The following is a chronological listing of the most significant military activities of the Fifth Iowa during the war. While most of the life of any regiment was spent in camp or garrison, these often boring periods of routine were punctuated by battles and skirmishes in which one's life was on the line. Of course, even in camp, accidents and illness could steal a soldier's life. With their enhanced mobility, cavalry regiments were more active than their infantry counterparts when in garrison. After all, there were railways and telegraph lines to patrol and protect from enemy soldiers and saboteurs.

1861
1 Sep	Begin Mustering	Various Locales
1862
11 Feb	Complete Mustering	St Louis, MO
11 Mar	Action	Paris, TN
25 Mar	Reconnaissance	Regional, TN
31 Mar - 2 Apr	Expedition	Regional, TN
2 Mar - 9 Mar	Expedition	Trenton, TN
5 May	Skirmish	Dresden, TN
5 May	Skirmish	Lockridge's Mill, TN
23 August	Skirmish	Fort Donelson, TN
25 August	Skirmish	Fort Donelson, TN
26 August	Skirmish	Cumberland Iron Works, TN
5 Sep - 10 Sep	Expedition	Fort Donelson, TN
7 Sep	Skirmish	Riggin's Hill, TN
11 Sep	Expedition	Clarendon, AR
18 Sep - 23 Sep	Operations	Fort Donelson, TN
3 Oct	Skirmish	LaFayette Landing, TN
22 Oct	Skirmish	Waverly, TN
23 Oct	Skirmish	Richland Creek, TN
6 Nov	Skirmish	Garrettsburg, KY
1863
16 Jan	Skirmish	Waverly, TN
3 Feb	Action	Cumberland Iron Works, TN
10 Apr	Skirmish	Waverly, TN
12 Apr	Skirmish	Stewartsborough, TN
22 May	Skirmish	Yellow Creek, TN
15 Jun - 17 Jun	Expedition	Tennessee
16 Jun	Skirmish	Lebanon, TN
23 Jun - 7 Jul	Campaign	Middle Tennessee
25 Jun	Skirmish	Guy's Gap, TN
27 Jun	Action	Guy's Gap, TN
27 Jun	Action	Fosterville, TN
27 Jun	Action	Shelbyville, TN
18 Jul - 22 Jul	Expedition	Huntsville, AL
6 Sep	Skirmish	Wartrace, TN
6 Sep	Skirmish	Wartrace, TN
30 Sep - 17 Oct	Pursuing Wheeler	Tennessee
30 Sep - 17 Oct	Pursuing Roddy	Tennessee
6 Oct	Skirmish	Fosterville, TN
6 Oct	Skirmish	Garrison's Creek, TN
6 Oct	Skirmish	Wartrace, TN
9 Oct	Action	Sugar Creek, TN
14 Nov	Expedition	Maysville, AL
1864
1 May - 8 Sep	Campaign	Alabama & Georgia
8 May - 11 May	Demonstration	Rocky Faced Ridge, GA
10 Jul - 22 Jul	Raid	Decatur, AL
13 Jul	Skirmish	Coosa River, AL
14 Jul	Action	Ten Island Ford, AL
18 Jul	Skirmish	Chehaw Station, AL
23 Jul - 25 Aug	Siege	Atlanta, GA
27 Jul - 31 Jul	Railroad Raid	Atlanta & West Point RR
27 Jul - 31 Jul	Railroad Raid	Macon & Western RR
29 Jul	Action	Lovejoy Station GA
30 Jul	Action	Clear Creek, GA
30 Jul	Action	near Newnan, GA
15 Aug	Skirmish	Sandtown, GA
15 Aug	Skirmish	Fairburn, GA
30 Aug	Action	Flint River Station, GA
25 Aug - 30 Aug	Flanking Movement	Jonesborough, GA
31 Aug	Battle	Jonesborough, GA
2 Sep - 5 Sep	Battle	Lovejoy Station, GA
29 Sep - 3 Nov	Operations	Alabama & Georgia
30 Sep	Skirmish	Camp Creek, GA
2 Oct	Skirmish	Noyes, GA
2 Oct	Skirmish	Sweetwater, GA
9 Oct	Skirmish	near VanWert, GA
24 Nov - 27 Nov	Skirmish	Columbia, TN
29 Nov	Action	Columbia Ford, TN
28 Nov	Skirmish	Duck River, TN
15 Dec - 16 Dec	Battle	Nashville, TN
17 Dec	Action	Franklin, TN
17 Dec	Action	West Harpeth River, TN
18 Dec	Action	Spring Hill, TN
24 Dec	Action	Richhland Creek, TN
25 Dec	Action	King's Gap, TN
25 Dec	Action	Devil's Gap, TN
25 Dec	Skirmish	Pulaski, TN
1865
22 Mar - 24 Apr	Raid	Alabama & Georgia
28 Mar	Skirmish	Elyton, AL
31 Mar	Action	Montevallo, AL
1 Apr	Action	Maplesville, AL
2 Apr	Battle	Selma, AL
12 Apr	Occupation	Montgomery, AL
16 Apr	Action	Columbus, GA
20 Apr	Capture	Macon, GA