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26th Illinois Infantry
in the American Civil War
Online Books:
26th Illinois Infantry Soldier Roster - Report of the Adjutant
General of the State of Illinois, Volume 2, Revised by Brigadier General J.N.
Reece, Adjutant General, 1900
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Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| Twenty-sixth Illinois Infantry. — Col., John M. Loomis ; Lieut.
-Cols., Charles J. Tinkham, Robert A. Gilmore, Ira J. Bloomfield; Majs.,
Robert A. Gilmore, John B. Harris, John B. Bruner. The 26th was mustered
into the U. S. service with seven companies, at Camp Butler, Ill., Aug.
31, 1861, for three years, and was ordered to Quincy for the protection
of that place. Not having been armed, the regiment did guard duty with
hickory clubs. During the autumn it was on guard duty on the Hannibal &
St. Joseph railway, armed with old English Tower muskets, and prior to
Jan. 1, 1862, three more companies were raised, completing the
organization. It arrived at New Madrid in March and was engaged in
action there; then marching to Point Pleasant it engaged the Confederate
gunboats and prevented the landing of the enemy. It then marched to
intercept the flying enemy from Island No. 10, and assisted in capturing
many prisoners. It took part in the siege of Corinth and in May was
engaged at Farmington, losing 5 killed and 30 wounded. It next engaged
the enemy a mile from Corinth, losing 4 killed and 25 wounded, and Co. G
was the first to enter Corinth on the evacuation by the enemy. At Iuka
it was again engaged, being part of a brigade commanded by Lieut.- Col.
J. A. Mower of the 11th Mo. The enemy retreated during the night and the
regiment joined in the pursuit, arriving at Corinth on Oct. 3 and
participating in the battle of that place. During November it was
detailed to guard a commissary train to Hudsonville, and on the trip
lost 2 men killed and 2 wounded by guerrillas. In the fall of 1864 the
regiment was transferred to eastern Tennessee and took an active part in
the battle of Missionary ridge, losing in killed and wounded 101
officers and men. On Jan. 1, 1864, there were 515 men present for duty,
of whom 463 reenlisted as veterans, 60 out of 61 present in Co. K
reenlisting. On Jan. 12 they started home on veteran furlough and at the
expiration of the time returned to the field with ranks well filled with
recruits. The regiment was actively engaged in all the marches,
skirmishes and battles which finally resulted in the capture of Atlanta.
It was engaged in the action of Griswoldville, siege of Savannah and
capture of Fort McAllister. It was among the first regiments into
Columbia and was hotly engaged in the battle of Bentonville. It was
ordered to carry the bridge that spanned Mill creek, and did so in a
magnificent charge in which it lost a number of good men. The regiment
participated in the grand review at Washington ; was then transported by
rail to Parkersburg, W. Va. ; thence by boat to Louisville, Ky., where
it remained in camp until July 20, 1865 ; and was then mustered out and
started for Springfield, Ill., for final payment and discharge. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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