5th Ohio Cavalry The 5th Regiment , Ohio Cavalry was a regiment of Union cavalry raised in seven counties in southwestern Ohio for service during the American Civil War . It primarily served in the Western Theater in several major campaigns of the Army of the Tennessee . Service record . Organization . The 5th Cavalry Regiment was commissioned as a three - years regiment under Colonel William H . H . Taylor . It was originally organized at Camp Dick Corwin , near Cincinnati , Ohio , between October 23 and November 14 as the 2nd Ohio Cavalry . Its designation was changed by Gov . William Dennison in mid - November 1861 . Field duty . The 5th Cavalry was sent to the front lines in February 1862 , taking boats down the Tennessee River to the vicinity of Pittsburg Landing . From there , the regiment was part of a raid on Confederate supply lines in Mississippi . On March 15 , the 5th encountered Confederates near the small Shiloh Chapel and skirmished with the enemy frequently over the next few weeks . In early April , it participated in the Battle of Shiloh , where it participated in a series of charges on enemy infantry columns . Subsequently , the 3rd Battalion of the 5th Cavalry took part in the Siege of Corinth , Mississippi , in the army of Maj . Gen . William S . Rosecrans . After the evacuation , the entire regiment transferred its base of operations to Memphis , Tennessee . On December 21 , 1862 , near what is today known as Michigan City , Mississippi , the 1st and 3rd battalions fought against Confederates under Sterling Price and Earl Van Dorn at the Battle of Davis Mill , firing 200 rounds without changing position . In 1863 the 5th Ohio Cavalry guarded the Memphis & Charleston Railroad , and raided into Mississippi in support of Ulysses S . Grant ' s Vicksburg Campaign . Companies E , H , I , and K ( under Major Joseph C . Smith ) were at the Siege of Vicksburg serving in the XVI Corps . In October , the regiment joined William T . Sherman ' s march to Chattanooga , Tennessee . It was present at the battles about Chattanooga , and went with Sherman to Knoxville . It then went back to Alabama and wintered at Huntsville . In the spring of 1864 , the 5th Ohio Cavalry participated in Sherman ' s Atlanta campaign . However , having lost most of its horses in hard service , the regiment acted as infantry . The regiment then was attached to Maj . Gen . Judson Kilpatrick ' s command and subsequently took part in Sherman ' s March to the Sea . At the Battle of Buck Head Creek on November 28 , Kilpatrick was surprised and nearly captured , but the 5th Ohio Cavalry halted Wheeler ' s advance . The 5th also fought against Confederates near Waynesboro , Georgia , and at other places during the march to Savannah , arriving there in December . In early 1865 , the 5th was part of the Carolinas Campaign , skirmishing and raiding throughout its march through South Carolina and into North Carolina . It fought in two significant battles , taking severe casualties in both actions . After the war ended , the 5th Ohio remained on active duty for several months , performing picket duty in North Carolina until mustered out October 30 , 1865 . The regiment lost during its term of service 1 officer and 26 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded , and 3 officers and 140 enlisted men by disease , for a total of 170 casualties .