The 5th Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry

Cavalry

Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...

 regiment

Regiment

A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...

 raised in Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

 for service in the Confederate States Army

Confederate States Army

The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...

 during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia

Army of Northern Virginia

The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...

.

The Virginia 5th Cavalry was organized in June, 1862, using six companies of scouts under Lieutenant Colonel H. Clay Pate known as the 2nd Battalion Virginia Cavalry as its nucleus. These men who had been serving since May and the additional four companies added in June were from Petersburg and Fairfax, Gloucester, King and Queen, Mathews, Randolph, and James City counties.

It was assigned to W.H.F. Lee's, F. Lee's, Lomax's, and Payne's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. The unit participated in the Seven Days' Battles, the Second Bull Run and Maryland campaigns, and the conflicts at Fredericksburg, Brandy Station, Upperville, Gettysburg, Bristoe, and Mine Run. Later it was involved at The Wilderness and Cold Harbor, and in Early's Shenandoah Valley operations.

On November 8, 1864, it was consolidated with the 15th Virginia Cavalry

15th Virginia Cavalry

The 15th Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia....

 and redesignated the 5th Consolidated Regiment Virginia Cavalry. This command took part in the defense of Petersburg and saw action around Appomattox.

Only 150 men were engaged at Gettysburg and 2 surrendered at Appomattox as most cut through the Federal lines and disbanded. The field officers were Colonels Reuben B. Boston, H. Clay Pate, and Thomas L. Rosser

Thomas L. Rosser

Thomas Lafayette Rosser was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, and later an officer in the Spanish American War and railroad construction engineer. A favorite of J.E.B...

; Lieutenant Colonel James H. Allen; and Majors Beverly B. Douglas, John Eells, Cyrus Harding, Jr., and John W. Puller.