Description
This superb grouping was recently found in an antique market in eastern New Hampshire and has NEVER been on the open market before! The grouping consists of a fantastic New Hampshire 5th Infantry Corps badge which was pinned inside an image case along with a photo of a young man in military type attire and an incredible note detailing who the badge belonged to. It is unknown as to the relationship of the young man to the soldier and is worthy of more in depth research.
The officer, wounded at Gettysburg, was sent to a hospital in Maryland after the battle and later died of his wounds. Pure museum grade investment items with beyond awesome history!
The Fifth New Hampshire Infantry Regiment lost 18 officers and 277 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 176 enlisted men to disease. This is the greatest loss sustained in battle of any regiment of infantry or cavalry in the Union Army during the Civil War. The regiment is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
2nd Lieutenant Ruel G. Austin was an officer who served in the 5th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry (5th NHV) during the American Civil War. He is primarily remembered for his ultimate sacrifice during the battle of Gettysburg:• The Battle: On July 2, 1863, the 5th New Hampshire fought intensely in the Rose Woods and the Wheatfield from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m..
- Casualties: Entering the fight with only 182 men, the regiment suffered heavily, with 81 total wounded or killed. Lieutenant Ruel G. Austin was among the 31 men killed or mortally wounded during this engagement.
- Gettysburg Memorial: His name is permanently engraved on Tablet 3 of the 5th New Hampshire Infantry Monument located on the Gettysburg battlefield, honoring those who fell that day
1861
August The Fifth New Hampshire Infantry Regiment was organized at Concord, New Hampshire under the command of Colonel Edward E. Cross.
October 28 The regiment mustered in for three years United States service.
October 29 Left New Hampshire for Washington, D.C. with 1,200 men. Went into camp at Bladensburg, Defenses of Washington, D.C., attached to Howard’s Brigade, Sumner’s Division, Army of the Potomac
November 3-11 Expedition to Lower Maryland
November 27 At Camp California, near Alexandria, Virginia.
1862
January 17 Scout to Burke’s Station (Company A)
March 10-15 Advance on Manassas, Va. attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 20 Reconnaissance to Gainesville
March 28-29 To Rappahannock Station
March 28 Warrenton Junction
April 4 Peninsula Campaign; Moved to the Virginia Peninsula
April 5-May 4 Siege of Yorktown, Va.
May 28-30 Temporarily attached to Woodbury’s Engineer Brigade to construct Grapevine Bridge over Chickahominy
May 31-June 1 Battle of Fair Oaks or Seven Pines
The regiment lost 30 men killed and 170 wounded. Colonel Cross was hit in the thigh by a minnie ball and in the left side of the face by three buckshot. Captain Richard E. Cross was shot in his left leg and right hand.
June 25-July 1 Seven days before Richmond
June 28 Orchard Station
June 29 Peach Orchard, Allen’s Farm and Savage Station
June 30 White Oak Swamp and Glendale
July 1 Malvern Hill
Lieutenant Welcome A. Crafts was captured.
July-August At Harrison’s Landing
August 16-30 Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Alexandria and to Centreville, Virginia to cover Pope’s retreat from Bull Run.
September-October Maryland Campaign
September 14 Battle of South Mountain (In Reserve)
September 15 Antietam Creek, near Keadysville
September 16-17 Battle of Antietam
September 21 – October 29 Duty at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia.
October 16-17 Reconnaissance to Charlestown
October 29-November 17 Advance up Loudon Valley and movement to Falmouth, Virginia.
December 12-15 Battle of Fredericksburg
The regiment lost 200 of the 270 men engaged. Captain Welcome Crafts of Company B was shot in the left leg. It was testified that bodies of the men of the 5th New Hampshire, along with those of the 69th New York and 53rd Pennsylvania, had advanced closest to the stone wall beneath Marye’s Heights.
December 14 Captain Charles E. Hapgood of Company I was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Richard Cross of Company K was promoted to major.
1863
January 20-24 Burnside’s Second Campaign, “Mud March”
February-April Duty at Falmouth
April 27-May 6 Chancellorsville Campaign
May 1-5 Battle of Chancellorsville
May Colonel Cross took command of the brigade, and Lieutenant Colonel Charles E. Hapgood took command of the regiment
June 9 Battle of Brandy Station
Reconnaissance to the Rappahannock, commanded by Colonel Edward E. Cross. The regiment was temporarily attached to a composite brigade supporting the Cavalry Corps.
June 13-July 24 Gettysburg Campaign
July 1-3 Battle of Gettysburg
The Fifth New Hampshire Infantry Regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Hapgood while Colonel Edward Cross commanded the brigade as senior colonel. When Colonel Cross was mortally wounded by a Confederate sharpshooter, Lieutenant Colonel Hapgood pointed out the man to Sergeant Charles Phelps, who dropped the Rebel. Phelps, in turn, was himself mortally wounded. Lieutenant Colonel Hapgood would be promoted to colonel and Major Richard Cross to lieutenant colonel effective
July 3.From the monument at Gettysburg:
Here July 2nd, 1863 from 5 p.m. till 7 the 5th N.H. Vols. stood and fought. Total engaged 182. Killed or mortally wounded 31. Total killed and wounded 81.
On this spot fell mortally wounded Edward C. Cross, Col. 5th N.H. Vols. Comdg. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Corps, July 2nd, 1863
Killed or mortally wounded: 2nd Lieut. Ruel G. Austin; Sergeants Oscar D. Allen, Samuel Dolbear, Charles H. Phelps, William B. Welch; Corporals Charles F. Burrell, Edwin B. Cilley, George H. Hackett, Warren M. Parker, George W. Sylvester, Edward G. F. Stinson, Joseph Tricky; Privates Byron Bennett, Horace Bolii, Joesph Bond Jr., George H. Bucknam, James Burns, Joseph Craig, Charles A. Damon, Lucius Feeney, Andrew J. Foss, Samuel R. Green, Charles Kimball, George Kimball, Charles A. Lovejoy, Nathan B. Osmer, Eliph. B. W. Stevens, Roland Taylor, Nathan B. Thompson, Otis Thompson
The State of New Hampshire erected this monument July 2nd, 1886 to commemorate the valor of her sons.”
July 26-August 3 Moved to Concord, New Hampshire, Department of the East for duty at Draft Rendezvous. The regiment added 400 men to its roster, reaching a strength of 800. But only 80 of these were volunteers, the rest being bounty men who began deserting almost immediately.
November 8-13 Moved to Point Lookout, Maryland and duty there guarding prisoners. Attached to Marston’s Command, Point Lookout, Md.
1864
May 27-June 1 Moved to Cold Harbor, Virginia, attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac
June 3 Battle of Cold Harbor
The regiment successfully carried the Confederate defenses in its charge, capturing two guns and 125 prisoners. But the units on both flanks had failed and it was forced to retreat, losing 202 out of the 577 men engaged.
June 16 First Assault on Petersburg, Virginia
June 22-23 Jerusalem Plank Road
July 27-28 Deep Bottom, north of James River
July 30 Mine Explosion, Petersburg (Reserve)
August 4 Lieutenant Colonel Richard Cross was cashiered for “disobedience of orders and breach of arrest”
August 13-20 Demonstration north of James River
August 14-18 Strawberry Plains
August 25 Ream’s Station
September 6 Captain Welcome A. Crafts, who had been in command of the Point Lookout prison camp, was promoted to major.
October 12 Non-Veterans mustered out
October 16 Colonel Hapgood mustered out.
October 28 Major Crafts was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Thomas Livermore to major.
December 9-10 Reconnaissance to Hatcher’s Run
1865
February 5-7 Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run
February 21 Richard E. Cross was commissioned colonel, but his commission was revoked.
March 13 Lieutenant Colonel Welcome A. Crafts was breveted colonel for gallant and meritorious conduct.
March 25 Watkins’ House
March 28-April 9 Appomattox Campaign
March 29-30 On line of Hatcher’s and Gravelly Runs
March 31 Hatcher’s Run or Boydton Road and White Oak Road
April 2 Sutherland Station; Fall of Petersburg
April 6 Saylor’s Creek
April 7 High Bridge and Farmville
April 9 Appomattox Court House
Surrender of Lee and his army.
April 29 Brevet Colonel Welcome A. Crafts was commissioned colonel.
May 2-12 Moved to Washington, D.C.
May 23 Grand Review
July 28 Mustered out
August 8 The Fifth New Hampshire Infantry Regiment was discharged
