1861 |
Spring |
North Sumter Rifles formed in Sumter County, Alabama under Captain Sebastian Van de Graaff and sent to Virginia as an artillery unit. They are present but not engaged at Manassas (Bull Run). The Rifles later become Company A of the 5th Alabama Infantry Battalion. |
August |
Captain Thomas B. Bush returns to Jacksonville, Alabama to recruit Company B (The Calhoun Sharpshooters, also known as the Bush Sharpshooters). Lt. Colonels F. B. Shepherd and Henry H. Walker were in command during parts of th eformulative phase of the battalion. |
December 2 |
The White Plains Rangers added as Company C and the unit is designated the "8th Infantry Battalion" |
1862 |
February 8 |
The Daniel Boone Rifles of Mobile County (formerly Company K, First Tennesse Infantry Regiment, Provisional Army) added as Company D |
April - May |
Company E (a Florida company) and company F (an artilllery unit) temporarily attached. |
June 10 |
Companies E and F transferred to become Companies L and M of the 55th Virginia Infantry Regiment. |
June |
The battalion b ecomes part of Archer's Brigade of A. P. Hill's Division, and includes the 1st, 7th and 14th Tennessee, a Georgia regiment, and Braxton's Battery. |
June 26 - 28 |
Battles of Mechanicsville and First Battle of Cold Harbor, or Gaines' Mill
The battalion suffers 19 dead and 79 wounded out of around 200 engeged, including Major Van de Graaf (wounded and originally thought killed) and Captain Thomas Stewart (also wounded); Captain Bush asumes command. Company A suffered over 40 casualties out of 70 men |
August 9 |
Battle of Cedar Mountain
Suffered 1 killed and eight wounded |
August 30 |
Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run)
Suffered 19 casualties, including Captain Bush, who was mortaly wounded. Lieutenant Charles M. Hooper assumes command |
September 15 |
Siege of Harpers Ferry
The battalion is assigned to guarding Union prisoners and misses the Battle of Antietam |
October 22 |
Eight Infantry Battalion officially redesignated 5th Alabama Infantry Battalion, although the name was used as early as January. Major Van de Graaf returns to command. |
December 13 |
Batte of Fredericksburg
When Union General Meade breaches the Confederate lines the battalion is led by General Archer in a counterattack against overwhelming odds which buys time for D. H Hill's Division to stabilize the line. It lost 3 killed and 18 wounded, including Major Van de Graaf, who was wounded. Captain S. D. Stewart assumed command. Generals Jackson, A. P. Hill and Archer all praise the Fifth in their reports for their heroism. |
1863 |
May 1-4 |
Battle of Chancellorsville
The battalion participated in flank attacks against Sickles in Hazel Grove. It suffered 36 casualties out of around 150 men engaged, including Captain Stewart, who was killed. Captain A. N. Porter assumes command. |
May 22 |
Company D (Daniel Boone Rifles) disbanded and members distributed among three other companies
Major Van de Graaf returns to command about this time |
July 1-3 |
Battle of Gettysburg
The battalion was in the lead of Heth's column when it encountered Buford's cavalry west of Gettysburg on July 1. The battalion drove the Union cavalry back three miles before running into The Union Iron Brigade in Herbst's Woods. In fierce fighting, General Archer was captured and the 5th was forced to fall back to Herr Ridge, losing seven men casualties.
The heavy losses caused Archer's Brigade, now under Colonel B. D. Fry, to be held in reserve on July 2nd, but on the 3rd it participated in the great charge under General Pettigrew, including some men wounded on the 1st. Guiding on Garnett's Virginia Brigade, they converged on the "Copse of Trees."
Some members of the battalion survived to cross the stone wall at The Angle and plant the flag, which was captured (see below). Major Van de Graaf wrote his wife, "My loss in this battle (Pickett's Charge) was 43 out of 98 men. Some are prisoners & unhurt." For the three days the battalion lost 3 killed, 30 wounded and 15 missing out of 105 men engaged. |
July 14 |
Battle of Falling Waters |
August |
Battalion detached and asigned to Third Corps Headquarters as Provost Guard.
|
1864 |
May 5-7 |
Battle of the Wilderness
Serving as Provost Guard, the battalion was thrown in a desperate but successful evening charge against a Union breach in the Confederate lines. |
May 8-18 |
Battle of Spottsylvania |
June 3 |
Second Battle of Cold Harbor |
July |
Siege of Petersburg |
1865 |
April 2 |
Members of the battalion discover General A. P. Hill's body during the evacuation of the Petersburg lines. |
April 9 |
Surrendered 125 officers and men at Appomattox under Captain Ritter |
The battalion colors captured at Gettysburg survived the war and came into the possession of Union General Joshua Chamberlain, whose heirs returned it to the State of Alabama in 1943. It is currently in the State of Alabama Archives.
The Flag of Company B was returned home after Captain Bush was mortally wounded at the Second Battle of Manassas and is now in the State of Alabama archives.
