26th Missouri Volunteer Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 26th Missouri Volunteer Infantry was an infantry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
, September through December 1861 and mustered in for three years service under the command of Colonel
George Boardman Boomer
.
The regiment was attached to the Department of the Missouri
to February 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Army of the Mississippi, to April 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Army of the Mississippi, to November 1862. 3rd Brigade, 7th Division, Left Wing, XIII Corps, Department of the Tennessee, to December 1862. 3rd Brigade, 7th Division, XVI Corps, to January 1863. 3rd Brigade, 7th Division, XVII Corps, to September 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, XVII Corps, to December 1863. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XV Corps, to August 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, XV Corps, to April 1865. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, XV Corps, to August 1865.
The regiment included two Independent Sharpshooters (ISS) companies: Company A formerly "Company A, Holman's Independent Battalion of Sharpshooters" and Company B (Captain John Welker) formerly "Company A, Birge's Western Sharpshooters
". Company A was armed with Sharps carbines and Company B was armed (at least initially) with Dimick long rifles
. These independent sharpshooters companies were used as dedicated skirmishing units and as snipers in static combat situations.
Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, and G mustered out of service November 4, 1864, to January 9, 1865. The remainder of the regiment mustered out August 13, 1865.
May 24. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June. Duty there and at Little Rock, Ark., until August.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
that served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Service
The 26th Missouri Infantry was organized from recruits across the state of MissouriMissouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, September through December 1861 and mustered in for three years service under the command of Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
George Boardman Boomer
George B. Boomer
George Boardman Boomer was a Union Army colonel who served as a brigade commander between February 12, 1863 and May 22, 1863 during the American Civil War. His principal service was during the heavy engagement of his brigade on May 16, 1863 at the Battle of Champion Hill during the Vicksburg...
.
The regiment was attached to the Department of the Missouri
Department of the Missouri
Department of the Missouri was a division of the United States Army that functioned through the American Civil War and the Indian Wars afterwards.-Civil War:...
to February 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Army of the Mississippi, to April 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Army of the Mississippi, to November 1862. 3rd Brigade, 7th Division, Left Wing, XIII Corps, Department of the Tennessee, to December 1862. 3rd Brigade, 7th Division, XVI Corps, to January 1863. 3rd Brigade, 7th Division, XVII Corps, to September 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, XVII Corps, to December 1863. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XV Corps, to August 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, XV Corps, to April 1865. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, XV Corps, to August 1865.
The regiment included two Independent Sharpshooters (ISS) companies: Company A formerly "Company A, Holman's Independent Battalion of Sharpshooters" and Company B (Captain John Welker) formerly "Company A, Birge's Western Sharpshooters
66th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 66th Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment originally known as "Birge's Western Sharpshooters" and later as the "Western Sharpshooters-14th Missouri Volunteers", was a specialized regiment of infantry sharpshooters that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-...
". Company A was armed with Sharps carbines and Company B was armed (at least initially) with Dimick long rifles
Horace Dimick
Horace E. Dimick was a nationally renowned gunmaker and firearms dealer active in St. Louis, Missouri from 1849 through the early 1870s. Dimick expanded from a small custom gunstore, to a larger Western Emporium selling a variety of firearms and even contracting for the manufacturing of cannon...
. These independent sharpshooters companies were used as dedicated skirmishing units and as snipers in static combat situations.
Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, and G mustered out of service November 4, 1864, to January 9, 1865. The remainder of the regiment mustered out August 13, 1865.
Detailed service
Duty in Missouri until February 1862. Operations against New Madrid, Mo., February 28-March 15, and against Island No. 10, Mississippi River, March 15-April 8. Pursuit and capture at Tiptonville April 8. Expedition to Fort Pillow, Tenn., April 13-17. Moved to Hamburg Landing, Tenn., April 18-22. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Pursuit to Booneville May 31-June 12. At Clear Creek until August. Moved to Jacinto August 5. March to Iuka, Miss., September 18-19. Battle of Iuka September 19. Battle of Corinth October 3-4. Pursuit to Ripley October 5-12. Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign November 1862 to January 1863. At Memphis, Tenn., until March 1863. Expedition to Yazoo Pass and operations against Fort Pemberton and Greenwood March 13-April 5. Moved to Milliken's Bend, La., April 13. Movement on Bruinsburg and turning Grand Gulf April 25-30. Battle of Port Gibson, Miss., May 1 (reserve). Raymond May 12. Near Raymond May 13. Jackson May 14. Champion Hill May 16. Big Black Crossing May 17. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4. Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22. Surrender of Vicksburg July 4. Moved to Jackson July 13-15. Siege of Jackson July 15-17. At Vicksburg until September 12. Moved to Helena, Ark., September 12; to Memphis, Tenn., September 30, and marched to Chattanooga, Tenn., October 3-November 19. Operations on Memphis & Charleston Railroad in Alabama October 20-29. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Tunnel Hill November 23-24. Missionary Ridge November 25. Pursuit to Graysville November 26-27. Moved to Bridgeport, Ala., December 3; to Larkinsville, Ala., December 22, and to Huntsville, Ala., January 17, 1864. Duty there until June 1864. Demonstration on Dalton February 22-27. Tunnel Hill, Buzzard's Roost Gap and Rocky Faced Ridge February 23-25. Railroad guard duty between Chattanooga and Allatoona, Ga., until November. March to the sea November 15-December 10. Ogeechee River December 7-9. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April 1865. Salkehatchie Swamps, S.C., February 2-5. South Edisto River February 9. North Edisto River February 11-12. Columbia February 15-17. Cox's Bridge, Neuse River, N.C., March 19-20. Battle of Bentonville March 20-21. Occupation of Goldsboro March 24. Advance on Raleigh April 10-14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to Washington, D.C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 20. Grand Review of the ArmiesGrand Review of the Armies
The Grand Review of the Armies was a military procession and celebration in Washington, D.C., on May 23 and May 24, 1865, following the close of the American Civil War...
May 24. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June. Duty there and at Little Rock, Ark., until August.
Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 303 men during service; 6 officers and 112 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 2 officers and 183 enlisted men died of disease.Commanders
- Colonel George Boardman Boomer - promoted to brigadier generalBrigadier general (United States)A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
; killed in action at Vicksburg, May 22, 1863 - Colonel Benjamin D. Dean - commanded at Vicksburg as captain following the death of Major Brown
- MajorMajor (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
Charles F. Brown - commanded at the battles of Raymond, Champion Hill, and Vicksburg; killed in action at Vicksburg, May 16, 1863
See also
- Missouri Civil War Union unitsMissouri Civil War Union Units-Long-Enlistment Infantry Regiments:*2nd Missouri Volunteer Infantry*3rd Missouri Volunteer Infantry*4th Missouri Volunteer Infantry "Schwarze Jäger"*5th Missouri Volunteer Infantry*6th Missouri Volunteer Infantry*7th Missouri Volunteer Infantry...
- Missouri in the Civil WarMissouri in the Civil WarIn the Civil War, Missouri was a border state that sent men, armies, generals, and supplies to both opposing sides, had its star on both flags, had separate governments representing each side, and endured a neighbor-against-neighbor intrastate war within the larger national war.By the end of the...