Fifth Regiment, Army of Northern Virginia
Regimental History
The Fifth Regiment officially requested entrance into the 1st Division ANV on May 2001. The battalion was verbally accepted by the commanding, General Charles Clark and was to be designated as the 5th Battalion of Volunteer Infantry, 1st Division ANV. The commanding general had but one question for the Colonel of the battalion. What took us so long to come home? With this new alliance a very special bond has been re kindled between the now Fifth Regiment and the 1st Division, ANV.
The Fifth Regiment has a very honorable history stemming from its original home with the 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade ANV, which was formed in 1985. The current Fifth Regiment was formed from companies that left the 3rd Regiment, ANV—originally known as the 3rd Battalion. The 3rd Battalion was formed just prior to the 1988 re-enacting season. By that time the ANV "umbrella" organization concept was becoming very popular. For that reason, some of the Battalion's first companies were veteran independent companies with many years' experience.
Marylander, Bruce Nelson commanded the 3rd Battalion during its first two years as a combined organization. Major Nelson is now serving as a surgeon in the current Fifth Regiment. The 3rd Battalion grew rapidly and by the 130th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, 1993 it was able to field 300 officers and men (making it close in size to the real-life regiment it portrayed at the event). Because of its size the 3rd Battalion asked for—and received—unofficial "Regimental" status soon thereafter. This honor was made official for the 3rd and Fifth Regiment’s at the Ant's 2003 convention held in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
In early 1998 the current Colonel and commander directed that the 3rd Regiment furl its Colors and under his command leave the 1st Division, ANV. The companies that left the ANV retained their honorable name of 3rd Regiment, Northern Virginia’s Own and formed an independent re-enactment regiment. The regiment remained independent for approximately one re-enacting season. At the end of that season an independent Calvary organization and an infantry battalion joined the regiment to form the umbrella organization known as the Provisional Army of Confederate States (PACS).
In January 2001 several companies of the 3rd Regiment, 1st Legion PACS voted to leave the umbrella PACS organization due to organization disagreements and non-profit difficulties. Several of these companies returned to the ANV. The rest of the companies that left, to include the 1st Maryland Battalion; 2nd Maryland, Co. G; the 17th Virginia, Co. E; the 17th Virginia, Co. G; 18th Virginia, Co. K; 19th Georgia, Co A; the 23rd Virginia; the 49th Virginia, Co. A-K; Maryland Line Medical Company; formed the core group of the current Fifth Regiment, thus staring our current history.
The core companies still retaining the 3rd Regiment, Northern Virginia’s Own as it’s name and formed an independent regiment. The regiment remained independent for approximately one season to rebuild during which times the regiment grew. The 3rd Regiment, Northern Virginia’s Own made a home for a smaller brethren battalion known as the Provisional Army of Virginia (PAV). The combined organization changed it’s name to the 3rd Regiment, PAV.
The 3rd Regiment, PAV then went home, rejoining the 1st Division, ANV as the 5th Battalion, ANV in 2001. Because of several identity concerns with a different organization using the designation as 5th Battalion, ANV the 5th Battalion asked for—and received—official "Regimental" status soon thereafter at the ANV's 2003 convention held in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
The rank and file of the regiment now comes from units from as far north as New Jersey and as far south Florida. We have had individuals and several units fall in with the regiment over the years and they like the way the regiment works. They tell other individuals and units and eventually become members. One unique thing about the Fifth Regiment is that we are a family and mainly garrison organization.
The Fifth Regiment has members who galvanize as Yankees, although the regiment, as a rule is not required to galvanize. On occasion members of the regiment will galvanize as part of the Army of Northern Virginia's "Clarks Battalion". The decision to galvanize is left up to the individual or units to galvanize or not.
The main goal of the Fifth Regiment is to ensure motivated and quality leadership. The main concern of the Staff is the well being of the members of the regiment. If the Staff can provide good leadership, good camps, water, firewood, and a good fight, to include a Yankee flank in the battles from time to time they have done their job.
This is a short history of the Fifth Regiment, 1st Division ANV. The staff and regiment members will be glad to answer any questions you may have about the regiment.
Hope to see you in the ranks…..soon.
Duffie GL Miller
Fifth Regiment, 1st Division ANV
Colonel, Commanding
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