This regiment was organized at Camp Chase, Ohio, in July, 1861, and as soon as completed it was ordered to the Upper Kanawha Valley, where it performed its first service. It remained in that valley until the following January, and in the movement by Gen. Rosecrans on Sewell Mountain the Twenty-sixth claims to have led the advance and to have brought up the rear on the retreat from that point. Early in 1862, the regiment was transferred from the Department of West Virginia to the Department of the Ohio, soon after named the Department of the Cumberland. The brigade of which it formed a part was placed in Gen. Wood's Division, where it remained until October, 1863. On the organization of the Army of the Cumberland into corps, at Louisville, in September, 1862, the division was assigned to the Twenty-first Corps, but in October, 1863. the Twentieth and Twenty-first Corps were consolidated with the Fourth Corps, and the Twenty-sixth Regiment became a part of the Second Brigade, Second Division, of the Fourth Corps.
The regiment formed a part of the advance column on Nashville, after the capture of Fort Donelson, and shared the forced marches, hardships and privations of Gen. Buell's army in its advance to Pittsburg Landing to relieve Gen. Grant. In the advance from Shiloh through the swamps of Northern Mississippi, upon Corinth, the Twenty-sixth occupied the front line, and was among the first to enter the place. During the summer of 1862, the regiment bore its full share of the hardships of Gen. Buell's campaign. In August of that year, the Twenty-sixth led the attack on Forrest's Cavalry, near McMinnville, Tenn., defeating the rebels and capturing, among other prisoners, Gen. Forrest's body-servant, battle-horse and private carriage. In the memorable forced marches of Buell and Bragg, from the Tennessee to the Ohio, and thence toward Cumberland Gap. in the fall of 1862, this regiment performed its whole duty.
On the 26th of December. 1862, Gen. Rosecrans commenced his advance from Nashville against Murfreesboro. During this engagement the Twenty-sixth, under the command of Maj William Squires, of Madison County, supported in part by the Fifty eighth Indiana, made a gallant and successful charge, storming and driving from a strong position in the village of La Vergne a far larger force of the enemy, that for many hours had held the left wing of the army at bay, and seriously impeded the execution of the movements in progress. Later in the day, two companies of this command charged the enemy's retreating rear-guard, drove them from and extinguished the fire of a burning bridge, to the great advantage of the advancing columns. This gallant deed was thought of sufficient importance to entitle the regiment to especial mention in reports. At the battle of Stone River the Twenty-sixth, under Maj. Squires, was one of several regiments which stood firm against the rebel charge on the 26th inst., when three-fourths of the National forces on the right had given way and were in full flight, and though for many hours the heavily-massed columns of the enemy were hurled against it, they still stood their ground, and the Twenty-sixth Ohio formed the apex of that little convex line of battle that all Bragg's victorious army could not break or bend. At this time, the command lost one-third of its strength in killed and wounded. Maj. Squires was presented with an elegant sword by the command, in appreciation of his services in this battle.
In the advance on Bragg's lines at Tullahoma and Shelbyville, the regiment bore a conspicuous and honorable part. In the advance on Chattanooga, in December, 1863, the Twenty-sixth led the advance of Crittenden's corps which first entered the place, Col. Young, who had again taken command of the regiment, leading it in skirmish line over the northern bluff of Lookout Mountain. At Chickamauga, the regiment was in the thickest and bloodiest of the fight, where it acquitted itself with honor. Its loss in killed and wounded was very severe, being nearly three-fifths of the number engaged. At the storming of Mission Ridge by the Army of the Cumberland, the Twenty-sixth Ohio maintained its good reputation. It occupied nearly the center of the front line of assault (Wagner's brigade, Sheridan's division), and was there called upon to sustain the concentrated fire of the rebel circular line of forty cannon and thousands of muskets. The assault was made in the face of this terrible fire, the column fighting its way, step by step, up the long and rugged slope, every minute becoming weaker and thinner by the murderous fire of the foe from above, until, with less than half the command, with the entire color-guard disabled. Col. Young, bearing his own colors, spurred his horse over the enemy's works, who threw down their arms, abandoned their guns and gave themselves to precipitate flight. In this action the Twenty-sixth captured about fifty prisoners and two cannon. Later in the day, this regiment, together with the Fifteenth Indiana, captured a six-gun battery the enemy were endeavoring to carry off in their retreat, and flanked and dislodged a strong body of rebels, who, with two heavy guns, were attempting to hold in check the Union forces until their train could be withdrawn. These guns, also, were captured. In token of their appreciation of Col. Young's gallantry on Lookout Mountain, his command subsequently presented him with a magnificent sword and belt. The regiment suffered at this time the loss of about one-fourth of its strength in killed and wounded.
Ere its dead were buried on the mountain side of Mission Ridge, the Twenty-sixth, now reduced by two years and a half of arduous service, from 1,000 to less than 200 rifles, was on its way, with the Fourth Corps, to raise the siege of Knoxville. This campaign proved to be the most severe of any yet experienced. They marched barefooted over frozen ground, and bivouacked without shelter, in midwinter, clad in summer dress, with half rations, on the desolate and dreary hillsides of East Tennessee. Yet even then, with elbows out, pants worn half-way to the knees, socks and shirts gone to threads, hungry and shivering in the bitter cold of January 1, 1864, the Twenty sixth, almost to a man, re-enlisted for three years more. It was the first regiment in the Fourth Corps to re-enlist, and the first to arrive home on veteran furlough. Returning to the field at the expiration of its furlough, the regiment rejoined the Fourth Corps at Bridgeport. Tenn.
When Gen. Sherman moved upon Atlanta, the Twenty-sixth marched with its corps and participated in that arduous campaign. It was at Resaca, Kenesaw, Peach Tree Creek, Jonesboro and in all the minor engagements of that march, and in each maintained its splendid lighting reputation. After a rest of three weeks at Atlanta, the regiment was again called upon to seek the enemy. Gen. Hood, thinking to defeat the plans of Gen. Sherman, made his dash at the rear of Atlanta and marched on to Nashville. In the race that ensued, the Twenty-sixth Ohio bore a part, and again had the honor of contending, under the gallant Thomas, with the rebel foe. The battle of Franklin was fought, the enemy checked in his swift march, and the Union forces won the race into Nashville. At this point the two armies again met in battle, resulting in a victory for the National arms, the rebels being completely demoralized and put to flight. The latter were pursued across the Tennessee River, and then the Union forces fell back on Huntsville and Nashville.
The Texas campaign was now resolved upon, and the Twenty-sixth formed part of that force, participating in the trip down the Ohio and Mississippi to New Orleans; thence in the severe march across the country from Port Lavaca to San Antonio, which will long be remembered by those gallant veterans, on account of its disagreeable associations of intense heat, burning thirst and the almost unbearable annoyances of the insects inhabiting that region. On the 21st of October, 1865, the regiment was mustered out of the service at Victoria. Immediately thereafter, it was sent home to Camp Chase, paid off and discharged.
This company was recruited at London, and bore the title of "Cowling Videttes," in honor of Richard Cowling, a leading citizen of the county. It arrived at Camp Chase July 22, 1861, and on the following day was mustered into the Twenty-sixth Regiment. The company organization, with all subsequent enlistments, is as follows:
This company was organized at London, in the autumn of 1861, and mustered into the Fortieth regiment at Camp Chase, September 21st of that year, as follows:
This company, called the "Buffenburgh Boys," in honor of Peter Buffenburgh, was also organized at London, and mustered into the Fortieth at Camp Chase on the 30th of September, 1861.