
and a half capturing many prisoners, among them Gen. Adams." "In this
charge," says he, "Lieut. Houston of the 5th was killed." Capt.
Houston’s report of the conduct of the 5th in this battle mentions
especially
Capts. Hurley, Lindenfelser and Wilson, and Lieuts. Zoller, McCorkhill,
Miller,
Powell, Thomas and Jones, also Adjt. Johnstone. He mentions the death
of his
own son, Lieut. Houston, and the wounding of Capt. Moninger. His report
shows
that he was full of admiration for his regiment. He says: "The men of
the
5th Ky. are soldiers. This is not only proven by their bravery on the
field,
but by the patience and forbearance with which they have borne the most
extraordinary labor, exposure and privation."
About two months after the
battle of Chickamauga occurred the battle of
Missionary Ridge. On the 23d the
Legion was engaged at Orchard Knob, where, among other casualties, Col.
W. W.
Berry was wounded, but refused to retire. In the great engagement of
the 25th,
Col. Berry was again wounded and unable to walk. Being assisted and
started
down the ridge, he ordered his men to carry him forward up the ridge,
which was
done. In this battle the regiment lost forty-seven killed and wounded.
Among
the killed was Capt. Upton Wilson whose gallantry was conspicuous at
Chickamauga
and elsewhere.
From Missionary Ridge, the
regiment went under Gen. Sherman to the relief of Knoxville.
It engaged in the
operations against Longstreet, in East Tennessee, during the winter of
1863-4,
being about Knoxville, at New Market and Strawberry Plains, and also
below
Knoxville at Lenoir Station. While in East Tennessee a portion of the
regiment
went into the veteran organization and were transferred to the 2d Ky. Veteran
Cavalry. In the spring of 1864, the regiment became part of
Sherman’s army,
organizing for the Atlanta campaign.
It was assigned to Hazen’s brigade of Gen.
T. J. Wood’s division, 4th Army Corps. It participated in much of the
fighting
in this campaign, first at Rocky
Face. At Resaca,
the regiment lost a number
killed and wounded, among the killed being Capt. Ed Miller of Company
G. Loss
was also sustained at Pumpkin Vine Creek, Dallas, Kennesaw,
Chattahoochee
River, Peach
Tree Creek and other battles around Atlanta. From Atlanta the
regiment returned to Nashville in August, 1864. At that time Gen.
Rousseau was
in command at Nashville, and for the time his old Louisville Legion was
under
him again.
The time of the regiment
expired in September, and it was mustered out of service September 14,
1864, at
Louisville. A portion of the regiment entered the veteran organization
-
between eighty and one hundred men. These preceeded, under charge of
Capt. John
Baker, from Louisville to Nashville, and reported to Gen. Thomas for
duty. They
participated in the battle of
Nashville, and after that they went on the
pursuit of Hood’s army into Alabama, as far as Athens. From Athens they
returned to Nashville. They were then taken by way of Louisville,
Pittsburg and
Philadelphia to New York, thence by ocean transport to Hilton Head, and
from
thence proceeded to Raleigh, N.C., where they joined Sherman’s forces.
After
the surrender they returned to Louisville, where they were mustered out
July
25, 1865.
Gen. Sherman said of this
organization: "No single body of men can claim more honor for the grand
result than the officers and men of the Louisville Legion of 1861."
From Dyer's Compendium:
5th Regiment Infantry "Louisville
Legion"
Organized at Camp Joe, Holt, Ky., September
9, 1861.
Attached to Rousseau's 1st Brigade, McCook's Command, at Nolin to
November,
1861. 4th Brigade, Army of Ohio, to December, 1861. 4th Brigade, 2nd
Division,
Army of Ohio, to September, 1862. 4th Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Army
Corps,
Army of Ohio, to November, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, Right Wing
14th
Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to January, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd
Division, 20th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October, 1863.
2nd
Brigade, 3rd Division, 4th Army Corps, to July, 1864. Unattached, 4th
Division,
20th Army Corps, to September, 1864.
SERVICE.--Moved to
Muldraugh's Hill, Ky., September 17, 1861, and duty there until October
14.
Duty at Bacon Creek and Green River until February, 1862. March to
Nashville,
Tenn., February 17-March 3; thence march to Savannah, Tenn., March
16-April 6.
Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., April 6-7. Advance on and siege of Corinth,
Miss.,
April 29-May 30. Bridge Creek May 27. Duty at Corinth until June 10.
Buell's
Campaign in Northern Alabama and Middle Tennessee June to August. March
to
Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Bragg August 21-September 26. Pursuit of
Bragg
into Kentucky October 1-15. Dog Walk, Ky., October 8-9. March to
Nashville,
Tenn., October 16-November 7, and duty there until December 26.
Kimbrough's
Mills December 6. Advance on Murfreesboro, Tenn., December 26-30.
Nolensville
December 26-27. Battle of Stone's River December 30-31, 1862, and
January 1-3,
1863. At Murfreesboro until June. Middle Tennessee (or Tullahoma)
Campaign June
22-July 7. Liberty Gap June 22-27. Occupation of Middle Tennessee until
August
16. Passage of Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga
(Ga.)
Campaign August 16-September 22. Battle of Chickamauga, Ga., September
19-20.
Siege of Chattanooga September 24-November 23. Reopening Tennessee
River October
26-29. Brown's Ferry October 27. Battles of Chattanooga November 23-25.
·
Orchard Knob November 23-24. Mission Ridge November 25. Pursuit to
Graysville
November 26-27. March to relief of Knoxville November 28-December 8.
Campaign
in East Tennessee December, 1863, to April, 1864. Atlanta (Ga.)
Campaign May 1
to July 25. Demonstration on Rocky Faced Ridge and Dalton May 5-13.
Battle of
Resaca May 14-15. Adairsville May 17. Near Kingston May 18-19. Near
Cassville
May 19. Advance on Dallas May 22-25. Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine
Creek
and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills May
25-June 5.
Pickett's Mills May 27. Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw
Mountain
June 10-July 2. Pine Hill June 11-14. Lost Mountain June 15-17. Assault
on
Kenesaw June 27. Ruff's Station, Smyrna Camp Ground, July 4. Pace's
Ferry July
5. Chattahoochie River July 6-17. Peach Tree Creek July 19-20. Siege of
Atlanta
July 22-25. Ordered to Nashville, Tenn., July 25; thence to Louisville,
Ky.
Mustered out September 14, 1864. (Veterans moved to Nashville July 25
and duty
there until January, 1865. Battle of Nashville, Tenn., December 15-16.
Pursuit
of Hood December 17-28. Moved to Louisville, Pittsburg, Philadelphia,
New York
and Hilton Head, S.C., and rejoin Sherman at Raleigh, N. C., April,
1865.
Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to
Washington, D.C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 19. Grand Review May
24.
Moved to Louisville, Ky., June. Mustered out July 25, 1865.)
Regiment lost during service
8 Officers and 149 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2
Officers and
143 Enlisted men by disease. Total 302.
Joe Reinhart adds the
following:
The Fifth Kentucky Infantry became part of William B.Hazen's brigade and Thomas J. Wood's division in October 1863. The members of the regiment who re-enlisted as veteran volunteers transferred to the 2nd Kentucky Veteran Volunteer Cavalry Regiment after the Fifth Kentucky mustered out of service in September 1864.
Copyright © 2000-2009, Robert M. Baker, Timothy
Downey, and
the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War,
Additional Resources
Joseph
Reinhart, 5th Kentucky Historian