University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Archives Department.

United States. Army. Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, 5th (1861-1865).

Records, 1861-1865.

UWM Manuscript Collection 78

.4 cubic feet (1 archives box)


ABSTRACT: Collection contains records of the 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. Most of the records are from Company F. The documents include descriptive lists of clothing; lists of camp clothing and garrison equipment; ordnance and ordnance stores; hospitalization and furlough records; and a few desertion records. The descriptive lists of clothing describe the amount allowed by the government, the amount of clothing drawn, and the balance due. The lists of camp clothing and garrison equipment are quarterly reports of clothing, camp, and garrison equipment returned to the Quartermaster General's office. The Ordnance Office records concern materials returned or owed to it by the Company. The hospitalization records describe the amount of pay drawn by those hospitalized. The furlough records describe who went where, for how long, and travel costs. There are also discharge papers for Corporal Albert West.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law. However, the researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: The majority of this collection concerns the 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment of Volunteers, Company F, during the Civil War. The documents are official records of the Regiment, which include descriptive lists of clothing, lists of camp clothing and garrison equipment, and ordnance and ordnance stores. Also contains hospitalization and furlough records for the company, as well as a few desertion and discharge records.

The descriptive lists of clothing describes the amount allowed by the government, the amount of clothing drawn, and the balance due. These records also give names of soldiers, physical descriptions, the soldiers' occupation, where he enlisted, and the term of enlistment.

The lists of camp clothing and garrison equipment are quarterly reports of clothing, camp, and garrison equipment returned to the Quartermaster General's office (1862-1865). Also contains reports of equipment lost in battle, including canteens, knapsacks, etc.

The Ordnance Office records concern materials returned or owed to it by Company C, F, and K (1863 and 1864). There are also two accounts of Austrian rifle muskets being exchanged for Springfield muskets during battle because they wouldn't fire.

The hospitalization records describe the amount of pay drawn by those who were hospitalized (1862-1864). There is also a letter written by a wounded private asking for a descriptive roll so that he can receive his clothing and pay (October 1864).

The furlough records describe who went where, for how long, and travel costs. The desertion records contain letters detailing the amount given to men who returned deserters (1863). The majority of the material deals with Private Otis Darling who deserted 20 October 1863. The discharge records are official discharge records from hospitals and the discharging office itself (1862-64). There are a few death notices from hospitals which explain how and when the soldier died along with an inventory of effects left behind.

There is one discharge paper for a Corporal Albert West of Company E, November 1862 (the Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers lists West as being in Company F). There are two desertion letters concerning Peter Anderson of Company K explaining where and when he deserted (June 1865). There is also one certificate of absence for a W.W. Spinnell of Company C (January 1865).

ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY: According to Dyer's Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, the 5th mustered into the army on 12 July 1861 in Madison, Wisconsin. The regiment served its three years in the Army of the Potomac. The regiment mustered out on 3 August 1864. Three companies reorganized as an independent battalion in August 1864, and as a full regiment in September. The three companies mustered out on 24 June 1865, and the full regiment on 11 July. The regiment lost a total of 329 officers and men in service. 15 officers and 180 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, and 2 officers and 132 died of disease.

COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:

United States. Army. Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, 5th (1861-1865). Records, 1861-1865. UWM Manuscript Collection 77. University Manuscript Collections. Golda Meir Library. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.

RELATED COLLECTIONS:

Millane family. Photographs, ca. 1861-1908. (UWM Manuscript Collection 130)


ACQUISITION: The collection was given to the Milwaukee Public Library at an unknown date and by an unknown donor. The Milwaukee Public Library transferred the collection to the Milwaukee Urban Archives in the spring of 1991 (accession number 95-054).

PROCESSING: Juanita Cuiter and Shawn Carlson processed the collection at the Archives in May-October 1991.

MARC RECORD SEARCH TERMS: The following terms were used in the online bibliographic MARC record to this collection:

UWM MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION 78 BOX FOLDER
Companies C, F, K, Ordinanace and Ordinance Stores, 1863-1864 11
Company C, Hospitalizations, 1865 12
Company E, Discharges, 1862, 1865 13
Company F, Camp Clothing and Equipage Receipts, 1863-1864 14
Company F, Camp Clothing and Garrison Equipage, Monthly and Quarterly Returns, 1862-1865 15
Company F, Correspondence, Miscellaneous, 1862-1865 16
Company F, Deaths, 1861-1864 17
Company F, Desertions, 1863 18
Company F, Descriptive Lists, Amounts of Pay and Clothing, 1862-1864 19
Company F, Discharges, 1862-1864 110
Company F, Furlough Records, 1862-1864 111
Company F, Hospitalizations, 1862-1864 112
Company F, Muster Rolls, 1862-1864 113
Company F, Returns, 1863-1864 114
Company K, Desertions, 1865 115

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URL: http://www.uwm.edu/Library/arch/findaids/uwmmss78.htm
Last edited on Thursday, September 13, 2001.
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