The ten companies that formed the 5th Iowa were ordered into quarters by
Governor of Iowa Samuel Kirkwood at different dates between June 24 and July 3, 1861. The companies rendezvoused at
Burlington, Iowa, where they mustered into Federal service between July 15 and July 17. Before dawn on November 24, 1863, the regiment crossed the
Tennessee River south of South
Chickamauga Creek by
pontoon boat along with its brigade. The 5th Iowa served with Matthies' Brigade at the
Battle of Missionary Ridge on November 25. Advancing at the foot of the ridge, it was ordered by Matthies to occupy the Glass house and its surroundings to the west of Tunnel Hill on the northern end of the ridge. When the brigade advanced up the hill, the regiment deployed in a
skirmish line on the right flank of the brigade. Struck from the left and rear by the countercharge of
Granbury's Texas Brigade that routed the brigade, the regiment collapsed and precipitately retreated from the slopes of the hill under heavy fire. Stragglers from the 5th Iowa fled towards the Glass house, preventing the remnants of the
73rd Pennsylvania there from changing front against the Texans. At Missionary Ridge, the regiment suffered 106 casualties, including 82 captured, out of 248 officers and men present at the beginning of the battle. Among those captured was the entire color company, and with them, the regimental colors. The regiment was amalgamated with the
5th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry on August 8, 1864. A soldier from the Fifth Iowa Infantry is highlighted near the end of Chapter III of MacKinlay Kantor's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "Andersonville" (1955). The soldier's story is more thoroughly described in Chapter IX of the same book. ==Total strength and casualties==