Civil War: Twenty-Sixth Regiment History and Roster, Delaware Co., PA Copyright(c) 2003 by Cyndie Enfinger http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ******************************************************** Source: History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, by Henry Graham Ashmead, L. H. Everts & Co., 1884, pp. 117-119. Twenty-sixth Regiment (Three-Year’s Service).-Although the history of this regiment antedates the actual outbreak of hostilities, and, as will be recalled, under Col. Small, it was attacked in Baltimore on April 19, 1861, when on its way to Washington to be equipped and armed, it is nowise distinctly connected with the annals of Delaware County until nearly a month subsequent to that event. Under the call of the United States, May 3, 1861, for troops to serve a period of three years, William L. Grubb began recruiting a company in Chester and the surrounding neighborhood. This company was mustered in on May 31, 1861, as Company K, Twenty-sixth Regiment, and on Monday evening, June 16th, it went through Chester. The people in the ancient borough, knowing that the company was ordered to Washington, gathered at the station and along the railroad. The boys in blue, as they caught sight of their friends and acquaintances, waved their hats from the car windows and platforms and cheered, which was taken up and answered by the people who had been watching their coming so anxiously. The main body of the regiment was then at Washington guarding the quartermaster- general’s stores, the arsenal, and the flying bridge at Georgetown. The regiment was subsequently assigned to Gen. Hooker’s division, and early in April, 1862, was transported to the Peninsula, where it took part in the siege of Yorktown, and on May 5th, at the battle of Williamsburg in front of Fort Magruder, it drove the enemy out of the rifle-pits into the works, which position it held for eight hours until fresh troops came to its support, and the fort was taken. It was engaged at Seven Pines, and in “the change of base,” on June 19th, was in action at Savage Station. On the 20th it was engaged in the battle of White Oak Swamp from noon to night, and just before dusk of that long summer day it made a brilliant bayonet charge, breaking the enemy’s line, compelling them to retire, and the following day it took part in the battle of Malvern Hill. On August 20th it was with Heintzelman’s corps, dispatched to the support of Gen. Pope. In that campaign it was engaged at Bristoe Station on the 26th, and the next day opened communication for the army with its base of supplies. On the 29th it marched through Centreville to Bull Run, going at once into the fight, where it suffered severely. Capt. Meekins, of Company K, was killed in this battle. The next day the Twenty-sixth Regiment was held as support to three different batteries, which compelled it to march rapidly from point to point as occasion required. At Burnside’s defeat at Fredericksburg it was in the front line of battle, and was engaged with but slight intermission for thirty hours. At Chancellorsville, on May 2, 1863, the regiment made a reconnaissance up the road in front of Hooker’s headquarters to feel the enemy, and on the 3d it was held as a support to batteries after it had fallen back to the intrenchments, a movement made necessary after the Seventy-second New York had broken, leaving the flank of the Twenty-sixth uncovered and exposed to a heavy fire, by which it lost nearly a hundred men. In the Gettysburg campaign it was the Gen. Sickles, and reached the field on the evening of the 1st of July, 1863. The next day the regiment was on the extreme right of the division, and suffered severely. Late in the day is sustained a charge of a Florida brigade, which it checked, and in turn charged the enemy, driving the latter in confusion, capturing many prisoners. The loss of the Twenty-sixth Regiment in this battle was appalling. It had gone into the fight with three hundred and sixty-four men, and its loss was two hundred and sixteen killed and wounded, this number including three color-bearers who were killed. In Grant’s campaign, on May 5, 1864, at the battle of the Wilderness, it was on the extreme left of the army and held its position, although repeatedly assailed. On the 12th, at Spottsylvania Court-House, it took part in Hancock’s grand charge with the Second Corps, and in the engagement the Twenty-sixth captured two Napoleon guns, which it turned with effect on the enemy. It was actively engaged at the crossing of the North Anna River, and on the 27th of May crossed the Pamunkey River at Nelson’s Ford, where its term of service having expired it was ordered to Philadelphia, where on June 18, 1864, in front of Independence Hall, it was mustered out. Company C Thomas V. Cooper, private, served until after battle of Gettysburg; detached by order of War Department and placed in charge of government printing-office at Camp Distribution, where he remained until close of war. Company K William L. Grubb, capt., must. in May 31, 1861; res. Dec. 30, 1861. John F. Meekins, capt., must. in May 31, 1861; pro. to 1st lieut. Feb. 6, 1862; to capt. August, 1862; killed at Bull Run Aug. 29, 1862. James L. Seary, capt., must. in May 13, 1861; pro. to 1st lieut. April 1, 1863; to capt. April 13, 1864; must. out with company June 18, 1864. Peter P. G. Hall, 2d lieut., must. in May 31, 1861; pro. to adjt. Aug. 10, 1861. William H. Phillips, sergt., must. in May 31, 1861; pro. from corp. to sergt.; must. out with company June 18, 1864. George W. Rosevelt, sergt., must. in May 31, 1861; pro. to sergt. October, 1862; wounded, with loss of leg, at Gettysburg; disch. On surg. certif.. March 14, 1864. William Groundsell, sergt., must. in May 31, 1861; trans. To 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864; veteran. Samuel P. Morris, sergt., must in May 31, 1861; died of wounds rec. at Gettysburg July 2, 1863. Isaac Ford, corp., must. in May 31, 1861; pro. to corp.; must. out with company June 18, 1864. James Schofield, corp., must. in May 31, 1861; pro. to corp.; must. out with company June 18, 1864. Isaac Brown, corp., must. in May 31, 1861; captured at Williamsburg, Va., May 5, 1862; disch. on surg. certif.., date unknown. Nathan Larkin, corp., must. in May 31, 1861; disch. on surg. certif.. March 19, 1863. James Ford, corp., must. in May 31, 1861; trans. To 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864; veteran Nathan R. Van Horn, corp., must. in May 31, 1861; killed at Gettysburg July 2, 1863. James L. Gelsten, corp., must. in June 12, 1861; killed at Gettysburg July 2, 1863. Isaac Bird, corp., must. in May 31, 1861; pro. to corp. Aug. 15, 1863; died of wounds received at Spottsylvania Court-House May 15, 1864; veteran Alexander Graydon, musician, must. in May 31, 1861; must. out with company June 18, 1864; veteran. Privates. Henry Abbott, must. in May 31, 1861; disch. Nov. 4, 1862, for wounds received at Bull Run Aug. 29, 1862. Lewis Bail, must. in May 31, 1861; wounded at Spottsylvania May 15, 1864; absent at muster out. John Boylan, must. in May 31, 1861; must. out with company June 18, 1864. Thomas Brown, must. in May 31, 1861; absent, sick, at muster out. Mark Bail, must. in May 31, 1861; disch. On surg. certif.. July 21, 1861. George Brannon, must. in May 31, 1861; disch. Nov. 4, 1862, for wounds received at Bull Run Aug. 29, 1862. Thomas Blizzard, must. in May 31, 1861; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864; veteran William H. Brown, must. in Aug. 29, 1861; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864; veteran. Lewis Bail, must. in Aug. 19, 1863; drafted; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864; died June 19, 1864, at Andersonville; grave 2180. William F. Brant, must. in April 14, 1864; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864. James T. Bell, must. in May 31, 1861; died of wounds received at Spottsylvania May 15, 1864. John Boyle, must. in May 31, 1861. John Boyce, must. in May 31, 1861. Jacob Calin, must. in May 31, 1861; reduced from sergt. Oct. 1, 1862; disch. On surg. certif.. Oct. 17, 1862. William H. Clark, must. in May 31, 1861; reduced from sergt. March, 1863; trans, to Co. F, 26th Regt. P. V., April 1, 1863. James Cloud, must. in May 31, 1861; trans. to Vet. Res. Corps, date unknown. William Cleniff, must. in Aug. 10, 1861; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864. Edward Caves, must. in May 31, 1861. Joseph Dicks, must. in June 4, 1861; must. out with company June 18, 1864. William K. Dobbins, must. in Aug. 29, 1861’ trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864. John Derlin, must. in June 4, 1861, killed at Gettysburg July 2, 1863. Henry Dickinson, must. in May 31, 1861. Jacob Evans, must. in May 31, 1861; absent, sick, at muster out. William H. Furgesen, must. in May 31, 1861; must. out with company June 18, 1864. Constantine Fuget, must. in May 31, 1861; wounded at Gettysburg July 2, 1863; must. out with company June 18, 1864. John Freeman, must. in May 31, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. Dec. 5, 1862. Daniel C. Ford, must. in May 31, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. Dec. 2, 1863. Brinton Fryer, must. in Aug. 29, 1861; wounded at Fair Oaks June 23, 1862; disch. Date unknown. William Fagan, must. in Aug. 19, 1863; trans. to 99th P. V. May 30, 1864. Isaac Force, must. I nMay 31, 1861; not on muster-out roll. Henry Goodwin, must. in May 31, 1861; must. out with company June 18, 1864. John Grubb, must. in May 31, 1861; disch. On surg. certif. July 21, 1861. James Grubb, must. in May 31, 1861; pro. from corp. to sergt.; reduced Oct. 1, 1862; disch. on surg. certif.. Oct. 17, 1862. James Gleason, must. in Aug. 19, 1861; drafted; died of wounds received at Spottsylvania Court-House May 15, 1864. Joseph Grubb, must. in May 31, 1861. William Hayes, must. in May 31, 1861; wounded at Spottsylvania May 10, 1864; must. out Aug. 12, 1864. George Helms, must. in May 31, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. July 21, 1861. John S. Hunter, must. in May 31, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. July 1, 1862. John Hammitt, must. in Sept. 20, 1862; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864. John K. Hammitt, must. in Sept. 16, 1862; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864. Maxwell Hogarth, must. in Sept. 20, 1862; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864. Joseph Hogarth must. in Sept. 20, 1862; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864. James Higgens, must. in May 31, 1861; killed at Bull Run Aug. 29, 1862. John Jordan, must. in Sept. 20, 1862; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864. Matthew Kersey, must. in May 31, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. July 21, 1861. Thursten Lowe, must. in Aug. 20, 1861; trans. to Vet. Res. Corps, date unknown. Samuel Latch, must. in May 31, 1861; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864; veteran John O. Long, must. in May 31, 1861; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864; veteran. Norton Lindsay, must. in May 31, 1861. George Miller, must. in Jan. 18, 1864; not on muster-out roll. William H. Miller, must. in June 4, 1861; trans. to Battery D, 4th N. Y. Art., May, 1862; must. out March 18, 1865. William B. Michael, must. in May 31, 1861; disch. on surg. certif. July 21, 1861. James Morris, must. in May 31, 1861; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864; veteran. Francis Miller, must. in Aug. 19, 1863; drafted Robert McGrath, must. in May 31, 1861; must. out with company. Archibald McNeil, must. in June 6, 1861; trans. to Vet. Res. Corps, date unknown. John McClem, must. in June 12, 1861; died at Yorktown, Va., April 21, 1862. Robert McGathy, must. in May 31, 1861. Samuel Pullen, must. in May 31, 1861; wounded at Fredericksburg Dec. 13, 1862; absent at muster out of company. William Phillips, must. in May 31, 1861; wounded at Chancellorsville May 3, 1863; absent at muster out of company William Paster, must. in May 31, 1861; disch. On surg. certif. July 21, 1861. Andrew Phillips, must. in May 31, 1861; died of wounds received at Spottsylvania Court-House May 15, 1864; veteran. Benjamin Pine, must. in May 31, 1861. William Rambo, must. in May 31, 1861; wounded at Gettysburg July 2, 1863; absent at muster out of company. George W. Robinson, must. in April 14, 1864; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864. George Roan, must. in Aug. 10, 1861; killed at Gettysburg July 2, 1863. Samuel Radcliff, must. in May 31, 1861. Stephen Rodgers, must. in May 31, 1861. Samuel Rodgers, must. in May 31, 1861. Andrew Sample, must. in May 31, 1861; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864; veteran. Godfrey Smith, must. in Sept. 16, 1862; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864; veteran. John Smith, must. in Aug. 20, 1863; drafted; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864. William S. Swain, must. in Aug. 20, 1863; drafted; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864. Charles Shut, must. in Aug. 20, 1861; died at Washington, D. C., May 23, 1862; buried in Military Asylum Cemetery. James Starr, must. in May 31, 1861; must. out with company June 18, 1864. Benjamin F. Sutch, must. in May 31, 1861; wounded at Spottsylvania May 15, 1864; absent at muster out of company. Alvis Simpson, must. in Aug. 19, 1863; drafted; trans. to U. S. navy April 18, 1864. Daniel Sowers, must. in May 31, 1861. Edward Shields, must. in May 31, 1861; disch. On surg. certif. July 2, 1861. Francis Scott, must. in Aug. 29, 1861; wounded at Bull Run Aug. 29, 1862; disch. on surg. certif. October, 1862. Thomas Senior, must. in June 13, 1861. William Studer, must. in Aug. 19, 1863; drafted. William Sailor, must. in Aug. 20, 1863; drafted. Henry Smith, must. in Aug. 20, 1863; drafted; died Aug. 20, 1864, at Andersonville; grave 6289. George Toner, must. in May 31, 1861; wounded at Mine Run Nov. 27, 1863; must. out with company June 18, 1864. William Wilson, must. in Aug. 5, 1861; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 20, 1864; veteran. Malachi Walraven, must. in Sept. 5, 1861; trans. to 99th Regt. P. V. May 30, 1864. George Wood, must. in Aug. 20, 1861; killed at Gettysburg July 2, 1863. James Welsh, must. in May 31, 1861; died of wounds received at Chancellorsville May 3, 1863. Seth Yelt, must. in May 31, 1861; disch. on surg. certif., date unknown.