5th New York Cavalry Regiment

The 5th New York Cavalry Regiment, also known as the 5th Regiment New York Volunteer Cavalry and nicknamed the "1st Ira Harris Guards", was a cavalry regiment of the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment had a good fighting reputation, and had important roles in the Battle of Hanover and the Battle of the Wilderness. It was present at nearly 175 battles and skirmishes, including Gettysburg, Opequon, and Cedar Creek. A majority of its fighting was in Virginia.

The regiment was formed in New York City by Othniel De Forest. Training began in New York before the regiment moved to Annapolis, Maryland. John Hammond and Abram H. Krom provided much of the unit's on-field leadership. Both began as captains and finished their military careers as commander of the regiment. The regiment was originally involved with the defense of Washington, and subsequently served in the Army of the Potomac and then the Army of the Shenandoah.

The regiment had 8 officers and 93 men killed or mortally wounded. Disease killed 3 more officers and 222 more enlisted men. Among the prisons where captured members of the regiment were kept were Libby Prison in Richmond and Andersonville Prison in Georgia. The regiment was commanded by eight different men, although two were in command for only a few days. The Medal of Honor was awarded to six of the regiment's soldiers.

## Formation and organization

Between December 20, 1860, and February 1, 1861, seven southern states seceded from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America. Fighting began on April 12, 1861, when American troops were attacked at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. This is considered the beginning of the American Civil War. Four additional states, including Virginia, seceded during the next three months.

`Othniel De Forest, of New York City, began recruiting for a federal volunteer regiment of cavalry during July 1861. The regiment was originally called the Ira Harris Guard in honor of the senator from Albany, New York. It was named 5th New York Cavalry on November 14, 1861. The regiment's battle flag was blue with "painted inscriptions and a semi-elliptical red shield in the center" inscribed with "5th." Companies were mustered in from August through October 1861.  Additional names used for regiment include Ira Harris Cavalry, First Ira Harris Guard, and De Forest Cavalry. Many of the men were from New York City, but Allegany, Essex, Orange, Tioga, and Wyoming counties also contributed. A few men were from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.`

De Forest was the original colonel and regimental commander, and his October 1861 command included 50 officers and 1,064 enlisted men. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Johnstone was second in command. Major Philip G. Vought commanded the First Battalion, while Major James Davidson and Major George H. Gardner commanded the Second and Third Battalions, respectively. Training began at Camp Scott in Staten Island. Two of the regiment's three battalions received horses during October. On November 18, the regiment moved by train to Baltimore, where the Third Battalion received its horses and equipment. On November 25, the regiment marched to Annapolis. They established a winter quarters camp nearby (Camp Harris) where more drills were conducted.

## Early action

On March 31, 1862, the regiment was ordered to join the V Corps under the command of General Nathaniel P. Banks. They were assigned to cavalry commanded by Brigadier General John Porter Hatch in the Department of the Shenandoah. On May 2, the regiment had its first fight and suffered its first loss of personnel. Company A was scouting between Harrisonburg and Port Republic when it found the camp of General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. In the skirmish that followed, Private John Beaumont was captured.

By April, the regiment was well equipped. Captain John Hammond believed that they were one of the best–armed cavalry regiments in the field. Arms included Colt pistols, Ames sabers, and a single-shot cavalry rifle. Any poor–quality horses had been replaced, and saddles were McClellan saddles.

On May 3, the regiment reported to Hatch at Harrisonburg, Virginia. A few days later, they were sent to New Market, Virginia. On May 6, they encountered Confederate cavalry led by Colonel Turner Ashby. The 5th New York charged with sabers drawn and drove off their enemy while inflicting 8 killed or wounded and capturing 7. This success helped to establish the good reputation of the regiment. The press said that the regiment "made a good report of themselves" and quoted a prisoner as saying the regiment "fought like devils". The regiment had its first soldier killed in action—Private Asahel A. Spencer of Company E. An additional soldier was wounded.

### Jackson's trap

On May 15, the regiment began operations in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. After some skirmishes, Banks settled the V Corps (including the 5th New York Cavalry) in Strasburg, Virginia. Banks also stationed about 1,000 infantry men 10 miles (16 km) east at Front Royal under the command of Colonel John R. Kenly. On May 23, Banks sent Company B and Company D from the 5th New York Cavalry to Front Royal to fulfill an overdue request from Kenly for cavalry. This small cavalry force numbered about 100, and was under the command of Major Vought. Banks was unaware that Kenly was about to be attacked by a force that outnumbered him by 20 to 1.

Vought's men arrived at Front Royal about one hour after Kenly was attacked by a division under the command of General Richard S. Ewell that was sent to reinforce Jackson's "Stonewall Brigade". Jackson was also nearby. After about two hours of fighting and the approach of enemy cavalry, Kenly and Vought began a retreat north, with Vought's cavalry as the rear guard. Vought's men were outnumbered, nearly surrounded, and suffered numerous casualties in the retreat. Kenly and Vought retreated north just past Cedarville, attempting to fight off the 6th Virginia Cavalry. Fewer than 100 of Kenly's original force escaped, and Kenly was wounded and captured. The result of the fighting at Front Royal and Cedarville was lopsided: Kenly's force had an estimated 904 casualties, while the Confederates had 56.

After receiving dispatches from Vought, Banks realized that Jackson was trying to position his army between Banks and Winchester, which would isolate Banks and cut his supply line. Thus, both forces raced to Winchester—Banks to escape and Jackson to trap Banks. Colonel De Forest and six companies were assigned rear guard duty plus the additional task of destroying any supplies that could not be salvaged. After De Forest began moving north, he discovered that his command and additional soldiers had their route on the Shenandoah Pike blocked by Confederate troops, which caused them to be separated from Banks' main force. De Forest used mountain roads west of the pike to evade the Confederates, and eventually reunited a battery and 32 wagons of supplies with Banks at Williamsport—a retreat of 84 miles (135 km) that ended in the relative safety of Maryland.

While De Forest moved north on the mountain roads, Banks was attacked several times on the Valley Pike while hurrying to Winchester. His outnumbered army was soundly defeated at Winchester on May 25, and he escaped across the Potomac River mostly because Jackson's men and horses were exhausted from the chase. During the three days from May 23 through May 25, the 5th New York Cavalry suffered 38 casualties at Front Royal, 6 at Middletown, 7 at Newtown-Crossroads, and 10 at Winchester. One major resigned a few days later. Eventually it was discovered that Confederate spy Belle Boyd played an important role in Banks' defeat by providing information to her side from inside Union lines.

### Back to Virginia

By the end of May, the regiment was back in Virginia, and during June it became part of the II Corps, Army of Virginia. On July 1, another major resigned. The regiment's most prominent actions of July and August in terms of casualties were at Barnett's Ford and Orange Court House. On July 18, Company A had 1 officer and 22 enlisted men captured, plus 1 wounded, while on picket at Barnett's Ford. At Orange Court House, brigade commander General Samuel W. Crawford sent the regiment at a slow pace into a seemingly empty town—only to have it ambushed by Confederates under cover. Colonel De Forest was harassed by a dozen Confederates, but was saved by bugler Conrad Bohrer of Company I who fell and died from a saber wound after his horse was shot. A flanking party of three companies commanded by Captain Hammond charged into town from the opposite end and drove the Confederates away. The regiment captured 47 men from the 7th Virginia Cavalry, including its commanding officer. Casualties for the regiment were 1 officer wounded, 2 enlisted men killed, 9 enlisted men wounded, and 11 enlisted men captured.

On August 24 and 25, the regiment was involved in the First Battle of Rappahannock Station. Private John Tribe of Company G was later awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism in this battle at Waterloo Bridge where he helped destroy the bridge while under enemy fire. On August 27, three companies were detached as the escort of General Samuel P. Heintzelman, while the remaining portion of the regiment became the escort of General John Pope, commander of the Army of Virginia. On the next day, one of the companies was made escort for General Banks. As Pope's escort, seven companies of the regiment were present at the Second Battle of Bull Run (also known as the Battle of Second Manassas). Casualties were low for the regiment—one killed and one captured.

## Defense of Washington

In September 1862, the regiment was assigned to the defenses of Washington, D.C., as part of Wyndham's Cavalry Brigade. This corresponds closely to the time Colonel De Forest was relieved of command of the regiment. Lieutenant Colonel Johnstone is listed as taking command of the regiment on September 10, 1862. Major Washington Wheeler, who had received his commission as major in July, resigned on September 26. Captain Hammond replaced Wheeler, receiving his commission as major on October 10 effective September 26.

Much of the regiment's time in the autumn of 1862 was spent scouting or on picket duty between Washington, D.C., and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Although Johnstone led an October 8 expedition that did not meet any opposition, the regiment was often led in the field by Major Hammond or Captain Abram Krom. One of the more successful endeavors happened on November 29 at Snicker's Ferry when Krom led the regiment as it drove away Confederate snipers harassing the regiment as it attempted to cross the Shenandoah River. After a pursuit of 3 miles (4.8 km), Krom discovered Confederate camps. With the assistance of reinforcements, the Confederates were defeated and numerous men and supplies were captured—including 3 officers, 32 enlisted men, 60 horses, 50 head of cattle, wagons, and ambulances.

Turnover continued with the regiment's top officers. Major Gardner resigned November 1—the last of the three original battalion commanders to leave the regiment. First Lieutenant (and battalion adjutant) William P. Bacon was commissioned major on November 25 to rank from November 1. Another major, William Pratt (who had replaced Major Davidson less than a year earlier), resigned January 30, 1863. He was replaced by Captain Amos White who was promoted to major on February 5 to rank from February 2. In February, the regiment became part of Price's Independent Cavalry Brigade, XXII Army Corps, Department of Washington.

### Mosby

By 1863, much of the regiment's fighting was against guerrilla warriors known as Mosby's Rangers, who were under the command of John S. Mosby. The regiment considered Mosby's force "very formidable", and a strong picket line was necessary around the Union lines near Washington. Late at night on March 9, Mosby conducted a raid at Fairfax Courthouse that was intended to capture Colonel Percy Wyndham and horses. Mosby captured numerous sleeping soldiers and horses, but Wyndham had already left for Washington. Johnstone was in temporary command of Wyndham's brigade, and was staying in town at a private residence. Also stationed in town was Brigadier General Edwin H. Stoughton. The sleeping Stoughton was captured—as was Captain Augustus J. Barker of the 5th New York Cavalry, who had been temporarily assigned to Wyndham's brigade staff. Mosby, with his prisoners and extra horses, rode by the house where Johnstone was staying. Johnstone, awakened by the noise of the horses, yelled out the window—wanting to know why so much cavalry was moving around late at night. After some laughter, Mosby's men entered the house and attempted to capture Johnstone. Johnstone's wife fought his would-be captors while he escaped from the house and hid "nude by accident" under an outhouse. Only Johnstone's uniforms were captured. This was Mosby's most famous raid.

In April, the regiment became part of the Third Brigade, Stahel's Cavalry Division, XXII Army Corps. On May 3, the 5th New York faced Mosby again—this time at Warrenton Junction. About 40 men from the regiment, led by Major Hammond, surprised Mosby's men after they had surprised a detachment of about 100 men from the 1st (West) Virginia Cavalry. Most of Mosby's prisoners were rescued, and Mosby had significant losses. Hammond's leadership was complimented by Mosby himself, who wrote when discussing a different skirmish with the 6th Michigan Cavalry that if they had "followed the example of Major Hammond with the 5th New York, at Warrenton Junction, and charged us when we were in disorder and scattered over the field, that would in all probability have been my last day as a partisan commander". Captain Krom's courage and fighting ability at Warrenton Junction were complimented in a New York newspaper that said he was wounded in the leg and face, and his horse killed, yet he "used his sabre with terrible effect upon the enemy".

## Gettysburg Campaign

Major Hammond replaced Johnstone as regiment commander on June 1 according to the regimental historian. In early June, Stahel's cavalry division was detached from defending Washington so that it could help the Army of the Potomac defend the northern states from an invasion by Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. On June 21 the division began moving west, and crossed the Potomac River into Maryland on June 25. The entire Union army force was reorganized on June 28, and Stahel's division (including the 5th New York Cavalry) became the 3rd Division of the Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac. Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick was named the new division's commander. The First Brigade consisted of the following cavalry regiments: 1st Vermont, 1st (West) Virginia, 18th Pennsylvania, and 5th New York. Brigadier General Elon J. Farnsworth commanded the brigade as a replacement for De Forest, who was ill. Brigadier General George Armstrong Custer commanded the Second Brigade, which consisted of regiments from Michigan. At his request, General Joseph Hooker was relieved of command of the Army of the Potomac, and he was replaced by General George Meade.

### Battle of Hanover

Kilpatrick's division was detached eastward as the army moved from Frederick, Maryland, to Pennsylvania. Most of the division had already passed through the small town of Hanover, Pennsylvania, when the regiment in the rear, the 18th Pennsylvania, was attacked by a large cavalry force under the command of General James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart. Major Hammond was commanding the 5th New York, which was ahead of the 18th Pennsylvania and already in the streets of the town, while portions of the 18th Pennsylvania had not yet entered.

The attack began with an artillery shot, and soon Union soldiers faced first the 13th Virginia Cavalry, then a battalion from the 2nd North Carolina Cavalry, and finally the 9th Virginia Cavalry. Hammond responded with "his accustomed coolness" and led the resistance (which included a charge with sabers drawn) until Farnsworth and Kilpatrick arrived. After close fighting, the Confederates withdrew to the cover of their artillery in the hills. The streets were full of dead and wounded men and horses. Kilpatrick directed a counterattack by portions of Farnsworth's First Brigade and Custer's Second Brigade. The 5th New York's Private Thomas Burke of Company A captured the flag of the 13th Virginia Cavalry while capturing and disarming two Confederates, and he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his action. The counterattack silenced the Confederate big guns, and Stuart's men were driven toward Lee's army. The 5th New York had one officer killed and one officer wounded. Casualties for enlisted men were more numerous: 4 killed, 29 wounded, and 18 became prisoners. This June 30 battle became known as the Battle of Hanover, and casualties for all participants on both sides totaled to 228.

### Battle of Gettysburg

On July 1, Farnsworth's Brigade was in the Abbottstown-Berlin-Rosetown area of Pennsylvania. It chased enemy cavalry and captured several prisoners. On July 2, the division moved closer to Gettysburg, and was on the extreme right side of the entire Union army—close to New Oxford and Hunterstown. On July 3, the First Brigade moved to the left wing of the army, about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) from Gettysburg near a hill known as Little Round Top. The 5th New York was assigned to protect an artillery battery, while the remaining portion of the brigade made two charges against infantry. Farnsworth was killed in the second charge, and at least one cavalry leader was critical of Kilpatrick's decision to have a mounted charge in terrain that was not ideal for cavalry. This three-day battle became known as the Battle of Gettysburg, and nearly 94,000 Union soldiers fought against over 71,000 Confederate soldiers. Casualties for all participants totaled to about 51,000—the highest for any single battle in the American Civil War.

### Battle of Williamsport

After the Battle of Gettysburg, Lee's army retreated toward Virginia. Several battles and skirmishes occurred as Meade's army pursued Lee. The 5th New York Cavalry suffered significant casualties on July 6 in the Battle of Williamsport (also known as Battle of Hagerstown) in Hagerstown, Maryland, (near the road to Williamsport) as part of Meade's attempt to prevent the escape of Lee's army. Working with the 1st Vermont Cavalry, the two regiments were flanked on both sides and outnumbered. Eventually the two regiments were driven back. Hammond's report estimated that the regiment had about 100 men missing or wounded, and the number of fatalities was unknown. Regimental historian Boudrye later wrote that the regiment had 2 officers wounded and 3 officers captured, plus enlisted men casualties of 3 killed, 8 wounded, and 54 captured.

On July 9, De Forest reported for duty, and took command of the First Brigade. Kilpatrick moved the division to Hagerstown, and the regiment took no casualties in a skirmish there on July 11. Lee's army crossed the Potomac at Williamsport and Falling Waters on July 14. The Army of the Potomac eventually crossed back to Virginia, and the headquarters of the 3rd Division was established near Warrenton. The regiment's next skirmish was at Ashby's Gap in Virginia on July 26.

## Bristoe and Mine Run campaigns

A letter written August 14 from Hammond states that Johnstone took command of the regiment on the previous day (August 13, 1863), and complained that Johnstone had "avoided all the labor, dangers and privations of the regiment for nearly three-fourths of a year". The same letter noted that Colonel De Forest had been arrested and taken to New York. Johnstone was in a foul mood when he returned to the regiment, threatening arrest for anyone hostile to him. By September 3, Johnstone himself was under arrest and did not return. Hammond was back in command, and the regiment's three battalion leaders were Major White, Captain Krom, and Major Bacon. From September until the end of the year, the regiment was present for 19 actions. Sometime in the latter half of the year the regiment became equipped with seven-shot Spencer carbines.

For the Bristoe Virginia Campaign beginning October 10, the regiment was in the First Brigade of Kilpatrick's 3rd Division. The brigade was commanded by Brigadier General Henry E. Davies Jr. After some early successes, portions of Kilpatrick's brigade were partially surrounded on October 19 in the Battle of Buckland Mills. The regimental historian believed that without the brigade's skill and daring the "entire command would have been annihilated". The Union cavalry escaped, and the 5th New York Cavalry was involved in fighting off attacking infantry. An October 21 report by Davies mentioned Hammond and White for "distinguished gallantry" at James City, Brandy Station, and New Baltimore—and Lieutenant Theodore A. Boice was mentioned for two scouting missions that obtained much valuable information at Thoroughfare Gap and Aldie.

The Mine Run Campaign began November 26. In this campaign, the regiment was still part of the First Brigade of the 3rd Division, but General George A. Custer was the division commander. Davies remained in command of the brigade, and Hammond commanded the regiment. The regiment faced artillery duels and cold, wet weather. Private Loron F. Packard of Company G was awarded the Medal of Honor for rescuing a soldier from three Confederates at Raccoon Ford on November 27. In Davies' December 3 report, he praised the 5th New York's Captain Krom, whose battalion held off the enemy at Raccoon Ford for six days.

## Dahlgren raid

On December 3, 1863, the regiment set up camp near Stevensburg, Virginia. Hammond and Krom went to New York for recruiting, and Krom was promoted to major on December 5. Lieutenant Boice was promoted to captain on December 20. Hammond and Krom did not return until mid-March, but they brought 500 new recruits. On March 24, Hammond received his commission as lieutenant colonel.

While Hammond and Krom were gone, cavalry detachments from the 2nd New York, 5th New York, 1st Vermont, 1st Maine, and 5th Michigan departed Stevensburg, Virginia, on February 28, 1864, for a special mission. This force was under the command of Colonel Ulric Dahlgren and consisted of 400 men. The detachment from the 5th New York was 40 men from companies I and K, and they were commanded by Lieutenant Henry A. D. Merritt. The plan was for Kilpatrick's main Union force to attack Richmond from the north as a diversion, while Dahlgren's command approached from the south. Dahlgren's goal was to liberate prisoners in several prisons (including Libby Prison), destroy mills and warehouses, destroy railroad communications, and capture artillery at Frederick Hall Station on the Virginia Central Railroad. The mission failed and Dahlgren was killed. Of the 40 men from the 5th New York, 14 were captured—and 5 of those captured eventually died at the infamous Andersonville prison in Georgia. Merritt was among the captured. He escaped from a South Carolina prison on November 28, 1864. This failed mission became known as Kilpatrick's Raid or Dahlgren's Raid. There was some controversy over some papers allegedly found on Dahlgren’s body that discussed killing Jefferson Davis and burning Richmond. However, both Meade and Kilpatrick said nothing like that was "authorized, sanctioned, or approved".

## Grant's Overland Campaign

During March, Ulysses S. Grant became commander of all Union armed forces. Although Grant decided not to replace Meade as commander of the Army of the Potomac, he kept his headquarters with Meade's and provided direction. Philip Sheridan was appointed commander of Meade's cavalry corps. Kilpatrick was assigned to a larger command out west, and he was replaced as commander of Sheridan's 3rd Division by General James H. Wilson. Colonel John B. McIntosh replaced Davies as commander of the cavalry division's First Brigade—which consisted of the 18th Pennsylvania, 1st Connecticut, 2nd New York, and 5th New York cavalries.

### Battle of the Wilderness

The 5th New York Cavalry fought in the early stage of the Battle of the Wilderness. On May 3, the Army of the Potomac received orders to be ready to move at midnight. On the next day, the cavalry moved on the Plank Road toward Chancellorsville, just beyond Wilderness Tavern. The regiment, commanded by Hammond, was detached from Wilson's division with orders to proceed down the Orange Plank Road to Parker's Store and establish a picket line to guard the approach from Mine Run (west). At 5:00 am on May 5, the remainder of the division proceeded southward. Hammond was instructed to patrol the area until relieved by Gouverneur K. Warren's infantry. While most of the regiment began cooking breakfast at Parker's Store, Company I probed west and discovered Confederate infantry. The company's captain sent for, and received, reinforcements. In dismounted skirmishing, the Union cavalrymen were driven back toward Parker's Store. It was soon discovered that they were fighting an entire infantry corps under the command of A. P. Hill.

Hammond's total force consisted of only about 500 men. Hammond understood that the dense woods and the large infantry force made fighting on horseback inadvisable. Thus, the command fought dismounted and spread out as a skirmish line while utilizing their Spencer repeating rifles. The regiment slowly retreated east toward and beyond Parker's Store near the Orange Plank Road. The danger for Meade's army was that if Hill could take control of the intersection of Orange Plank and Brock roads, Warren's V Corps would have large enemy forces on two sides, and General Winfield S. Hancock's II Corps could get isolated from the rest of Meade's army. Hammond was eventually pushed back to the point where Orange Plank Road intersects with Brock Road, but was relieved by infantry from the VI Corps under the command of General George W. Getty. The exhausted 5th New York was nearly out of ammunition and sent about 1 mile (1.6 km) to the rear of the Union front line where it could recuperate and resupply. The regiment had fought a desperate engagement and held off a larger force for five hours—but suffered significant casualties. Confederate prisoners believed they had been fighting an entire brigade. The Battle of the Wilderness continued through May 7 and finished as a draw. Casualties for both armies combined are estimated to be 28,800, including the deaths of Union generals Alexander Hays and James S. Wadsworth—and three Confederate generals. Combined casualties totaled to the fourth highest of any battle in the Civil War.

### Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

For the next two weeks, the fighting shifted southeast toward Spotsylvania Court House. On May 7, the regiment guarded Germania Plank Road. Hammond was ordered by General John Sedgwick to take command of all cavalry on that road, which included the 5th New York, 22nd New York, and 2nd Ohio. Two days later, Sedgwick was killed elsewhere by a sharpshooter. On May 17, Meade sent Hammond 1,200 reinforcements and Hammond's command skirmished along the Po River. Casualties for the regiment from May 7 through May 17 were 7, including 1 officer captured. Although casualties for the regiment were few, this battle's combined casualties were the third highest in the American Civil War.

### Battle of Cold Harbor

On May 28, Hammond was promoted to colonel and Bacon was promoted to lieutenant colonel. The regiment fought in the Battle of Cold Harbor, which began May 31 and lasted through June 12. In this Confederate victory, the Union Army had about 12,000 casualties while the Confederates had about 4,000. On June 1, Wilson's 3rd Division (5th New York was in McIntosh's First Brigade) was at Ashland Station on the Virginia Central Railroad. Their objective was to destroy two railroad bridges that crossed the North Anna River. One brigade fought the enemy while the other brigade had demolition duty. The fighting was fierce and part of the First Brigade was temporarily surrounded before fighting its way to safety. In this portion of the battle, losses for both sides were heavy. Colonel Adison W. Preston of the 1st Vermont Cavalry (Second Brigade) was killed. For the 5th New York, Major White was seriously wounded, could not be moved, and became a prisoner of war. Colonel Hammond was shot in the leg, but the bullet hit his saber scabbard—causing him injury but no bullet wound. The trauma to his leg would bother him for the rest of his life. Sergeant William Murray of Company A escaped injury when his horse was decapitated from enemy fire. Casualties for the 5th New York at Ashland Station were 2 officers wounded and 3 captured, and 13 enlisted men wounded and 17 captured.

## Wilson-Kautz Raid

On June 20, Grant decided to "cut the enemy's lines of communication south", and the Wilson-Kautz Raid was conducted to accomplish this goal. On June 22, Wilson's cavalry division (including the 5th New York Cavalry), reinforced by portions of a division commanded by General August Kautz, began the raid using lesser-traveled roads to move south and west. Wilson was instructed to "avoid the observation of the enemy", and targets included the rail line that ran from Petersburg to Lynchburg and the Richmond and Danville Railroad. By June 26, the Union force advanced as far south and west as a bridge on the Staunton River near Roanoke Station, but was unsuccessful in capturing the bridge and could not continue southward along the rail line. In the return trip, Wilson's force lost two battles and found his path back to Union lines blocked by Confederate troops. In a desperate attempt to return to safety, artillery was spiked, supply wagons burned, and ambulances were abandoned with wounded that would become prisoners. A Confederate infantry attack caused half of Wilson's First Brigade (5th New York and 2nd Ohio) and Kautz to become separated from Wilson. Kautz and the two regiments fled cross country toward Petersburg. Many men moved in small groups and on foot.

### Post raid

After the Wilson-Kautz raid, some men did not reach the safety of Union lines until July 8. Hammond had been promoted to colonel on July 3. Describing the raid, he wrote "I never saw men and officers so completely worn out." He estimated that losses were 1,000 men, 2,000 horses, 14 artillery pieces, 27 wagons, 14 ambulances, and about 250 wounded that could not be moved and became prisoners. Better records later indicated that the failed 350-mile raid destroyed some railroad track but cost 1,445 casualties out of a force of 5,500 men. The 5th New York Cavalry had 92 enlisted men plus 2 officers captured in 7 skirmishes and battles. During that time, 4 enlisted men were killed and 7 wounded. The regiment rested and regrouped for several days in early July. Many men were sent to hospitals, and almost 100 men had no horse. The dismounted men were sent to a camp in the District of Columbia and eventually fought at Maryland Heights, Rockville, Toll Gate, Poolesville, Snicker's Ferry, and Kernstown. Beginning August 7, the main portion of the regiment fought in Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign.

## Sheridan

On August 12, Wilson's division (including the 5th New York Cavalry) was ordered to report to Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley. They proceeded on the next day through Leesburg and Snicker's Gap and reached Sheridan's Army of the Shenandoah near Opequon Creek about 2 miles (3.2 km) from Winchester. They had travelled about 75 miles (121 km) in 22 hours. Although the regiment was in the Battle of Summit Point on August 21, it did not have multiple casualties until it had 5 killed and 14 wounded (including officers) in "furious fighting" at Kearneysville Station on August 25. Skirmishing for the next few weeks was at Berryville and Opequon Creek.

On August 30 Hammond relinquished command, and Lieutenant Colonel Bacon became commander of the regiment. Hammond was discharged on September 3 as he had completed his term of service. During his tenure, he had a bone in his right hand broken from a bullet and his right leg cracked above the ankle from a shot that hit his saber scabbard. Bacon commanded the regiment for only a short time, resigning effective September 12 (White was released from a Confederate prison on that day). This made Major Krom commander, and he would lead the regiment at Opequon. Although Major White was exchanged from Libby Prison on September 12 and promoted to lieutenant colonel on September 15, he did not take command of the regiment until he rejoined it in Winchester on December 19. Captain Boice was also promoted on September 15, becoming a major. In September and continuing until April 1865, Company K became the escort of General William H. Emory, commander of the XIX Corps.

### Opequon

The Battle of Opequon, also known as the Third Battle of Winchester, is considered the most important American Civil War battle in the Shenandoah Valley. Over 54,000 men (both sides together) participated in this Union victory on September 19, and casualties for both sides totaled to over 8,600. Confederate forces had two generals killed and several others wounded such as Fitzhugh Lee. Union forces has one general killed and several others wounded. The commander of the entire Union Army in this battle was Major General Philip Sheridan, and his cavalry was led by Major General Alfred T. A. Torbert. Brigadier General James H. Wilson led Torbert's 3rd Division. Brigadier General John B. McIntosh led Wilson's First Brigade until he was seriously wounded, and then it was led by Lieutenant Colonel George A. Purington. Both the 5th New York and 2nd New York cavalries were part of the First Brigade. The 2nd New York, followed by the 5th New York, led the initial advance in this battle. The 5th New York Cavalry made five charges, including four against infantry. General McIntosh led a dismounted charge and was wounded—causing his left leg to be amputated below the knee. Company C's Captain Charles J. Farley also needed his leg amputated after receiving a wound while rallying his men. Casualties for the regiment were 2 officers and 11 enlisted men wounded, and 2 enlisted men killed and 2 captured. After the main fight, the regiment spent the next few days pursuing Confederates while having few casualties.

### Battle of Tom's Brook

In early October, Wilson was replaced as division commander by General George Custer. The division retreated from the Dayton, Virginia, area—burning anything that could be used to help feed the Confederate Army. Enemy cavalry followed closely and harassed the rear guard. Sheridan grew tired and resentful of the aggressiveness of the enemy cavalry, and ordered Torbert to "whip the rebel cavalry or get whipped himself". Torbert used General Wesley Merritt's 1st Division to attack cavalry led by Lunsford L. Lomax and Custer's 3rd Division to attack Thomas L. Rosser. The attacks occurred on October 9 near Toms Brook. Custer led the 5th New York Cavalry in person in this highly successful attack. The Union victory was complete and caused a quick retreat by the Confederate forces—causing some to call this battle the "Woodstock Races". Headquarters wagons, supply wagons, ambulances, and 11 pieces of artillery were captured by the two Union divisions. Union casualties were around 50, while Confederate casualties were around 350.

### Battle of Cedar Creek

The Battle of Cedar Creek occurred on October 19 with over 47,000 participants. Early's Confederate army surprised Sheridan's army while Sheridan was away in Winchester. General George Crook's Union VIII Corps were surprised around 4:00 AM, and many of Crook's men were killed or captured while in their tents. General William H. Emory's XIX Corps was also driven back. Sheridan returned around 10:00 AM and rallied his army. Custer's 3rd Division attacked from Sheridan's right and prevented enemy cavalry from flanking the Union line. The First Brigade of Custer's 3rd Division was commanded by Colonel Alexander C. M. Pennington, and the 5th New York Cavalry (part of the First Brigade) was commanded by Major Krom. The 5th New York performed well in this battle, capturing 22 artillery pieces, 14 caissons, 24 wagons and ambulances, 83 sets of artillery harnesses, 75 sets of wagon harnesses, 98 horses, and 67 mules. Two men from the regiment captured battle flags. Sergeant David H. Scofield (the regiment's quartermaster) captured the flag of the 13th Virginia Infantry and was awarded the Medal of Honor. Corporal John Walsh of Company D recaptured the flag of the 15th New Jersey Infantry that the Confederates had captured earlier in the day and was awarded the Medal of Honor.

The regiment spent the next month on reconnaissance and picket duty. Major Boice took command on October 20. The regiment became Sheridan's escort on December 1. On December 14 Sheridan was escorted to his new headquarters in Winchester. The regiment constructed its winter quarters. Boice was promoted to lieutenant colonel on January 27, 1865, replacing White who was promoted to colonel. Beginning February 27, Sheridan moved his army south along the Valley Pike.

### Waynesboro

On March 2, Sheridan's 1st and 3rd divisions destroyed Early's Confederate army near Waynesboro, Virginia, in the Battle of Waynesboro. Most of Early's army was killed or captured, although Early evaded capture. Custer's 3rd Division did the fighting, and a large number of Confederates surrendered. All of Early's headquarters equipment and artillery were captured.

After the battle, the regiment was part of a force that escorted about 1,400 prisoners 100 miles north to Winchester. A few men from the regiment (orderlies and messengers) remained with Sheridan, while the 5th New York was joined by several of the depleted regiments and dismounted men. The Union force totaled to about 1,200 from the 1st and 3rd Divisions. Lieutenant Colonel Boice commanded the men from the 3rd Division, since Colonel White was on furlough.

During the trip north, the 5th New York was the rear guard. On March 7, near Rude's Hill, the rear guard was attacked by Rosser's cavalry. Boice led a counterattack that drove off the Confederates in hand-to-hand fighting. He fired everything in his revolver and "unhorsed six Rebel troopers" with the butt of his weapon. Bugler John Caitlin of Company A captured Rosser's chief bugler and kept his bugle as a souvenir of the war. Numerous Confederates were killed and 35 were captured. Sergeant Hiram S. Graves of the regiment's Company M was killed in action. The Union force and all prisoners arrived at Winchester on March 7. Here, they were under the command of General Hancock, who had temporary command of Union forces around Winchester.

## War's end

The regiment had no more casualties after the March 7 fight at Rude's Hill. Sergeant Graves was the last member of the regiment to be killed in action. On March 13, the regiment went on a reconnaissance mission to Berryville. This was the last combat patrol for the majority of the regiment. On April 9, Robert E. Lee unconditionally surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia to Grant. The surrender look place at the home of Wilmer and Virginia McLean in the small community of Appomattox Court House, Virginia. The majority of the regiment was in Winchester at the time of Lee's surrender, although a small number of men were escorts for Sheridan and Custer at Appomattox. Private John McEwan of Company L was one of the escorts, and he accompanied General Lee to the house where the first interview with General Grant was conducted before the surrender. In early May, the regiment went from Staunton to Lexington and captured former Virginia Governor John Letcher.

The regiment spent most of June in Winchester. On July 18, Colonel White, commanding the regiment, notified the regiment that it would leave on the next day to New York City to muster out. July 19 is the official muster out date for the 5th New York Cavalry. However, the regiment camped on Hart's Island in New York beginning July 20. On July 25, the first two battalions of the regiment (plus Company I of the Third Battalion) received their pay and departed for home. The rest of the Third Battalion received its pay on the next day, and the 5th New York Cavalry ceased to exist.

During the war, the regiment lost 8 officers and 93 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded. Disease resulted in the death of 3 officers and 222 enlisted men. Over 500 enlisted men and 8 officers were captured. The regiment had more deaths at Confederate prisons, 99, than any other New York cavalry regiment. The Medal of Honor was awarded to six members of the regiment. A New York historian wrote that the 5th New York Cavalry "fought at Hanover, Pa., the first battle on free soil; it was the first Union regiment that crossed the Rapidan in Grant's campaign; it received the first shock at the battle of the Wilderness, and was the last to leave the field."

## See also

- List of New York Civil War units
- New York in the American Civil War

5th New York Cavalry in the American Civil War 1861–1865

Units and formations of the Union Army from New York (state)


Kareena Kapoor

Kareena Kapoor Khan (; née Kapoor; born 21 September 1980) is an Indian actress who appears in Hindi films. She is the daughter of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita, and the younger sister of actress Karisma Kapoor. Noted for playing a variety of characters in a range of film genres—from romantic comedies to crime dramas—Kapoor is the recipient of several awards, including six Filmfare Awards, and is one of Bollywood's highest-paid actresses.

After making her acting debut in 2000 in Refugee, Kapoor established herself with roles in the dramas Aśoka and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (both 2001). This was followed by a series of commercial failures and negative reviews for her repetitive roles. An against-type performance as a sex worker in the drama Chameli marked a turning point in her career. She earned critical recognition for her portrayal of a riot victim in the 2004 drama Dev and a character based on William Shakespeare's heroine Desdemona in the 2006 crime film Omkara. Further praise came for her performances in the romantic comedies Jab We Met (2007) and Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu (2012), the thrillers Kurbaan (2009) and Talaash: The Answer Lies Within (2012), and the dramas We Are Family (2010), Heroine (2012) and Udta Punjab (2016). Her highest-grossing releases include the dramas 3 Idiots (2009), Bodyguard (2011) and Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), the action film Singham Returns (2014), and the comedies Veere Di Wedding (2018) and Good Newwz (2019).

Kapoor is married to actor Saif Ali Khan, with whom she has two sons. Her off-screen life is the subject of widespread coverage in India. She is known for being outspoken and assertive and is recognised for her fashion style. Beside film acting, Kapoor participates in stage shows, hosts a radio show and has contributed as a co-writer to two autobiographical memoirs and two books of nutrition guides. She has started her own line of clothing and cosmetics for women, and has worked with UNICEF since 2014 to advocate for the education of girls and an increase in quality based education in India.

## Early life

Born on 21 September 1980 in Bombay (now Mumbai), Kapoor (often informally referred to as 'Bebo') is the younger daughter of Randhir Kapoor and Babita (née Shivdasani); her elder sister Karisma is also an actress. She is the paternal granddaughter of actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor, maternal granddaughter of actor Hari Shivdasani, and great-granddaughter of filmmaker Prithviraj Kapoor. The actor Rishi Kapoor was her uncle, and his son, actor Ranbir Kapoor, is her cousin. According to Kapoor, the name "Kareena" was derived from the book Anna Karenina, which her mother read while she was pregnant with her. She is of Punjabi Hindu descent on her father's side, and on her mother's side she is of Sindhi Hindu and British descent.

Describing herself as a naughty, spoilt child, Kapoor's exposure to films from a young age kindled her interest in acting; she was particularly inspired by the work of actresses Nargis and Meena Kumari. Despite her family background, her father disapproved of women entering films because he believed it conflicted with the traditional maternal duties and responsibility of women in the family. This led to a conflict between her parents and they lived separately before reconciling in October 2007. She was raised by her mother, who worked several jobs to support her daughters until Karisma debuted as an actress in 1991. Although her father was not present for most her childhood, Kapoor remarked that he played an important role in her life.

Kapoor attended Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai, followed by Welham Girls' School in Dehradun. She attended the institution primarily to satisfy her mother, though later admitted to liking the experience. According to Kapoor, she was not inclined towards academics though received good grades in all her classes except mathematics. Upon graduating from Welham, she returned to Mumbai and studied commerce for two years at Mithibai College. Kapoor then registered for a three-month summer course in microcomputers at Harvard Summer School in the United States. She later developed an interest in law, and enrolled at the Government Law College, Mumbai; during this period, she developed a long-lasting passion for reading. However, after completing her first year, she decided to pursue her interest in acting, though she later regretted not having completed her education. She began training at an acting institute in Mumbai mentored by Kishore Namit Kapoor, a member of the Film and Television Institute of India.

## Life and career

### Career beginnings, breakthrough and setback (2000–2003)

While training at the institute, Kapoor was cast as the lead in Rakesh Roshan's Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000), opposite Hrithik Roshan. Several days into the filming, however, she abandoned the project since more prominence was given to the director's son than her. She debuted later that year alongside Abhishek Bachchan in J. P. Dutta's Refugee. Set during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Kapoor was introduced as Naaz, a Bangladeshi girl with whom Bachchan's character falls in love. Dutta cast her for the combination of youthfulness and innocence he found in her, and Kapoor considered their collaboration to be a learning experience that helped her personally and professionally. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama noted "the ease with which she emotes the most difficult of scenes", and India Today reported that she belonged to a new breed of Hindi film actors that breaks away from character stereotypes. Refugee was a moderate box-office success in India and Kapoor's performance earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.

Kapoor was paired opposite Tusshar Kapoor in Satish Kaushik's box-office hit Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai (2001). A review in The Hindu noted that based on her first two films, she was "definitely the actress to watch out for". She next starred in Subhash Ghai's flop Yaadein, followed by Abbas–Mustan's moderately successful thriller Ajnabee. Later that year, she appeared in Santosh Sivan's period epic Aśoka, a partly fictionalised account of the life of the Indian emperor Ashoka. Featured opposite Shah Rukh Khan, Kapoor found herself challenged playing the complex personality of her character Kaurwaki with whom Ashoka falls in love. Aśoka was screened at the Venice and 2001 Toronto International Film Festivals, and received generally positive reviews internationally but failed to do well in India, which was attributed by critics to the way Ashoka was portrayed. Jeff Vice of The Deseret News commended her compelling screen presence, but Rediff.com believed that she was primarily used for aesthetic purposes. At the 47th Filmfare Awards, Aśoka was nominated for five awards including a Best Actress nomination for Kapoor.

A breakthrough in Kapoor's career came when she was cast by Karan Johar as Pooja ("Poo", a good-natured, superficial girl) in the 2001 melodrama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.... She found little resemblance between herself and her "over-the-top" character, and modeled Poo's personality on that of Johar. Filming the big-budget production, alongside an ensemble cast was a new experience for Kapoor, and she recalls it fondly as a dream come true. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... was an immensely popular release, finishing as India's second highest-grossing film of the year and Kapoor's highest-grossing film to that point. It became one of the biggest Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market, earning over ₹1 billion (US\$13 million) worldwide. Taran Adarsh described Kapoor as "one of the main highlights of the film", and she received her second Filmfare nomination for the role—her first for Best Supporting Actress—as well as nominations at the International Indian Academy (IIFA) and Screen Awards.

Box Office India reported that the success of Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... established Kapoor as a leading actress of Hindi cinema, and Rediff.com published that with Aśoka she had become the highest-paid Indian actress to that point earning ₹15 million (US\$190,000) per film. During 2002 and 2003, Kapoor continued to work in a number of projects but experienced a setback. All six films in which she starred—Mujhse Dosti Karoge!, Jeena Sirf Merre Liye, Talaash: The Hunt Begins..., Khushi, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, and the four-hour war epic LOC Kargil—were critically and commercially unsuccessful. Critics described her performances in these films as variations of the character she played in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..., and expressed concern that she was becoming typecast. She later spoke positively of this period, recalling it as a beneficial lesson which taught her to work harder.

### Professional expansion (2004–2006)

By 2004, Kapoor, who had confessed to having entered the film industry strictly for financial reasons, was eager on broadening her range as an actor and thus decided to accept more challenging roles in addition to the archetypical glamorous lead. Under the direction of Sudhir Mishra, Kapoor starred in Chameli as a golden-hearted prostitute who meets with a widowed investment banker (Rahul Bose). When Kapoor was first offered the part, she passed on it, explaining that she would be uncomfortable in the role. She relented when Mishra approached her for the second time, and in preparation for the role, visited several of Mumbai's red-light districts at night to study the mannerisms of sex workers and the way they dressed. With a production budget of ₹20 million (US\$250,000), the independent film marked a departure from the high-profile productions Kapoor previously starred in. The Times of India praised her for having exceeded all expectations; Rediff.com, however, found her portrayal unconvincing and excessively stereotypical, comparing her mannerisms to a caricature. Chameli marked a significant turning point in Kapoor's career and she received a special jury recognition at the 49th Filmfare Awards.

Kapoor next co-starred in Mani Ratnam's Yuva, a composite film about three youngsters from different strata of society whose lives intersect by a car accident; she featured as Vivek Oberoi's romantic interest. Despite not having "much of a role", she agreed to the project due to her desire to work with Ratnam. Film critic Subhash K. Jha concurred that her role was insubstantial, but further stated that Kapoor uses her "character traits to her ... advantage to create a girl who is at once enigmatic and all-there". She then appeared alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Fardeen Khan in Govind Nihalani's critically acclaimed film Dev, which revolved around the 2002 Hindu-Muslim riots in Gujarat. Kapoor starred as a Muslim victim and contributed in the soundtrack by providing the vocals. Nihalani was initially hesitant to cast a mainstream commercial actress but found that Kapoor displayed a level of intelligence and sensitivity beyond her years. She was eager to work with him, as his films Ardh Satya (1983) and Tamas (1988) gave her a deeper appreciation for cinema, and identified with her character's ability to be strong yet simple. It earned her critical acclaim and a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress.

Kapoor was cast for the first time as a villain in Fida (2004), a thriller about an online heist. Critics noted a distinct progression from her earlier roles. That same year, she starred in Abbas–Mustan's thriller Aitraaz and Priyadarshan's comedy Hulchul. Aitraaz follows the story of a man (Akshay Kumar) accused of sexual harassment by his female superior (Priyanka Chopra). Kapoor was offered Chopra's part, but decided to play Kumar's wife, knowing that Indian women would better identify with her character. Jitesh Pillai of The Times of India found Kapoor to have a small role, but noted that she "shines through brightly earning her big moment in the courtroom sequence". Meanwhile, Hulchul became Kapoor's first commercial success in three years. Her next film, Bewafaa, in 2005, was panned by critics. Nikhat Kazmi believed that to become a serious actress Kapoor was embodying a maturer, more-jaded character beyond her years in Bewafaa. Her final two releases of the year included the romantic dramas Kyon Ki and Dosti: Friends Forever, both of which underperformed at the box office. In her next two releases—the thriller 36 China Town and the comedy Chup Chup Ke (both 2006)—she starred opposite Shahid Kapoor. 36 China Town was a commercial success and Chup Chup Ke performed moderately well.

The filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj saw Kapoor in Yuva, and was sufficiently impressed to cast her in his next project, Omkara, an adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy Othello set against the backdrop of the political system in Uttar Pradesh. Kapoor featured as Desdemona and was challenged on portraying the character's inner turmoil, which she believed was much more subtle and subdued. She subsequently attended several script-reading sessions with the entire cast, and described the project as a special one for her. Omkara premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and was screened at the Cairo International Film Festival. Filmfare praised her ability to convey the various emotions her character went through, and her portrayal earned her a fourth Filmfare and first Screen Award. Kapoor considers it to be a favourite among her roles and compared her portrayal of Dolly with her own evolving maturity as a woman.

### Established actress (2007–2011)

Kapoor next teamed with Shahid Kapoor for a fourth time in the romantic comedy Jab We Met (2007), in which she portrayed Geet Dhillon, a vivacious Sikh girl with a zest for life. Director Imtiaz Ali was not a well-known figure before its production, but Kapoor agreed to the film after being fascinated with his script. She collaborated closely with Ali to build her character and was challenged on effectively portraying Dhillon's exuberant personality without making it caricaturish. Jab We Met was received favourably by critics and became successful at the box office. The BBC commented that the role required a mixture of naivety and spontaneity, and was impressed with Kapoor's effort; Rajeev Masand labelled her the film's "biggest strength". Kapoor was awarded the Filmfare Award for Best Actress and her second Screen Award. While shooting for Jab We Met, Kapoor and Shahid ended their four-year relationship. She admitted to being heartbroken by the split and hoped that they would reconcile their friendship in the future.

The following year, Kapoor co-starred in Vijay Krishna Acharya's Tashan, where she met her future husband in actor Saif Ali Khan. Although highly anticipated by the audience before release, the film underperformed at the box office. After providing her voice for the character of the love interest of a street dog in the Yash Raj Films and Walt Disney Pictures animated film Roadside Romeo, Kapoor played a mistrustful wife who believed her husband was unfaithful in Rohit Shetty's comedy Golmaal Returns. A sequel to the 2006 film Golmaal: Fun Unlimited, the film had an ambivalent reception from critics. The Indian Express believed the screenplay was derivative, concluding that her character and performance lacked originality. Golmaal Returns was a financial success with global revenues of ₹793 million (US\$9.9 million).

In 2009, Kapoor was cast as Simrita Rai, a surgeon who moonlights as a model, in Sabbir Khan's battle-of-the-sexes comedy Kambakkht Ishq. Set in Los Angeles, it was the first Indian film shot at Universal Studios. The film was poorly received by critics but became an economic success. The box-office flop Main Aurr Mrs Khanna came next, following which she played the leading lady in the dramatic thriller Kurbaan. Starring Kapoor as a woman confined to house arrest after discovering that her husband is a terrorist, she found the film to be an emotionally draining experience due to how difficult it was to disconnect from her character. Kapoor received her fourth Filmfare Best Actress nomination. Gaurav Malani of The Economic Times commented that after a long time the actress was given a substantial role with a potential to boost her career, while Subhash K. Jha described it as her "most consistently pitched performance to date" played with sensitivity.

Kapoor's second Filmfare nomination that year came for Rajkumar Hirani's 3 Idiots, based on the novel Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat, co-starring Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi. Her role is that of Pia, a medical student and Khan's love interest. The film emerged as the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time up until then, grossing ₹2.03 billion (US\$25 million) in India. It also did well internationally, earning over ₹1.08 billion (US\$14 million), the second biggest Bollywood success ever in the overseas market. Deccan Herald opined that Kapoor "brings a dollop of sunshine and feminine grace to an otherwise masculine tale", taking note of her spontaneity while playing her character. 3 Idiots received several Best Film recognitions at major Indian award functions, and Kapoor was awarded the IIFA Award for Best Actress, among others.

Kapoor began the new decade with a leading role in the poorly received romantic comedy Milenge Milenge (2010). Critics found the film to be outdated with stereotypical characters. A supporting role in We Are Family, an official adaptation of the Hollywood tearjerker Stepmom (1998), proved more rewarding. In an attempt to bring her interpretation to the part originally played by Julia Roberts, Kapoor refrained from watching Stepmom again and was drawn to the complexity of her character. Priyanka Roy of The Telegraph criticised it for being melodramatic, but praised Kapoor for enhancing the whole film. We Are Family emerged a moderate success and Kapoor was awarded the Best Supporting Actress at the 56th Filmfare Awards. She reunited with director Rohit Shetty for Golmaal 3, which received mixed reviews but earned more than ₹1 billion (US\$13 million) domestically. For her performance, Kapoor received Best Actress nominations at various award ceremonies including Filmfare.

Further success came to Kapoor in 2011 when she starred as the love interest of Salman Khan's character in Bodyguard, a remake of the 2010 Malayalam film of the same name. The film was not well received by critics, though became a financial success, with a domestic total of ₹1.4 billion (US\$18 million)—India's highest-earning film of the year. A review in Mint dismissed Kapoor's role as ornamental; Mid-Day argued she "actually manages to bring her caricature of a role alive". She next appeared in the Anubhav Sinha-directed sci-fi film Ra.One, revolving on a villainous videogame character (Shah Rukh Khan) who escapes into the real world. Made on a budget of ₹1.5 billion (US\$19 million), the film became one of the biggest earners of the year with a worldwide total of over ₹2.4 billion (US\$30 million)—despite negative media coverage of its box-office performance—and Kapoor's fourth major commercial success in three consecutive years.

### Marriage, continued success and motherhood (2012–2017)

Kapoor followed her success in Bodyguard and Ra.One with a role in Shakun Batra's Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu (2012) opposite Imran Khan. Set in Las Vegas, the romantic comedy follows the story of two strangers who get married one night after getting drunk. She played Riana Braganza, a carefree young woman, and was particularly drawn to the qualities of her character. The film received positive reviews and was an economic success, grossing a total of ₹530 million (US\$6.6 million) in India and abroad. The Hollywood Reporter found her "endearingly natural"; Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com complimented her for playing a non-ornamental role since that in Jab We Met. She next appeared in Agent Vinod, an espionage thriller directed by Sriram Raghavan. Kapoor was enthusiastic about the project, but it met with a tepid response and she was described as miscast. Asked why she took the role, Kapoor described it as an opportunity to attempt something she had never done before.

For her next feature, Kapoor was cast as a fading movie star in Madhur Bhandarkar's Heroine. Initially skeptical about taking on the part whose personality she felt to be far removed from her own, she agreed after Bhandarkar enforced his faith in her. Although not a method actor, Kapoor believed that the intense role had left her on edge in her personal life and refrained from taking on any other projects. Reviewers found the film monotonous, but noted that it was watchable primarily due to Kapoor's performance. Rajeev Masand described it as "a deliciously camp performance" that was played "with utmost sincerity". Bollywood Hungama opined that it was her best work to date and concluded that despite an inconsistent character, Kapoor embellished it "with a rare vulnerability and an exceptional inner life". At the annual Stardust Awards, Kapoor garnered the Editor's Choice for Best Actress, and received additional nominations at Filmfare, IIFA, Producers Guild, Screen and Stardust.

On 16 October 2012, Kapoor married actor Saif Ali Khan in a private ceremony in Bandra, Mumbai, and she gave birth to their sons in 2016 and 2021 respectively. Kapoor stated that despite adding Khan to her name she would continue practising Hinduism after marriage. Talaash: The Answer Lies Within, in which she played the prostitute Rosie (as Kareena Kapoor Khan), was her final release of 2012. The film is set against the backdrop of Mumbai's red-light districts and follows the travails of a police officer (Aamir Khan) who is assigned the duty of solving a mysterious car accident. The Telegraph found Kapoor Khan a standout among the other performers, adding that "she brings an unseen mix of oomph and emotion". With global revenues of ₹1.74 billion (US\$22 million), the film emerged as a box office hit, and earned Kapoor Khan Best Actress nominations at the Screen, Stardust and Zee Cine award ceremonies.

In 2013, Kapoor Khan collaborated with Ajay Devgn for the fourth time in Prakash Jha's Satyagraha, a socio-political drama loosely inspired by social activist Anna Hazare's fight against corruption in 2011. The film received little praise from critics and underperformed at the box office earning ₹675 million (US\$8.5 million) domestically. Following an appearance in the poorly received romantic comedy Gori Tere Pyaar Mein (2013), Kapoor Khan decreased her workload for the next two years to focus on her marriage and family. She took on smaller parts where she played the love-interest of Ajay Devgn in the action film Singham Returns (2014) and Salman Khan in the drama Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015). The former, in which Kapoor Khan had a role written specifically for her, met with mixed reviews and Kapoor received criticism for taking a role of minimal importance. Conversely, the film was a financial success with a revenue of over ₹1.4 billion (US\$18 million). Kabir Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan emerged as India's highest-earning film of the year grossing a total of ₹3.20 billion (US\$40 million), and earned the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.

In 2016, Kapoor Khan took on a starring role in Ki & Ka, about gender stereotypes, to which she was particularly drawn for its relevance. Critics were divided in their opinion of the film, but it emerged a financial success grossing over ₹1 billion (US\$13 million) worldwide. Meena Iyer of The Times of India mentioned Kapoor as remarkable, and Sukanya Verma considered the actress to be the film's prime asset. She next featured in Udta Punjab (2016), a crime drama that documents the substance abuse endemic in the Indian state Punjab. Kapoor Khan was initially reluctant to do the film due to the length of her role, but agreed after reading the completed script and partially waived her fees to star in it. Udta Punjab generated controversy when the Central Board of Film Certification deemed that the film represented Punjab in a negative light. The Bombay High Court later cleared the film for exhibition with one scene cut. Rediff.com stated that the film relies on her character, and Mehul S. Thakkar of Deccan Chronicle wrote that she was successful in delivering such a strong performance. For her performance, Kapoor Khan received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Filmfare and Zee Cine award ceremonies.

### Veere Di Wedding and beyond (2018–present)

Following the birth of her first child, Kapoor Khan was persuaded by her husband to return to acting. She was keen to work on a project that would accommodate her parental commitments and found it in Shashanka Ghosh's female buddy film, Veere Di Wedding (2018). Initially approached for the project in 2016, the makers rewrote Kapoor Khan's role to accommodate her pregnancy, but the lack of maternity insurance in India led filming to begin after she gave birth. She liked the idea of telling a story of friendship and love from a female perspective, which she believed was rare in Hindi film, and was pleased to work with three other leading ladies. Anna M. M. Vetticad praised the film for portraying women with "agency, flaws, humanity and, above all, a sense of humour", and took note of Kapoor Khan's restrained performance. With a worldwide gross of over ₹1.38 billion (US\$17 million), Veere Di Wedding emerged as one of the highest-grossing female-led Hindi films.

Kapoor Khan reteamed with Akshay Kumar in Good Newwz (2019), a comedy about two couples' tryst with in vitro fertilisation. Mint's Udita Jhunjunwala wrote that it is "hard to keep your eyes off Kapoor Khan". She received Best Actress nominations at Filmfare, IIFA and Zee Cine Awards, and the film earned over ₹3 billion (US\$38 million) to emerge as the fifth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. She next took a supporting role in Angrezi Medium (2020), a spiritual sequel to Hindi Medium. According to her, it was a deliberate attempt to move away from her comfort zone; she filmed her role in 10 days while she was accompanying her husband on his film shoot in London. The feature released in India amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its commercial performance was affected due to the closing of the cinemas. Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in commended her "ability to glitter in a handful of moments", but Vinayak Chakravorty for Outlook thought the portions involving Kapoor Khan were inessential to the story.

In 2022, Kapoor Khan starred in an adaptation of Forrest Gump, titled Laal Singh Chaddha, starring Aamir Khan in the title role. She played Rupa, a troubled aspiring actress; Devesh Sharma of Filmfare opined that her performance "filled with angst and grit" was one of the best in her career. Amidst a significant campaign by Hindu nationalists to boycott the film due to Aamir Khan's political affiliations, Laal Singh Chaddha failed to recoup its estimated production budget of ₹1.5 billion (US\$19 million). She received another Best Actress nomination at Filmfare.

Eager to work in the thriller genre, Kapoor Khan signed on for two such films. The first of them will be Jaane Jaan, a Netflix film adaptation of Higashino Keigo’s novel The Devotion of Suspect X from filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh, in which she will play a single mother involved in a murder. The other will be Hansal Mehta's The Buckingham Murders (which will also mark her first production venture), in which she will play a detective in a small town in Buckinghamshire, for which she modelled her character on Kate Winslet's role in Mare of Easttown. Kapoor Khan will return to commercial cinema with the female-led comedy-drama The Crew, about an aircrew, co-starring Tabu and Kriti Sanon.

## Other work

### Fashion and publication

Alongside her acting work, Kapoor has established a career as a designer. During her five-year association with the retail chain Globus, Kapoor became the first Indian actress to launch her own line of clothing for women; she described the collaboration as being "special" and "reflective of my personal sense of style". Her collection made its debut several months later in stores across India, and was well received. Following the end of her contract with Globus, she expressed a desire to work with a design house to release her clothing line internationally, but later explained that those plans were on hold. In August 2018, Kapoor collaborated with Lakmé Cosmetics to launch her own line of cosmetics.

In 2009, Kapoor worked with nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar on Don't Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight, a book on the principles of healthy eating habits. Published by Random House, the book was well received by critics, and sold 10,000 copies within its first twenty days. A follow-up, Women and The Weight Loss Tamasha, was released two years later. It addressed the weight loss concerns and eating habits of women in various parts of their life, and featured Kapoor in a voice-over for the audiobook. In 2013, Kapoor released her autobiographical memoir, The Style Diary of a Bollywood Diva, which was criticised by Mint for its "too-breezy" writing. Co-written alongside Rochelle Pinto, it became the first book to be launched under the Shobhaa De imprint of Penguin Books—a set of series that included celebrity memoirs, guides and biographies. Later that year, she collaborated with Diwekar for the third time on The Indian Food Wisdom and The Art of Eating Right, a documentary film about nutrition. In 2021, she released Pregnancy Bible (co-authored with Aditi Shah Bhimjani), which became a commercial success.

### Philanthropy

During her years in the film industry, Kapoor has been actively involved in promoting children's education and the safety of women. In June 2010, she took part in the international campaign 1GOAL Education for All, and was appointed ambassador for the Shakti Campaign—a project launched by NDTV to combat violence against women—in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. Two years later, Kapoor launched Channel V's anti-rape mobile app 'VithU'; she stated that with an increasing amount of violence against women in India, "[i]t [was] important for actors to stand up for issues because they can reach out to a lot of people."

In January 2014, Kapoor began working with UNICEF to advocate the education of girls and increase quality based education in India. Speaking of her association, she expressed hope in creating places "where children feel safe and secure, and where interactive and creative tools are used to ensure that children are happy and learning." During the first year, Kapoor visited schools in the states of Rajasthan and Maharashtra where she interacted with students and participated in fundraising events hosted by the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya organisation in the Jalna district. Along with UNICEF India's Goodwill Ambassador (Sharmila Tagore), Kapoor hosted a charity dinner to help raise awareness for the development of underprivileged kids, and launched the 'Child-Friendly School and Systems' (CFSS) package. She later donated an equivalent amount of the funds raised during a joint initiative by UNICEF and Groupon for a higher-quality learning environment in Indian schools.

The following year, she awarded 31 students and 5 teachers for their contribution towards the field of education in Chhattisgarh at the concluding ceremony of Child Rights Protection week. Also that year, Kapoor provided a voice-over for the documentary film Girl Rising: Woh Padhegi, Woh Udegi [She will learn, she will fly] for the organisation of the same name, and produced a documentary on women's empowerment. In June 2016, she spoke at an event organised by UNICEF in Lucknow to promote menstrual hygiene management. Following the birth of her son, Kapoor wrote an article published in The Times of India titled "Let's save our newborn babies", discussing infant mortality, and launched the "Every Child Alive" campaign to promote affordable and quality health care for mothers and their newborn. In May 2018, she was invited as a keynote speaker for a Mother's Day event in New Delhi organised by UNICEF.

Additionally, Kapoor has made public appearances to support other charitable organisations. She performed at a fundraiser for the World Youth Peace Summit in November 2003, and participated in a concert to raise money for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. She visited Indian jawans (troops) in Rajasthan, for a special Holi weekend episode of NDTV's reality show Jai Jawaan. In 2010, Kapoor adopted the village of Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh as part of NDTV's Greenathon Campaign, to provide the village with a regular supply of electricity. Four years later, she participated in a campaign to raise awareness on hunger and malnutrition in the world and made donations to the Kashmir flood relief. In September 2016, Kapoor attended the inaugural of Global Citizen India—a joint initiative by the music festival of the same name and The Global Education and Leadership Foundation. The following year, Kapoor became the brand ambassador for Swasth Immunised India, a campaign launched by the Network18 Group and Serum Institute of India to promote immunisation for children.

### Stage performances, radio and television presenting

Kapoor has participated in several stage shows and world tours since 2002. Her first tour (Heartthrobs: Live in Concert (2002) with Hrithik Roshan, Karisma Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Aftab Shivdasani) was successful in the United States and Canada. At the end of that year, she performed with several other Bollywood stars at Kings Park Stadium in Durban, South Africa in the show Now or Never.

Four years later, Kapoor returned to the stage with six other Bollywood celebrities in the successful Rockstars Concert world tour. The concert was originally scheduled to commence in April 2006, but was postponed due to the arrest of Salman Khan. It later began the following month and was staged in 19 cities across the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. In 2008, Kapoor performed in Shah Rukh Khan's Temptation Reloaded 2008, a series of concerts in a number of countries. The show (which also featured Arjun Rampal, Katrina Kaif, Ganesh Hegde, Javed Ali and Anusha Dandekar) debuted at the Rotterdam Ahoy venue in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Several months later she again joined Khan, Rampal and Kaif to perform for an audience of 15,000 at Dubai's Festival City Arena.

In 2018, Kapoor collaborated with Ishq FM to host a radio show "What Women Want". The show was well-received, earning Kapoor a nomination at the New York Festivals Radio Awards for "Best Talk Show Host", and later renewed for two more seasons. The following year, she featured as a talent judge for the seventh season of the dance reality show Dance India Dance.

## Public image and character

Known for her nonchalant relationship with the media, Kapoor has gained a reputation for discussing her private life with no reservations. As a child she regularly attended award ceremonies and events with her family, and would also accompany Karisma on-set during filming. In an interview with Filmfare, she explained that growing up in a film family helped her develop a sense of professionalism and dedication towards her craft. Kapoor's private life has been the subject of media attention in India, with frequent press coverage of her weight and relationship with actor Saif Ali Khan. The couple—dubbed "Saifeena" by the entertainment media—has been one of the country's most-reported celebrity stories since 2007, and Kapoor gave birth to their sons in 2016 and 2021, respectively.

While a segment of the press has described Kapoor as friendly and extremely close to her family, others have criticised her for being arrogant and vain—an image she gained in the wake of her superficial character, Poo, in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001). She subsequently featured in films portraying similar characters, and this further established her off- and on-screen personae. Before the release of Chameli (2004), in which she played a sex worker, Kapoor stated that "there is a certain image that people identify you with [and] [i]t always follows you whichever role you play. I am trying to transgress this image and become more screen-friendly than image-friendly." Chameli helped Kapoor reinvent her on-screen persona, and she later explained that her honesty and openness was often perceived by the media as arrogance.

Kapoor is also known for her assertive and moody nature, and her outspoken views and independence have been singled out for making major contributions to her career. In an early interview, she confessed to being an introvert yet blunt, reasoning: "Total faith and complete belief in myself is my attitude towards life, films and virtually everything else. I am all about doing what I feel is right. It is not easy to pin me down as I can be a bundle of contradictions." Journalist Subhash K. Jha explained that while this approach has sometimes cost her professionally and made her lose out significant projects, it has made her "a favourite among the generation that believes in self-regard being the highest form of creativity". Meanwhile, Anu Ahuja suggested that Kapoor's demeanour is an act; she is "cold and unapproachable so that no one will act funny with her".

Kapoor is considered one of the most popular Bollywood celebrities in India. Her look and performances have established her as a style icon for young women. In a 2009 poll conducted by Daily News and Analysis, Kapoor was voted one of India's most popular icons; with her partner Saif Ali Khan, she was listed amongst the top celebrity endorsers for brands and products worldwide. She became the only Indian actress to be featured on CNNGo's list of "Who Mattered Most in India", and was later selected by Verve for its list of the country's most powerful women from 2008 to 2013 and in 2016. In June 2010, Kapoor was named "India's Most Beautiful Woman" by the Indian edition of People magazine; Eastern Eye and Indian Maxim named her as "Asia's Sexiest Woman" and "India's Hottest Woman" in 2011 and 2012 respectively. The following year, she was selected by India Today for its list of the country's most influential women. From 2012 to 2018, Kapoor has featured on Forbes India's "Celebrity 100", a list based on the income and popularity of India's celebrities, peaking at the seventh position in 2012 with an estimated annual earning of ₹735 million (US\$9.2 million).

## Performances: technique and analysis

Kapoor relies on her instincts and spontaneity as an actor. She is known to commit heavily to each role, and refrains from rehearsing for a project. Commenting on this, director Rajkumar Hirani said "I usually have a habit of conducting rehearsals for my actors, but she insisted on not having them as it would affect her spontaneity. She really surprised me with a couple of emotional scenes which we canned in just one take." Karan Johar described Kapoor as a "natural", explaining that "she has no craft, grammar or process attached to her acting [...] It is a great sense of cinema that can keep her going." According to Rensil D'Silva (who directed her in Kurbaan), "Kareena [..] is instinctive and has emotional intelligence. She absorbs the situation and performs accordingly. Discussing the scene, in fact, harms her."

In 2010, Rediff.com noted: "[E]ven though a lot of her starring roles have been forgettable, [a] look at her filmography now, however, would show a more thoughtful selection of roles [...] playing to her strengths." Her portrayal of a series of superficial characters at the start of her career were criticised; film historian Gyan Prakash explained that these roles "tended to infantilise her, packaging her as daddy's little girl, all bubble and no fizz". Critics noted Chameli (2004) as her coming of age, claiming that "a new actor in her was discovered". Following her portrayal of a variety of character types in Chameli, Dev (2004), Omkara (2006) and Jab We Met (2007), Kapoor was noted for her versatility. In 2010, Filmfare magazine included two of her performances—from Omkara and Jab We Met—in its list of "80 Iconic Performances". India Today labelled her "the most versatile female lead in the industry", noting that she "play[s] her roles with trademark spunk".

Manjula Sen of The Telegraph wrote in 2008 that although Kapoor had the worst success ratio among her contemporaries, her marketability remained unaffected. Sen believed Kapoor's strength lies in her being versatile; she is "effortlessly honest in her performances. It is a candour that spills over in her personal conduct." Writing for News18, Rituparna Chatterjee spoke of her transformation to date: "[A]fter 40 films and 10 years of fighting off competition from some of the most versatile actors of her generation, Kareena has matured into a bankable actor reinventing herself with surprising ease." In 2004, Kapoor placed third on Rediff's list of "Top Bollywood Female Stars". She was later ranked seventh and fifth in 2005 and 2006 respectively, and returned to third place in 2007. In January 2011, Kapoor placed fourth on Rediff's list of "Top 10 Actresses of 2000–2010".

## Accolades

Kapoor has received six Filmfare Awards out of fifteen nominations. For her role in Refugee, Kapoor was awarded the Best Female Debut in 2000. She earned a special jury recognition for Chameli (2003), and two Critics Award for Best Actress for Dev (2004) and Omkara (2006). Kapoor later received the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for Jab We Met (2007) and We Are Family (2010) respectively.

## See also

- List of Indian film actresses

Indian actress (born 1980)

Actresses of European descent in Indian films

International Indian Film Academy Awards winners