History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

SIXTY-FIFTH REGIMENT,
FIFTH CAYVALRY.
TlE Fifth Cavalry was recruited under the authority of an order granted
by the Secretary of War, dated July 6th, 1861. It was at first known
as the Cameron Dragoons. It was among the first of the three years' regiments raised, and being authorized by the National Government, was, for a
time, held to be independent of the State of Pennsylvania. The first ten companies were from the city of Philadelphia, the last two from Pittsburg. The
following were the field officers: Max Friedman, Colonel; Philip Becker, Lieutenant Colonel; J. L. Moss, Stephen E. Smith, and E. M. Boteler, Majors. As
fast as recruited to the maximum number, the companies were sent to camp
on Ridge Avenue, near Girard College, where they were subjected to constant
drill. On the 22d of August the regiment proceeded to Washington, and encamped at Camp Stoneman, on Seventh street. A few days later companies
L and M, which had been recruited at Pittsburg, joined it.
On the 10th of September companies A, B, F and G, under command of
Lieutenant Colonel Becker, were ordered to report for scouting duty to General
Blenker, across the Potomac. The streams were all much swollen by a recent
storm, and unfortunately while fording a small creek, two men of company F
were carried away by the impetuous current and drowned. On the 23d the
remaining eight companies were ordered to report to General William F. Smith,
in command of a division. These companies were armed just previous to starting. On the morning after their arrival in camp, three companies, D, I and H,
were sent to General Hancock, who, upon their reporting to him, ordered them
out upon a scout. They fell in with the enemy and had a sharp skirmish, in
which several were killed and wounded. The regiment was now actively employed in scouting in and along the enemy's line, bringing in prisoners almost
daily and gathering much useful information. In the general advance of the
line of the army, in October, the Fifth was established near Lewinsville, in
Camp Griffin. By the terms of an order of the War Department, issued soon
after, this regiment, which had previously been regarded as an independent organization, was transferred to the quota of Pennsylvania, and received the
number in the line which it bears. Its officers were then commissioned by the
State authorities.
During the movement of the army upon Manassas, in March, 1862, Colonel
Friedman received notice of the acceptance of his resignation which he had
previously tendered, and Lieutenant Colonel Moss assumed command. No
enemy having been found the regiment returned to Alexandria, where, shortly
afterwards, David Campbell, who had been commissioned Colonel, joined it
and took charge. Here it remained in the monotonous routine of camp life