Overview
The 26th Ohio Independent Battery Light Artillery served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Originally organized as Company F, 32nd Ohio Infantry, the unit was formed at Camp Hartley, Ohio, on August 30, 1861, for a three-year term of service. It was later permanently detached and designated as an independent battery on December 22, 1863. The battery primarily operated in the Western Theater, participating in campaigns and garrison duties in Mississippi and Texas.
This unit is distinct from the 32nd Ohio Infantry, with which it was originally associated prior to its detachment as an independent battery.
Organization & Service
The 26th Ohio Independent Battery Light Artillery was organized at Camp Hartley, Ohio, on August 30, 1861, as Company F of the 32nd Ohio Infantry. The battery was detached and recognized as an independent artillery unit on December 22, 1863. Prior to this date, its service and engagements were recorded with the 32nd Ohio Infantry.
After its detachment, the battery received a veteran furlough and returned to Vicksburg, Mississippi, on February 3, 1864. It participated in several expeditions from Vicksburg and Natchez throughout 1864. In November 1864, the battery was ordered to Natchez for garrison duty. Following the end of hostilities, the unit was attached to the Texas expedition and served along the Rio Grande. The battery was ordered back to Ohio and mustered out at Tod Barracks, Columbus, on September 2, 1865, in accordance with War Department orders.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
- Expeditions from Vicksburg, Mississippi (1864)
- Expeditions from Natchez, Mississippi (1864)
- Garrison duty at Natchez, Mississippi (November 1864 – 1865)
- Texas Expedition and service on the Rio Grande (post-war, 1865)
Engagements prior to December 22, 1863, are recorded with the 32nd Ohio Infantry.
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 26th Ohio Independent Battery Light Artillery as an independent unit are not detailed in available primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Captain Theobold D. Yost
- First Lieutenant Levi J. Cox
- First Lieutenant Omar S. Lee
- First Lieutenant John C. Hampson
- Second Lieutenant Abel T. Lee
- Second Lieutenant John E. Kitzmiller
Regimental Roster
The complete roster of the 26th Ohio Independent Battery Light Artillery, including officers and enlisted men, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and service details for those who served in the unit.
To view the full roster, visit the 26th Ohio Independent Battery Light Artillery Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes
- Ohio Roster Commission, “Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion”
- Dyer, Frederick H., “A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion”
- Federal Publishing Company, “The Union Army,” Vol. 2 (1908)