5th USCT
5th United States Colored Troops Company G American Civil War Reenacting Unit
The regiment was formed as the 127th Ohio
Volunteer Infantry at Camp Delaware, Ohio.
The photo to the right is the 127th in
Delaware, Ohio ( click photo). It was re-
designated the 5th Regiment, United States
Colored Troops, and moved to Norfolk,
Virginia, in November 1863, immediately
after three months of organization. It served
at Norfolk and Portsmouth in the
Department of Virginia and North Carolina
until January 1864, during which time the
unit participated in Brigadier General
Edward A. Wild's expedition to South Mills
and Camden Court House, North Carolina,
from December 5 to December 24 and in
action at Sandy Swamp, North Carolina, on
December 8.0
The 5th was then moved to Yorktown,
Virginia where it became part of the XVIII
Corps and was involved in several
expeditions: Wistar's Expedition against
Richmond from February 6 to February 8,
1864, an expedition to New Kent Court House
in aid of Brigadier General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick's cavalry from March 1 to March 4
(including action at New Kent Court House on March 2), an expedition into King and
Queen County from March 9 to March 12, and an expedition into Mathews and Middlesex
Counties from March 17 to March 21.
The 5th participated in the capture of City Point, Virginia, on May 4, 1864 and while in the
city the regiment served fatigue duty, built Fort Converse on the Appomattox River,
defended an attack against Fort Converse on May 20, and took part in Brigadier General
Benjamin F. Butler's operations on the south side of the James River and against Petersburg
and Richmond. The unit participated in action at Bailor's Farm on June 15, 1864 before
taking part in the Richmond–Petersburg Campaign from June 16 to December 6, 1864. The
5th served in the trenches around Petersburg, seeing action there during the Battle of the
Crater on July 30.
On August 28, 1864, the regiment moved to Deep Bottom in Henrico County, Virginia, and
subsequently participated in the Battle of Chaffin's Farm and Fort Harrison from
September 28 to September 30 and the Battle of Fair Oaks from October 27 to October 28
before returning to the trenches, this time near Richmond. Four men of the 5th Regiment
received the Medal of Honor for their actions at Chaffin's Farm: Powhatan Beaty, James H.
Bronson, Milton M. Holland, and Robert Pinn.
In December the unit was assigned to the newly-formed XXV Corps and took part in the
failed attack on Fort Fisher, North Carolina, from December 7 to December 27, 1864 and
the successful Second Battle of Fort Fisher from January 7 to January 15, 1865. The 5th
then saw action at Sugar Loaf Hill on January 19 and at Federal Point on February 11
before taking part in the Battle of Wilmington at Fort Anderson from February 18 to
February 20 and the capture of Wilmington as well as action at Northeast Ferry on
February 22, 1865.
In March 1865, the 5th Regiment was re-assigned to the X Corps and took part in General
William Tecumseh Sherman's Carolinas Campaign. The unit saw action during the advance
on Kinston and Goldsboro, North Carolina, starting on March 6 and occupied Goldsboro
after its capture on March 21. The regiment saw further action at Cox's Bridge on March 23
and March 24 and participated in the advance on Raleigh, North Carolina, starting on April
9 and the occupation of Raleigh after the city's fall on April 14. With the end of the war at
hand, the men of the 5th witnessed the surrender of Confederate General Joseph E.
Johnston and his army at Bennett Place, North Carolina, on April 26, 1865. The unit served
out the rest of its term in Goldsboro, New Bern, and Carolina City, North Carolina.
The 5th was mustered out on September 20, 1865 after two years of existence. The regiment
lost a total of 249 men during its service; four officers and 77 enlisted men were killed or
mortally wounded and two officers and 166 enlisted men died of disease.
Virginia where it became part of the XVIII
Corps and was involved in several
expeditions: Wistar's Expedition against
Richmond from February 6 to February 8,
1864, an expedition to New Kent Court House
in aid of Brigadier General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick's cavalry from March 1 to March 4
(including action at New Kent Court House on March 2), an expedition into King and
Queen County from March 9 to March 12, and an expedition into Mathews and Middlesex
Counties from March 17 to March 21.
The 5th participated in the capture of City Point, Virginia, on May 4, 1864 and while in the
city the regiment served fatigue duty, built Fort Converse on the Appomattox River,
defended an attack against Fort Converse on May 20, and took part in Brigadier General
Benjamin F. Butler's operations on the south side of the James River and against Petersburg
and Richmond. The unit participated in action at Bailor's Farm on June 15, 1864 before
taking part in the Richmond–Petersburg Campaign from June 16 to December 6, 1864. The
5th served in the trenches around Petersburg, seeing action there during the Battle of the
Crater on July 30.
On August 28, 1864, the regiment moved to Deep Bottom in Henrico County, Virginia, and
subsequently participated in the Battle of Chaffin's Farm and Fort Harrison from
September 28 to September 30 and the Battle of Fair Oaks from October 27 to October 28
before returning to the trenches, this time near Richmond. Four men of the 5th Regiment
received the Medal of Honor for their actions at Chaffin's Farm: Powhatan Beaty, James H.
Bronson, Milton M. Holland, and Robert Pinn.
In December the unit was assigned to the newly-formed XXV Corps and took part in the
failed attack on Fort Fisher, North Carolina, from December 7 to December 27, 1864 and
the successful Second Battle of Fort Fisher from January 7 to January 15, 1865. The 5th
then saw action at Sugar Loaf Hill on January 19 and at Federal Point on February 11
before taking part in the Battle of Wilmington at Fort Anderson from February 18 to
February 20 and the capture of Wilmington as well as action at Northeast Ferry on
February 22, 1865.
In March 1865, the 5th Regiment was re-assigned to the X Corps and took part in General
William Tecumseh Sherman's Carolinas Campaign. The unit saw action during the advance
on Kinston and Goldsboro, North Carolina, starting on March 6 and occupied Goldsboro
after its capture on March 21. The regiment saw further action at Cox's Bridge on March 23
and March 24 and participated in the advance on Raleigh, North Carolina, starting on April
9 and the occupation of Raleigh after the city's fall on April 14. With the end of the war at
hand, the men of the 5th witnessed the surrender of Confederate General Joseph E.
Johnston and his army at Bennett Place, North Carolina, on April 26, 1865. The unit served
out the rest of its term in Goldsboro, New Bern, and Carolina City, North Carolina.
The 5th was mustered out on September 20, 1865 after two years of existence. The regiment
lost a total of 249 men during its service; four officers and 77 enlisted men were killed or
mortally wounded and two officers and 166 enlisted men died of disease.
5th USCT History
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