5th U.S. Cavalry

5th Cavalry Regiment
5th Cavalry Regiment coat of arms
Active	1855–
Country	United States of America
Branch	Regular Army
Type	Cavalry
Nickname(s)	"Black Knights, Lancers"
Motto(s)	Loyalty&Courage
Colors	Yellow&Black
Engagements	Indian Wars American Civil War Spanish-American War Philippine Insurrection Border War Mexican Expedition World War II Korean War Vietnam War War in Southwest Asia Iraq War
Commanders
Notable commanders	Albert Sidney Johnston Robert E. Lee Wesley Merritt George H. Cameron Gordon B. Rogers Eric Shinseki
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia

The 5th Cavalry Regiment ("Black Knights") is a historical unit of the United States Army that began its service in the decade prior to the American Civil War and continues in modified organizational format in the U.S. Army.

As the borders of the United States expanded westwards, the US government decided that it needed more mounted troops to protect the wagon trains and secure the frontier. On 3 March 1855, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (later to be known as the 5th Cavalry Regiment) was activated in Louisville, Kentucky with troopers drawn from the states of Alabama, Maryland, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia. Each company rode mounts of a certain color, so a trooper's company could easily be identified in the confusion of battle, and so that the regiment appeared more splendid and organized during dress parades. Company A rode Grays, Companies B and E rode Sorrels, Companies C, D, F, and I had Bays, Companies G and H rode browns, and Company K rode Roans. Under the command of Col. Albert Sidney Johnston, its officers included 12 future generals: field officers Robert E. Lee, William J. Hardee, and George H. Thomas, and line officers Earl Van Dorn, Edmund Kirby Smith, George Stoneman, Kenner Garrard, William B. Royall,Nathan G. Evans, Fitzhugh Lee, and John Bell Hood.