States Contributing Companies to the Regiment

The Fifth Iowa Volunteer Cavalry regiment was one of the finest military units--Union or Confederate--to see service during the War Between the States. Yet, that is not its only claim to fame. The Fifth Iowa was quite possibly unique in that it melded companies raised independently in four different states into a single cohesive regiment. (It might even be argued that the Fifth Iowa was birthed by companies from five different states; although Company L was raised in Missouri, it was initiated by the Governor of Illinois, who commissioned its officers.) On the February 25, 1864, Companies G, I and K were reassigned to the State of Minnesota, and organized as an independent battalion with Major Brackett in command. Two of the three companies, G and I, were reconstituted when the veterans and recruits of the Fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry were consolidated with the regiment on August 18, 1864. Below you will see the locale from which each of the companies came. It is a testimony to the regiment's leadership that such disparate elements were able to perform together so superbly.

Curtis Horse Company A Recruited at Omaha, Nebraska and Sidney, Iowa September 14 to November 13, 1861	Curtis Horse Company B Recruited at Omaha, Nebraska and Mills County, Iowa September 14 to November 13, 1861
Curtis Horse Company C Recruited at Nebraska City, Nebraska and in Page County, Iowa September 14 to November 13, 1861	Curtis Horse Company D Organized at Omaha, Nebraska and in the State of Missouri Mustered at St Louis on November 13, 1861
Fremont Hussars Company E Raised in Dubuque, Iowa Mustered October 25, 1861	Fremont Hussars Company F Raised in Fort Madison & Burlington, Iowa Mustered in Missouri on October 25, 1861
Minnesota Company Company G Raised St Paul & Fort Snelling, Minnesota Mustered at Fort Snelling October 9, 1861	Fremont Hussars Company H Enlisted at Bellevue, Iowa as Half Company Organization completed February 11, 1862 at Fort Henry
Minnesota Company Company I Enlisted in Blue Earth & Scott Counties, Minnesota Mustered at Fort Snelling November 1, 1861	Minnesota Company Company K Enlisted in St Paul & Minneapolis, Minnesota Mustered at Fort Snelling October 28, 1861
Irish Dragoons Company L Enlisted in St Louis, Missouri Mustered at Jefferson City, Missouri on September 1, 1861	Osage Rifles Company M Enlisted in Osage County, Missouri Mustered at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri on September 14, 1861
Fifth Iowa Veteran Cavalry Consolidated
Fifth Iowa Infantry Company G Veterans & recruits Transferred to Fifth Iowa Cavalry on August 18, 1864	Fifth Iowa Infantry Company I Veterans & recruits Transferred to Fifth Iowa Cavalry on August 18, 1864