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5th United States Artillery, Batteries D and G

Editor’s Note: Do you have information on this unit’s role at the Siege of Petersburg?  Please contact us using the Contact button in the menu at the top of the screen.  We are happy to exchange information with other researchers.

Note: Battery G, 5th U. S. joined and was combined with Battery D at some point in November 1864.  On what day and under what circumstances did this occur?  More research is needed.1

Muster In: Unit existed prior to the Civil War.2
Muster Out: Unit existed after the Civil War.3

Commander(s):
Brevet Captain William E. Van Reed
Commander Image

Lieutenant Jacob B. Rawles
Commander Image

Commander 3
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army4,5

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: 6 x 10-lb. Parrott Rifle, model 1861, 2.9″ bore (March 31, 1864)6

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army7,8

  • Commander: Lieutenant William E. Van Reed (June 30, 1864)9
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army10,11

  • Commander: Lieutenant William E. Van Reed (July 31, 1864)12
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army13,14

  • Commander: Lieutenant William E. Van Reed (August 31, 1864)15
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army16

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army17

  • Commander: Lieutenant William E. Van Reed (October 31, 1864)18
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: This battery does not appear to have accompanied the Fifth Corps in the field during the Battle of Boydton Plank Road on October 27-28, 1864 and presumably remained behind in the fortifications.19

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army20

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army22,23

  • Commander:
    • Brevet Captain William E. Van Reed (January 31, 1865)24
    • Lieutenant Jacob B. Rawles (February 28, 1865)25
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Artillery Brigade | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army26,27

  • Commander: Lieutenant Jacob B. Rawles (March 31, 1865)28
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles29:

  • Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
  • Weldon Railroad August 18-21, 1864.
  • Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9, 1865.
  • Junction of Quaker and Boydton Roads and Lewis’ Farm March 29.
  • White Oak Road March 31.
  • Battle of Five Forks April 1.
  • Appomattox Court House April 9.
  • Surrender of Lee and his army.

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    2. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    3. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    4. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 225
    5. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 547
    6. Volume 3 (Ordnance Returns for the First Quarter, January-March, 1864); 5th United States Artillery, Battery D Entry, Page 161; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 1); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.: Not many returns exist for June 30, 1864, and none exist past that, so I’ve made the decision to include the March 31, 1864 ordnance return data in the absence of better information.  I’ll add more immediate reports of tube numbers and types as they are found.
    7. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 225
    8. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 547
    9. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 547
    10. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 257
    11. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 733
    12. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 733
    13. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 616: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864”
    14. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 125: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)”
    15. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 616: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864”
    16. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1300.
    17. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 462: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)”
    18. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 462: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)”
    19. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 157: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Boydton Plank Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864”
    20. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1119: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864)
    21. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1119: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864)
    22. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 329: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865)
    23. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 743: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865)
    24. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 329: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865)
    25. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 743: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865)
    26. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 570: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865)
    27. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 586: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865”
    28. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 570: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865)
    29. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
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