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 Jl distoric Sketch 
 
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 Company "6" 26tb Ohio 
 Infantry 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 In the War for the Union 
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 1 
 
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 B9 Captain Welden Kdfy 
 
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Jl historic Sketch 
 
 Lest We Torget 
 
 Company *'€'' 26th Ohio 
 Infantry 
 
 In the War for the Union 
 I86I-6S 
 
 9 
 
 By Captain Welden Helly 
 
ESI 1 
 
Lest We Totget the Wen 
 of Company ''€" 
 
A Historical Sketch of Co. E, 26th Ohio 
 
 \ olunteer Infantry 
 
 About the fifth day of June, 1861, Sylvester M. Hewitt, 
 assisted by several others, began the enlistment and organiza- 
 tion of a company of volunteer infantry at Mt. Gilead, Morrow 
 county, Ohio, under the first call of the President for three- 
 year troops. Rapid progress was made and in a few days the 
 good ladies of the community organized and prepared woolen 
 underwear for the men. June 14th, 1861, the company, 
 about 80* in number, formed on the North Public Square and 
 marched to Gilead Station (now Edison), followed by nearly 
 the entire people of the community. We boarded the train 
 for Columbus and marched thence four miles west to the newly 
 established Camp Chase, where the 23rd, 24th and 25th 
 Ohio Infantrj' v/ere being organized, and their quarters par- 
 'ially built. We were quartered in tents, and on the following 
 day heavy details were made to commence building quarters 
 for the 26th Ohio Infantry, the regiment to which our company 
 
 ♦While at Camp Chase the company was filled to the maxi- 
 mum (101) 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V, V. I. 
 
 was assigned. Here our military education and discipline be- 
 gan and was continued unceasingly under the wise direction 
 of our Colonel E. P. Fyffe, a West Point graduate, and his 
 able assistants, until its adhesiveness, confidence and valor made 
 It a fighting machine so perfect that no censure or taint mars 
 its history, but several general orders and many personal com- 
 pliments mark its career. To this regiment we became com- 
 pany E. The first commissioned officers of this company were 
 elected after our arrival at Camp Chase, and were Captain 
 Sylvester M. Hewitt, First Lieutenant Henry C. Brumback 
 and Second Lieutenant James E. Godman. Captain Hewitt 
 V. as promoted to Major and transferred to the 32nd Ohio In 
 fantry, and James K. Ewart was commissioned Captain of 
 company E, July 29th, 1861, the scime date that we left Camp 
 Chase for Virginia. The Quartermaster's department was un- 
 able to furnish regulation uniforms as fast as the new troops 
 organized, hence our first uniforms consisted of gray pants and 
 roundabouts. This caused great annoyance during the first 
 two or three months of our service in Virginia by our troops 
 mistaking us for the enemy and firing upon us. General J. D. 
 Cox ordered that we be kept on inside duty until properly uni- 
 formed. We anived at the front at Gav/ley Bridge, Virginia, 
 August 1 1 th, 1 86 1 After our gray uniform experience we 
 were continually in front in all the campaigns of the army in 
 which we served. We remained in Virginia until February 
 1st, 1862, and participated in the campaigns to Boon Court 
 House, Sewal Mountain, Cotton Mountain, and Fayetteville 
 and were engaged with the enemy at Horseshoe Bend, Sewal 
 
 4 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E. TWENTY-SI.VTIl O. V. V. 1. 
 
 Mountain and New River. The casualty of battle, however, 
 was one. Corporal John McCauslcind, by concussion of a 
 bursting shell, was seriously injured at Horseshoe Bend. Our 
 loss from all causes was three deaths from disease and ten dis- 
 charged because of disability. The company had seven de- 
 serters during its entire service, but as none of them were of 
 value to the company or government, we drop them at this 
 early stage. Some of them, however, were carried on the roll 
 to a later date. One only of this number enlisted from Mor- 
 row county. The regiment was transferred to Louisville— 
 "Way down in old Kentucky, 
 
 Where they never have the blues. 
 Where the Captains shoot the Colonels, 
 
 And the Colonels shoot the Booze" — 
 And marched to Bardstown where the regiment became part 
 of the 15th brigade, commanded by General Milo Haskel; 
 6th division, commanded by General Thos. J. Wood; army 
 of the Ohio, commanded by General Don Carlos Buell. In 
 this brigade* the 26th regiment remained during the entire war. 
 the other three regiments forming the brigade leaving us at dif- 
 ferent periods — the I 7th Indiana to Wilders Mounted Infantry, 
 the 58th Indiana became the pontooniers of the army of the 
 Cumberland, and the 3rd Kentucky was transferred to General 
 Marker's brigade, remaining in the same division. In Febru- 
 ary, 1862, the division moved on Bowling Green, thence to 
 
 *In the reorganizations of tlie army it changed to different di- 
 visions and corps and its number changed to correspond, regiments 
 left and also other regiments joined, but at no time was the brigade 
 organization brol<en np. 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 Nashville, Tenn., and from there was the 4th division in line 
 of march, under Buell, to Pittsburg Landing, arriving on the 
 field of battle as the enemy was leaving. Our wagons were 
 left some miles in the rear, on the opposite side of the Tennessee 
 River, and did not reach us for about ten days. We carried 
 our rations from the Hamburg Landing to Ccunp — a distance 
 of nearly four miles. In the slow approach of our army on 
 Corinth, Miss., we were several times quite heavily engaged, 
 skirmishing with the enemy, losing a few men from the regi- 
 ment, but company E suffered no losses. On the evacuation 
 by the Confederate forces we were moved eastward along the 
 line of the Memphis & Charleston railroad, crossing to the , 
 north side of the Tennessee River at Decatur, Alabama, abouc 
 July 6th, 1862, thence through Huntsville northeast into Ten- 
 nessee via Fayetteville, Winchester, Deckard and Hillsboro 
 to McMinnville, on August 30th, 1 862, by a very rapid march 
 of eight miles. Terminating by a double quick, we succeeded 
 in striking Forest's cavalry, driving them so rapidly that we 
 captured their ambulance, with medical supplies, and also one 
 of the General's horses. For rapidity of march and prompt- 
 ness in action the regiment was complimented in general orders 
 by the division commander. September 2nd we started from 
 McMinnville via Murfreesboro, Nashville, Bowling Green and 
 Mumfordville, for Louisville, Ky., to intercept Bragg, who 
 had invaded Kentucky through East Tennessee and was 
 threatening Cincinnati and Louisville. We were the advance 
 division under Buell, skirmished heavily with the enemy at 
 Mumfordsville, reaching the Ohio River 20 miles below Louis- 
 
 6 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E. TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 ville at dark, and, continuing the march during the night, 
 reached Louisville, Ky., at 3 a. m., September 23rd, 1862. 
 October 1st the army moved from Louisville, via Bardstown 
 to Perryville, where, on October 8th, the battle of Perryville 
 was fought. We were on the right in battle line under Gen- 
 eral George H. Thomas and skirmished lightly with the enemy, 
 expecting orders, which never came, to attack. We listened to 
 the roar of the battle to our left and were not heavily engaged ; 
 v;e followed the retreating enemy through Danville, skirmished 
 heavily with them at Stanford and followed on southeast 
 through Crab Orchard to about 30 miles beyond Mt. Vernon, 
 when we were ordered back through Crab Orchard, via Co- 
 lumbus, Ky., and Gallatin, Tenn., to Nashville. While at 
 Nashville we were engaged in three skirmishes while scouting 
 and guarding foraging trains. On Christmas day one of them 
 occurred. We made a very long and hard march, returning to 
 camp near midnight with wagon trains loaded with grain and 
 other forage and found orders waiting us to have three days' 
 rations in haversacks, strike camp and march at daylight the 
 following morning, December 26th, 1862. This was the open- 
 ing of the Stone River or Murfreesboro campaign. Our divis- 
 ion was the second in line of march. Skirmishing in front soon 
 begEui, Palmer's division gradually driving the enemy's cavalry. 
 It began raining about 9 a. m. Near night the enemy became 
 more obstinate, using artillery freely, and held the village of 
 Lavergn, fifteen miles south of Nashville. Our division moved 
 to the front and went into bivouac. The rain continued during 
 the night. 
 
 7 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 In rtie reorganization of the army under General Rosecrans 
 we were in the First brigade. First division, Left wing. Army 
 of the Cumberland. The Left wing had the direct line of 
 march to Murfreesboro. The center under Thomas and right 
 wing under McCook were several miles to our right and had a 
 greater distance to move, hence we were held until 10 a. m. 
 next morning before moving. Wood's division took the advance 
 and our brigade deployed. The enemy, from an elevated 
 position and under cover of buildings, firmly resisted our ad- 
 vance, and we were compelled to charge the place, losing 32 
 men from the brigade. Our regiment, making the direct at- 
 tack, lost 28 of that number. By rapidly driving the enemy a 
 distance of seven miles, we saved the bridge at Stewart's 
 Creek and captured 50 or 60 prisoners. The weather became 
 extremely cold. The next day, Sunday, the 28th, we remained 
 in position, and Monday, the 29th, moved forward, our divis- 
 ion on the left. Palmer's on the right of the pike, driving the 
 enemy to their fortified line at Stone River. We remained in 
 line of battle on the 30th, while Thomas and McCook closed 
 up on our right and formed a continuous line. We received 
 orders that night to cross the river, which the left of our division 
 joined, and attack the enemy on the following morning. 
 While executing this order the roar of the battle reached us 
 from the extreme right of the army and our movements were 
 by orders changed and we recrossed the river. General Bragg, 
 during the day and night of the 30th, had moved the bulk of 
 his army so that it reached far past our extreme right, and 
 early commenced doubling our lines back from that flank; our 
 
 8 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E. TWEXTY-SIXTH O. V. V. 1. 
 
 regiment was placed in the line of battle to the right of Hazen's 
 brigade, this being the point where the retrograde movement 
 in our line ceased. This position, on an open plain, without 
 protection, we he'd for several hours, repuls'.ng three seperate 
 and distinct charges, exhausting our 60 rounds and being re- 
 peatedl}' supplied by details sent from company. Thus for 
 hours we held the key position of the battle, until a new line 
 was established at nearly right angles with us. We spent the 
 last night of 1862 on the battle front until near morning. In 
 the reestablishm.ent of the line v.e were placed in the reserve 
 and remained there during January 1, 1863. On the morning 
 of January 2nd we occupied a position, the left of the regiment 
 joining the Nashville and Murfreesboro pike, in an artillery 
 duel fought by several batteries and an equal number of the 
 enemy. In the forenoon we were in the direct line of shot and 
 had several casualties m the regiment. This was the last day 
 of heavy fighting, Bragg retreating on the night of the 3rd. 
 Company E still retained its good luck, losing its command- 
 ing officer* killed and six wounded, out of a total loss from the 
 regiment of 1 02 during the campaign. 
 
 The company, during the year 1862, from deaths, dis- 
 charges and resignations, lost in all 27 men, leaving on the roll 
 of the company 63. We remained camped at Murfreesboro 
 until June 24th, drilling daily from 4 to 6 hours, when not on 
 other duty. We were on several foraging and scouting ex- 
 
 *lst Lieut. David McClellan of company G, was killed while in 
 temporary command of company E. No officer belonging to the 
 company being present. 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E. TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I, 
 
 peditions during the time. By the President's orders the x:r.ry 
 under General Rosecrans was named the Army of the Cumber- 
 land and the parts that had formerly been known as center, 
 right and left wing, were changed to the 1 4th, 20th and 2 1 st 
 army corps, remaining under the Commanders Thomas, Mc- 
 Cook and Crittenden. The brigade and division numbers were 
 changed to conform to the corps organization. The 26th 
 Ohio was part of the First brigade. First division, 21st army 
 corps. 
 
 In the Tullahoma campaign v/e failed in commg into 
 direct contact with the enemy, Bragg retreating before we 
 reached his lines, and our division was stationed at Pelham and 
 Hillsboro, at the west slope of the Cumberland Mounta;ns, 
 until August 16th, 1863, when the advance over the mountams 
 commenced. We reached the Sequatchie Valley at Thur- 
 man, marched down the valley and crossed the Tennessee 
 River on flat boats at Shell Mound and held the advance on 
 the direct line south of the Tennessee River to Chattanooga. 
 The 26th Ohio was the advance regiment marching in column 
 and company E the advance guard, and came around the 
 point of Lookout Mountain in a skirmish line, extending far 
 up the slope to near the upper palisade. After we came in 
 sight of the city — or town, as it was at that time — and de- 
 monstrated that the enemy was gone, a regiment of mounted 
 infantry passed us. We, however, took possession and did 
 the patrol duty, gathering in many prisoners during the after- 
 noon and night of September 9th. On the following day we 
 followed up the line of retreat of Bragg's army, passing 
 
 10 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E. TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. 1. 
 
 through Roseville Gap in Missionary Ridge, thence on the La 
 fayette Road to Lee and Gordon's Mills at a ford of the 
 Chickamauga River, where we remained until September 19th, 
 skirmishing daily. For the purpose of demonstrating the sever- 
 ity of loss and that the reader may more fully comprehend 
 them, I will here, after its two-year-and-three-month service, 
 all of it in actual war, most of it in very hard campaigning, 
 show its strength: January 1st, 1863 (previously stated 63 
 enrolled), increase by promotion and transfer, three;* making 
 66; discharged in 1863, previous to September 19th, 1 1 men; 
 there were on detached service at division headquarters 2; at 
 Columbus, Ohio, one ; musicians 3 ; to the 8th Indiana Battery 
 2, to Pioneer Battalion 3, teamsters 3, absent temporarily I , 
 absent sick 8, present with the company 32. Company E 
 went into the battle of Chickamauga with 2 officers and 30 
 enlisted men. We plainly heard the roar of battle nearly four 
 miles to our left, down the stream from us, or to the north (the 
 Chickamauga flows north and we were on the west bank of 
 the stream, fronting to the east), early in the forenoon, Satur- 
 day, September 19th. This continued growing nearer until 
 about 3 p. m., when we were ordered double quick to the left 
 following the Chattanooga & Lafayette road in the -direction 
 pf the heavy fighting, for near two miles or to the Vineyard 
 farm. The regiment formed line of battle in the ordinary way 
 of that date, two ranks touching elbows, in the timber facing 
 east about 60 feet east of the road and parallel to it. We had 
 
 *Our captain, 1st and 2nd Lieutenants haid each been promoted 
 from other companies of the regiment and transferred to company 
 E. 
 
 II 
 
HISTORY COMPANY K. TWEXTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 no supporting line and were the extreme left of the brigade. 
 In our rear across the road and parallel to it was a cleared field 
 about 600 feet wide gently sloping from each side to a draw 
 or ravine near its center. The place was strange to us. A 
 line of our men was supposed to be in our front and extending 
 to our left. The underbrush of and under the timber prevented 
 us from seeing more than a short distance. We were ordered 
 to fix bayonets and lie down. We formed the opinion that 
 we were to make a charge. Colonel William H. Young in 
 command of the regiment, says in his official report of the bat- 
 tle that we numbered about 350. Colonel W. H. Fox, the 
 great statistician, in his book, "Fighting Regiments," says the 
 number was 362, but in a letter to the writer Colonel Fox 
 says his figures must have been taken from the morning report. 
 In his letter he gives company E 33 men, undoubtedly in- 
 cluding the one absent guarding beef cattle, who would still be 
 carried on the morning report. Three hundred and fifty men, 
 the peer of any equal number in any one body that the United 
 States had ever produced, with two and one quarter years' 
 experience, all of it war, inured to hardship and danger, never 
 having been repulsed or driven, thoroughly drilled and disci- 
 plined, well officered, a perfect fighting machine! We heard 
 the tramp of moving troops in our front, supposing it to be our 
 oviTi men, but the enemy in full charge appeared in our im- 
 mediate front and secured the advantage of the first volley. 
 Quickly we responded with a rattling fire, not wailing for 
 orders. Load and fire at will was the impulse and action of 
 all. Commands could not be heard. The enemy's line was 
 
 12 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 fairly repulsed and their second line had come to their assis- 
 tance. We were holding our own and gradually gaining, 
 with full confidence that we were whipping or gaining the fight. 
 During this period of time our division and brigade commanders 
 were sending orders for us to fall back — our left flank was being 
 turned — but orders were slow in reaching us. Horses could 
 not live to carry them on that bloody field, our regimental field 
 officers were quickly dismounted and in the furry of that 
 musketry the word had to be passed along the line that our 
 f^ank was exposed and we must retreat across the field. Grad- 
 ually that fine moved back to the road where all could see the 
 line of gray already swinging across the open to our left. A hasty 
 retreat was made to the fence on the opposite or west side of 
 the field, where, with a promptness under fire never excelled, 
 the regiment rallied and agam opened on the enemy, which 
 lasted but a few minutes, when remforcements (a brigade from 
 Sheridan's division), came rushing to our left. We recrossed 
 the field, driving the enemy beyond our first position in the 
 timber on the east side of the road, for hours without protec- 
 tion of any kind, at very close range. We had contended for 
 the position of that road, and as the sun closed its gaze by 
 passing behind the western hills we were masters of the situ- 
 ation. Over half of the company had fallen in two or three 
 hours, desperate fighting, not as Greek meets Greek but as 
 Americans meet Americans. Go view the fields, ye good 
 people of Morrow County! Stand by that monument erected 
 by the great State of Ohio to the memory of the 26th, 212 
 of whom fell in that blody battle, three-fourths of them un- 
 
 13 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E. TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 doubtedly on the Vineyard Farm, and then, but a few yards 
 away, see the one erected by the State of Georgia in mem- 
 ory of the 20th regiment infantry, C. S. A., from that state, 
 and read their inscription ("This regiment went into battle 
 with 23 officers; of this number I 7 were killed and wounded"), 
 and then read Vanhorn's description. In speaking of that part 
 of the battlefield (the Vineyard Farm) he says: "Mapped 
 upon field and forest in glarmg insolation by the bodies of the 
 slain." Chaplam Thomas B. Vanhorn was General Thomas' 
 chosen historian. He superintended the moving of the bodies 
 of the slain from Chickamauga to the National Cemetery at 
 Chattanooga. As daylight faded and darkness began we closed 
 pur lines to the right, sent one guard from each company fifty 
 paces to the front and supplied ourselves with a double quan- 
 tity of cartridges. One cavalryman came to each company, se- 
 cured their canteens, went to Crawfish Springs, over a m:le 
 away, and returned them to us filled v/ith much-needed water. 
 Thus the good Samaritan act was performed by them. 
 
 Soon a temporary truce was formed, details made, and 
 Johnnie and Yank were soon mingled together, caring for the 
 wounded as best they could. At about 2 or 3 a. m., Sunday 
 morning, orders were quietly whispered along the line to pre- 
 pare to move, and very soon the line silently moved to the left 
 a distance of nearly two miles and was halted on the east slope 
 of Missionary Ridge, nearly a mile north of the Widow 
 Glenn house, and we were informed that we were to be the 
 reserve. This position we held until 9 or 9:30 a. m., when we 
 were moved to the front line. Wood's division relieving that 
 
 14 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E. TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 of General Negley. The 26th Ohio was about one-fourth 
 mile southwest of the Brotherton house, it being the extreme 
 right of the division. The losses of the previous day had 
 shortened the division line until we failed in filling the space 
 vacated by Negley, and m order to do so extended to the 
 right to reach the left of McCook, until our line became atten- 
 uated. We heard the roar of the battle to our left gradually 
 coming nearer; we were heavily skirmishing with the enemy 
 while in this condition about II a. m. when General Wood re- 
 ceived written orders from General Rosecrans "to close up 
 on Reynolds and support him." A division line of battle, as 
 we formed at that time, was half a mile or more. Reynolds 
 commanded the 2nd division at our left, Brannon's intervening. 
 Hence Wood, when he executed the order, m.oved in rear of 
 and parellel to Brannon, we being the extreme right of Wood, 
 by moving in column to the left, the 8th Indiana Battery in 
 our immediate front. When we had marched nearly half a 
 division length, the battery, in its difficulties, having no road in 
 the timber, much of it heavy underbrush with bad ravines 
 to cross, delayed the two regiments in the rear, while the head 
 of the column was hastening to the support of Reynolds. This 
 had left us far in the rear. In this condition we received the 
 enemy's charge. Natually and rightly, all that could followed 
 the head of column as per orders. We of the 26th Ohio and 
 13th Michigan, in the extreme rear, were compelled to stop 
 and repulse the charge, thereby becoming isolated from all our 
 commands and in the center of that one-half-mile gap that was 
 created by a mistaken order and resulted in dividing the army. 
 
 15 
 
HISTORY COiMPANY E. T\VEXTY-SIX.TH O. V. V. I. 
 
 As soon as the battery extricated itself from its difficulties. 
 Colonel Young, our regimental commander, ordered us to 
 fall back. It was useless sacrifice to do otherwise. We were 
 halted several times at favorable localities to check the enemy, 
 and that gallant band of heroes, if you please, held its organi- 
 zation under as trying circumstances as war produces, its last 
 stand bemg made upon the side of a spur of Missionary Ridge, 
 where a tablet now stands to mark its heroism. Here we held 
 position for nearly an hour, aided by the 8th Indiana and 6th 
 Ohio Batteries. To our left the right of Brannon's division 
 v/as flanked and to protect itself swung back to the north. To 
 our right the left of Davis' division was flanked and to 
 protect itself swung back to the south, thus widening the gap 
 and leaving us that much farther from support on either side, 
 the enemy advancing, takmg protection of timber to the south 
 and also to the north of us, gaining our flanks, and we were 
 compelled to abandon our position. Here the 8th Indiana 
 Battery by its loss of horses was compelled to abandon their 
 pieces. We retreated to the dry valley road and thence witn 
 Sheridan and Davis to Roseville. Our part in the batlle of 
 Chickamauga was over. 
 
 Colonel Fox, under the head of "maximum percentage of 
 casualties in a single engagement under circumstances showing 
 that few if any of the missing were captured men," places the 
 26th Ohio thirty-fifth in the list of over two thousand regiments 
 that were in the service during the war of the rebellion, and, 
 basing his estimates on 362 engaged and the total loss 212, 
 as previously stated, at 58.5 per cent. Basing the estimates 
 
 16 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWEXTY'-SIXTII O. V. V. I. 
 
 on Colonel Young's report of 350 engaged, total loss 213, 
 gives us a small fraction of over 60 per cent. Of this, com- 
 pany E lost 20, or even 62.5 per cent, 12 of whom were 
 killed or mortally wounded — 37.5 per cent. The killed and 
 mortally wounded were: First Lieutenant Francis M. Wil- 
 liams, First Sergeant William H. Green, Sergeant Silas Stucky, 
 Corporal Luther Reed, and Privates Moses Aller, William 
 Calvert, John Blaine, James R. Goodman, Charles A. R. 
 Kline, Samuel Neiswander, Emanuel W. Stahler and Rob- 
 ert W. Stonestreet. The wounded were: Coporal James 
 W, Clifton, Privates William H. H. Geyer, Henry C. 
 Latham, McDonald Lottridge, Joseph L. Rue, Henry Stove- 
 nour, Adelphus E. Stewart and Isaiah Sipes. 
 
 Others m the company were painfully wounded, but are 
 not mcluded m the list, as they remamed and contmued domg 
 duty. Only one, William H. H. Geyer, recovered sufficient- 
 ly during the remainder of his enlistment to rejoin the company 
 for duty. Of the killed, by examining the "Roster of Ohio 
 Soldiers" (published by the State of Ohio), you will find four, 
 viz. : Silas Stucky, Moses Aller, John Blaine and Emanuel W. 
 Stahler, reported missing. This is misleading. Kindly re- 
 member that the temporary truce was formed that night soon 
 after the heavy fighting ceased and we closed our thinned 
 column to right. We were nearly a quarter of a mile south of 
 where our terrible losses had occurred and but few men were 
 permitted to leave the line. Our band boys, who usually 
 cared for the wounded, had lost, killed and wounded, nine 
 of their number. They were largely Sheridan's men, strang- 
 
 17 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E. TWBx\TY-SIXTH 0. V. V. I. 
 
 ers to us, who gathered up our wounded, placed them in ambu- 
 lances and sent them to the Crawfish Spring field hospital, 
 which fell into the enemies hands the following day, and we 
 saw that part of the Vineyard Farm no more for several months. 
 McDonald Lottridge, who on account of wounds never re- 
 joined his company, saw Moses Aller fall and was satisfied 
 from his actions that he was shot m the head. Joseph Wil- 
 liams of Company K, (a brother of Lieutenant Francis Wi!- 
 liam.s of our company), while lying wounded in a fence cor- 
 ner by the side of John Blaine, adjusted a knapsack under 
 Blaine's head, and says he: "Blame was shot through the 
 breast," and could have lived but a short time. Members of 
 the regimental band, whose duty it was to gather up the 
 wounded, claim to have seen the bodies of Silas Stucky and 
 Emanuel W. Stabler dead upon the field. These four men 
 of the company are reported to be missmg in the "Roster of 
 Ohio Soldiers." Neither of them has been heard of smce the 
 battle, hence there can be no doubt that they were numbered 
 with the slain. In 1861, while in Virginia, a man of the regi- 
 ment returned from a hospital at Charleston and reported that 
 James D. Dickerson of company E had died. The officers 
 dropped his name from the records. He (Dickerson) soon 
 after reported for duty and his name was replaced on the 
 records. This mcident aids in explammg why their names 
 appear among the missing. A large per cent of the Union 
 dead remained unburied until we came in possession of the 
 battlefield after the battle of Chattanooga or until about De- 
 cember 1st. Two brigades of our army were sent to the fields 
 
 18 
 
 I 
 
■ ■ \ 
 
 HISTORY COMPANY E, TWIiXTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 for that purpose. The following day, September 1st, we were 
 in the regular line of battle on Missionary Ridge, north of 
 Roseville Gap, and offered battle to the enemy. During the 
 night we formed a line of battle closer to Chattanooga, the 
 flanks touching the Tennessee River, above and below. Our 
 position was at Fort Wood, which we aided in building, due 
 east of the town. 
 
 In the reorganization of the army, the 20th and 21st 
 army corps were practically consolidated and formed the 4th 
 corps. In this organization we became part of the 2nd brigade, 
 commanded by General Geo. D. Wagner, 2nd division com- 
 manded by Major General P. H. Sheridan. Our regiment 
 was taken out of the line of battle and camped in the town and 
 heavy details made from it to guard the supply trains to Bridge- 
 port, Ala., and return. It was our understanding at the time 
 that we were to be detached from the brigade and become a 
 part of the local garrison. We having been the first to oc- 
 cupy and patrol the place, we felt that it was due us, and 
 having been so fearfully mangled at Chickamauga it would 
 give time to partially recuperate, but Sheridan objected, stat- 
 ing that such regiments, full of experience, could not be spared 
 from the front, and we were soon doing picket duty. No 
 supplies could be furnished by the country to which we had 
 access. The road traveled to bring them was a mountainous 
 one and sixty miles to railroad. The mules were shortly fed 
 and heavily worked. The rainy season opened and our ra- 
 tions grew less and less until a half ration was issued to the 
 men. Bacon was not issued, but fresh beef was used in its 
 
 19 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 place. The cattle were driven from the Ohio river, a dis- 
 tance of near 400 miles, and grazing in the mountainous coun- 
 try was not well calculated to produce fat. Hence we got 
 the expression, which originated at Chattanooga during the 
 siege, "beef dried on the hoof." This was the situation when 
 General Thomas telegraphed Grant: "We can hold the 
 place till we starve." Over ten thousand horses and mules 
 died during the siege and those that survived were in no con- 
 dition for service. 
 
 October 27th, by a brilliant movement, Thomas 
 at Chattanooga and Hooker at Bridgeport Co-operat- 
 ing, we gained possession of the river from Brows Ferry west, 
 giving us water transportation to within nine or ten miles, and 
 in a few days the soldiers were on full rations. The horses 
 and mules did not fare so well. Bragg's army largely out- 
 numbered that of General Thomas, for, be it understood, his 
 (Bragg's) army of the Tennessee had, before the battle cf 
 Chickamagua, been reinforced by Buckncr's army of East Ten- 
 nessee. Two divisions of Joe Johnson's army of Mississippi 
 and Longstreet's entire corps from Lee's army of Virginia and 
 also a large per cent of the parolled prisoners from Vicksburg 
 had joined him. Hooker, with 15,000 from the Potomac 
 army, had partially joined us and we were expecting Sher- 
 man with 20,000 to arrive soon. Activity with us com- 
 menced, indicating an offensive movement. We had been un- 
 der the lire of the enemy's guns since September 19th. Sher- 
 man was delayed by heavy rains and high waters. Under 
 Grant's instructions Thomas ordered the two divisions of the 
 
 20 
 
 I 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 4th corps, Sheridan and Wood, to advance and drive the ene- 
 my from their outer line and capture Orchard Knob. This 
 movement was made about 3 p. m. November 23d, and was 
 the opening of the battle of Chattanooga. Our losses were 
 nearly two hundred, mostly from Wood's division, none from 
 company E. We occupied our new position three-eighths of 
 a mile south of Orchard Knob, one mile west emd in plain 
 view of the enemy's line of works at top and fool of Mis- 
 sionary Ridge, and were under the fire of their field and siege 
 artillery during the 24th, listening to and watching Hooker's 
 fight above the clouds on Lookout Mountain, and remained 
 in this position on the 25 th, watching Sherman's battle at the 
 north end of Missionary Ridge until 3 p. m. or perhaps later. 
 Between our position and the ridge was a plain, partly open 
 and part timber, most of the timber having been recently cut 
 by the Confederates. All the fences were gone. Missionary 
 Ridge lies nearly north and south and extends from the Ten- 
 nessee River at the north many miles south. Its average ele- 
 vation is 600 feet above the plain and the distance from base 
 to summit near one-fourth of a mile. About 2 p. m. each 
 man was notified that when six shots were fired in regular suc- 
 cession from the artillery on Orchard Knob we were to move 
 forward in order, keeping well our alignment, and take the 
 Confederate works at the foot of the ridge. A tiresome wait 
 of one or two hours followed. The men's faces became pale, 
 but firm pressure of the lips showed the determination. The 
 time passed slowly, for the mental strain was great. Finally, 
 the signal came, carefully counted by each, and when the sixth 
 
 21 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 sounded all- stepped over our temporary works and moved for- 
 ward. 
 
 The enemy's artillery promptly opened in full force 
 from the top of the ridge, the shells exploding all around us. 
 A file or two of men fell near the colors. The men began quick- 
 ening the step — no pale faces nov^ — the excitement of battle 
 was on. You could constantly hear the officers' command — 
 "Steady men! Go slow!" Time flew by like a dream. The 
 enemy's line in the lower works at the foot of the ridge became 
 demoralized and they left before we reached them. The re- 
 verse side of their works offered us no protection from the ar- 
 tillery and infantry fire from the top, and by a common im- 
 pulse, without orders, we continued the charge up the side 
 of the ridge. We had the usual double line formation, the 
 26th Ohio in the front line, the 15th Indiana supporting 150 
 to 200 paces in the rear. We were to a great extent winded, 
 having made the last three or four hundred yards double quick; 
 We moved up the hills slowly, loading and firing, taking ad- 
 vantage of such protection as was available. The enemy was 
 at this time largely overshooting us and the 1 5ih Indiana, in 
 our rear, was suffering heavily. When half or two-thirds the 
 way up the ridge they came forward to our assistance where 
 they could take part in the shooting. Lieutenant Wm. B. 
 Johnson of company E went down with a shattered leg and 
 ordered his First Sergeant to go on with the company, but 
 to see that he was cared for that night. We reached the ene- 
 my's works and captured them, taking a few prisoners, most of 
 the enemy escaping down the eastern slope of the ridge, which 
 
 22 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 was not so precipitous as the western which we had come up. 
 The road leading from General Bragg's headquarters, (about 
 three hundred yards south of where our regiment reached the 
 top), going east down the slope, was the only way available 
 for the Confederates' artillery to make their escape. Gen- 
 eral Sheridan, quick to seize and hold the advantage, came to 
 the left of his division and ordered Colonel Young, with his 
 26th Ohio and the 15 th Indiana, to hasten northeast down 
 the slope and capture all we could reach or head from the 
 road mentioned. This we did for nearly a mile, gaining two 
 brass guns at one place, four brass and two Parrott guns, sev- 
 eral caissons and limbers at another. The troops of Wood's 
 division to our left advanced but a short distance after reach- 
 ing the top of the ridge and were recalled. A quarter of a 
 mile or more of gap now existed between our right and the 
 brigade, which was advancing in line along the road men- 
 tioned and became heavily engaged. Sheridan sent orders 
 for us to oblique to the right. It was now dark and under 
 Colonel Young's directions we moved carefully and slowly 
 over ravines, through brush, guided by the sound of battle, 
 striking the enemy's line on an abrupt knob, which we, with- 
 out hesitation or any delay, charged, and captured two more 
 pieces of artillery and many wagons. General Sheridan, in 
 his official report of the battle, in speaking of this part of the 
 engagement states: "But a few moments elapsed ere the 
 26th Ohio and 15th Indiana carried the crest. When the 
 head of the column reached the summit of the hill the moon 
 rose from behind and a medallion view of the column was 
 
 23 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 disclosed as it crossed the moon's disk and attacked the ene- 
 my." 
 
 Our part in the battle was over. That the reader may 
 more fully understand the important part taken by us I will 
 give a few statistics taken from official records: Loss of Sher- 
 idan's 2nd division 4th army corps, 1346, the heaviest in any 
 division of the army. Wood's 3rd division, 4th army corps, 
 came second, with 1035. Our 2nd brigade, 2nd division, 
 4th army corps, lost 730. There were three brigades in each 
 division. The next brigade to ours in loss was General Haz- 
 en's 2nd Brigade, 3rd (Wood's) division, 4th army corps, 522. 
 That magnificent 1 5th Indiana regiment that was in the second 
 line supporting us, that came so gallantly to our aid and so 
 nobly stayed with us (see official report), went into the battle 
 with 334 officers and men, and of this number its loss was 199 
 killed and wounded, the heaviest regimental loss in the battle. 
 The three regiments sustaining the greatest loss were all in our 
 brigade. The 26th Ohio numbered present about 1 50 and 
 lost 36. Company E, 13 engaged, loss 5. All of them had 
 participated with the company at Chickamauga. Thus of the 
 32 engaged on September 19, seven were left, two of whom 
 were later killed in battle while with the company. James H. 
 Smith was shot, a minnie (I oz. ) ball passing through his leg 
 while we were going up the ridge. He examined the wound 
 and remained with the company, the blood spurting from the 
 top of his shoes at each step until he was ordered to the hos- 
 pital by Colonel Young after the battle was over. No or- 
 ganization in the battles of Chickamauga and Chattanooga 
 
 24 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E. TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 carried their banner higher on the roll of fame than did the 
 26th Ohio. 
 
 The following day, November 26, the two divisions, 
 Sheridan's and Wood's, of the 4th corps, were ordered to 
 march to relieve General Burnside, besieged at Knoxville. We 
 were expected to live largely from the products of the country 
 (now largely exhausted). We had drawn no clothing since 
 leaving Murfreesboro in June. Our mules and horses were 
 either dead or unfit for service. We were short on clothing 
 and transportation. We left our camp in Chattanooga and 
 saw it no more until January 1 8, 1 864. This was a memora- 
 ble and a cold winter, with its historic cold New Year's day. 
 We marched through the day and part of the time gathered 
 corn, shelled it and ran the water mills, of which that coun- 
 try was plentifully supplied. During the night, when we could, 
 we built log-heap fires, and when the ground had become 
 thoroughly warm, we divided the fire, cleaned away the coals 
 and ashes and slept on the warm ground between the two 
 fires. January 1st, while at Blams Crossroads, northeast of 
 Knoxviile, the regiment veteranized or re-enlisted and was or- 
 dered home on thirty days' furlough. We marched to Chat- 
 tanooga, arriving on the 18th, completed our papers and were 
 mustered January 2 1 , starting home by freight soon afterward. 
 
 We left Columbus, Ohio, on our return to the front, 
 about March 4th, joining our brigade at Charleston, Ten- 
 nessee, about March 1 5th. In April we moved to Cleveland. 
 Tennessee, and from there started on the Atlanta campaign. 
 May 3rd, and came under the fire of the enemy's guns May 
 
 25 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 7th, and remained in hearing of their guns and under fire until 
 September 5th — at least over one hundred days under fire. 
 We (our brigade) advanced along the Eastern slope and near 
 the summit of Rocky Face Ridge, supporting Harken's bri- 
 gade, moving along the summit, assaulting the main line of 
 works. We came under the direct fire from their main line, 
 but were restrained from assaulting. We held this position 
 until Sherman's entire army (except part of the cavalry and 
 our 4th corps), had moved south along the west base of the 
 ridge to Snake Creek Gap and through it to near Resaca, 
 when Johnson abandoned his fortified position at Rocky Face 
 and hastily retreated, we following on the direct line of his 
 retreat and on arrival joining at once in the battle of Resaca, 
 driving the enemy's lines into their fortifications. We built 
 a temporary line of works within 200 yards of theirs, holding 
 this position until they again retreated. The night of May 15, 
 bridges were floated and the Oostanaula River crossed, the 
 4th corps taking the advance, driving Johnston's rear guard. 
 On the 17th, our division (Newton now commanding, Sher- 
 idan having been ordered to the Eastern department) was in 
 the advance. One brigade deployed. In the evening two 
 brigades were deployed and the enemy's lines driven until a 
 line of works was developed. Artillery was freely used, the 
 26th Ohio losing over twenty men. Darkness closed the fight- 
 ing and in the morning their works were abandoned, we fol- 
 lowing, bivouacking the night of the 18th near Kingston, 
 Ga. The 19th we advanced on Cassville, the enemy stub- 
 bornly resisting, and in the evening a general line of battle was 
 
 26 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWEXTY-SIXTH O. V. V. T. 
 
 formed. They were again fortified and as before, during the 
 night, abandoned them and crossed the Etowah River. Here 
 we were delayed until the railroad bridges could be rebuilt 
 and supplies reach us. May 23rd we crossed the river, 
 keeping to the west of the Altoona Mountains in the direc- 
 tion of Dallas, the 20th corps under Hooker having the ad- 
 vance on the road to New Hope Church, where several roads 
 formed a junction. In the effort to reach this point Hooker 
 became heavily engaged and we, the nearest division of the 
 corps and army, were rushed to his aid, and just as twilight 
 faded into darkness, in the midst of a very heavy rain, thun- 
 der and lightning storm and the roar of artillery and crash of 
 musketry, we closed upon Hooker's left within 300 yards of 
 the enemy's main line of works. Here we fortified and re- 
 mained under their fire and responded to it until June 6th. 
 Johnston having retreated, we moved to near Ackworth, on the 
 railroad, south of Altoona. Here we rested until the 10th. 
 We moved forward southeast, heavily skirmishing almost con- 
 tinuously, the artillery firing constantly, to Pine Mountain, Lost 
 Mountain, Muddy Creek and Kenesaw, each of these being 
 thoroughly fortified. We reached the west slope of the latter 
 June 20th, and on the 22nd drove the enemy's skirmishers into 
 their main line. While holding our position and building rifle 
 pits for our pickets, Daniel Densel of company E was mor- 
 tally wounded. Our division formed the assaulting column of 
 the 4th corps June 27th. Company E had one wounded. 
 
 I dislike to leave this heroic assault without a short de- 
 scription. The ground in our front was heavily timbered, de- 
 
 Ti 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 scending for 200 yards to a ravine, thence a thirty per cent 
 rising grade for 300 yards to their hne of works, consisting of 
 heavy embankment with head logs, so mounted as to give space 
 for firing underneath. A wide and deep ditch was in front 
 of the works. A large share of the timber was felled with 
 tops down the hill, all twigs and light limbs cut off, so that 
 in advance up to their works haste or alignment was an im- 
 possibility. Through this in double column we struggled, a 
 few of the men falling very near the ditch and others actually 
 reaching their embankment, but they could not reach them in 
 mass sufficient to drive the enemy. A new stand of colors, 
 presented to the regiment by the ladies of Chillicothe, Ohio, 
 was carried mto this desperate charge. The color sergeant 
 was killed and several of the color guards killed and wounded 
 and the staff of the colors was shot in three places with fifty- 
 seven bullet holes through the colors. Go see the flag m the 
 State House, Columbus. The marks on the staff are still 
 showing. 
 
 Sherman continued fortifying and lengthening his battlc- 
 hne to the right (nearly south), until the morning of July 2d, 
 when we found the Confederate lines were vacated. We fol- 
 lowed close to their rear guard, about seven miles to "Smirny 
 Camp Grounds," where we became quite strongly engaged, 
 driving their rear and developing a strong line of works. Here 
 we Vi'ere held with very brisk skirmishing until July 5th, losing 
 a few men from the regiment on the 4th. Again we moved 
 briskly south, hoping to meet our enemy m the confusion of 
 crossing the Chattahoochee River, but we failed. From the 
 
 28 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E. TWEXTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 bluffs on the north side of the river we first saw Atlanta, ten 
 miles away, while here the non-veterans (those that did not re- 
 enlist), were ordered to Chattanooga and mustered out, the 
 veterans and recruits holding the company and regimental or- 
 ganization. On the 1 6th we crossed the river, advancing slow- 
 ly that the army of the Tennessee and Ohio (McPherson and 
 Scholield), who had a greater distance to move, might be near- 
 er. On the 20th we crossed Peach Tree Creek and gained a 
 ridge about half a mile south, when our division of the 4th 
 and the 20th corps were to establish a line. The Confederate 
 army, now commanded by General Hood, had concentrated 
 m front of this position, intending to crush us while we were 
 in the confusion of crossing the stream, and did make a most 
 furious attack when but part of the line had gained position. 
 Those not in line, being close, countercharged, driving the 
 enemy and establishing a connected line. Hood repeated the 
 assault, but was at every point repulsed. Thus less than half 
 of the army of the Cumberland alone, without fortifications and 
 hardly an equal show with the enemy, lacking a completed line 
 at the opening, thoroughly repulsed the combined strength of 
 Hood's army. On the 22nd we advanced in line to the front 
 of the main fortifications around Atlanta. The army of the 
 Tennessee, in the effort to close to our left, fought the battle 
 of Atlanta, their commander. General McPherson, being 
 among the slain. We skirmished very heavily and were under 
 the direct fire of their artillery from the main line of fortifica- 
 tions in front of the city. This continued more or less until 
 August 26th. The army of the Tennessee, now under the 
 
 29 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. T. 
 
 command of General Howard, moved to the extreme right. 
 The army of the Ohio, under General Schofield, a few days 
 later did the same. This left our division the extreme left of 
 Sherman's army. We readjusted our line of fortifications, 
 making a refused flank with completely inclosed forts supplied 
 with surplus ammunition, water and food. Sherman's flank 
 movement by the right to the south of Atlanta commenced on 
 A.ugust 25th by withdrawing our 4th corps to the rear of the 
 20th corps and moving it (the 20th) to and across the Chat- 
 tahoochee River with all surplus trains and artillery, we the 4th 
 corps continuing to move to the right, on the following day pass- 
 ed beyond the extreme right of Hood's army and on the 28th 
 advanced to the Mount Gilead Church, skirmishing heavily and 
 driving the enemy across the West Point railroad. On the 
 29th and 30th, continuing the movement, we gained posession 
 of the Macon railroad, thus severing the last line leading from 
 the city, and September 1st, until about 4 p. m., we were 
 burning the ties and heating and twisting the rails, moving 
 south as we did so, and by so domg were prevented from, 
 reaching Jonesboro in time to envelop the flank of Hardee's 
 corps. We were rushed hastily into position and were driving 
 their shattered flank when darkness and the entanglement of 
 brush, ravines, etc., and the danger of coming into conflict with 
 our troops closed the movement. In the mornmg we found 
 the enemy had fled. During the night we heard the explosion 
 of the magazmes and trains of ammunition at Atlanta, over 
 twenty miles away. We followed Hood south to Lovejoy 
 Station, when we drove their skirmishers and outposts into 
 
 30 
 
HJSTOllY COMPANY E, TWEXTY-SIXTK O. V. V. I. 
 
 their main line of works. We remained in front of them until 
 the 5th, when we withdrew and marched back to Atlanta, 
 where we remained in camp until about the 20th. During our 
 stay at this place official reports were made covering the losses 
 of each organization during the Atlanta Campaign. I have 
 not access at this writing to those reports as published in the 
 war records. The 26th Ohio had killed and wounded, as of- 
 ficially reported, I I 7.* Of this number company E lost but 
 two, one mortally wounded, one wounded. Clark became 
 captain of the company in December, 1862. He was on de- 
 tached service, commanding a battalion of pioneers, and did 
 not join the company and regiment until we veteranized in 
 January, 1864. In May, 1864, he was placed in command 
 of the brigade battalion of pioneers, consisting of twenty pri- 
 vates, two corporals, one sergeant and one commissioned of- 
 ficer from each regiment of the brigade or about 1 75 in all. 
 Company E was made the detail from the 26ih and we were 
 ertempt from picket or skirmish duty. V/e were required to 
 each carry either a pick, shovel or ax in addition to that re- 
 quired of each soldier. Cur place was with our regiment, 
 but subject to call to any point, to build fortification rifle pits 
 or to open or repair roads. We might justly com-pare our in- 
 dustry to that of the honey bee. During that campaign we 
 stopped work only long enough to take part in the fighting and 
 some of the time were using tools when the shell and minme 
 were adding impetus to our mental and muscular skill. About 
 the close of the Atlanta campaign Captain Clark became the 
 
 'Official rp])ort of Geneiul Wagner, our brigadn commamler. 
 
 31 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 commander of the regiment and was soon afterward promoted 
 to Lieutenant Colonel and continued in command until mustered 
 out with the regiment. 
 
 About September 25th Hood's flank movement around 
 Atlanta had advanced so that Sherman divined his intentions 
 and ordered our division north by rail to Chattanooga. The 
 26th Ohio was thrown in the lead (advance guard) on two 
 passenger coaches, each man v/ith loaded gun ready for im- 
 mediate action. The division followed by freight trains in sec- 
 tions. On arriving at Chattanooga we were kept on trains 
 much of the time and moving from place to place between 
 Dalton and Bridgeport, many times nearly smothered with 
 smoke as we rode on top of the cars through the tunnel under 
 Missionary Ridge. After Hood moved west into Alabama 
 we started to join the main army west of Rome, Ga., where 
 orders met us by which we crossed Lookout and Sand Moun- 
 tains to Stevason, Ala., where we were mustered for pay Oc- 
 tober 31, going from there by rail to Athens, Ala., thence 
 marched to Pulaski, Tenn., thus placing ourselves between 
 Hood, now at Florence, Ala., and Nashville, Tenn. We held 
 this position until Hood advanced via Columbia. We moved 
 October 2 1 to Lineville and to Columbia on the 23rd formed 
 line of battle, each flank reaching Duck River, one above the 
 other, below the town. This position we held, skirmishing 
 lightly, until the night of the 27th when we crossed to the 
 north bank. Early in the morning of the 29th, Thomas at 
 Nashville ordered General Schofield (in direct command at 
 Columbia) to fall back to Franklin. The trains, over eight 
 
 32 
 
HISTORY COiMPAXY E. TWP^XTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 hundred wagons, were started on the Nashville pike. When 
 the head of this train reached Spring Hill, eleven miles away, 
 they were stopped by the enemy's cavalry. Our division. Gen- 
 eral Wagner commanding, hastened to the relief of the train, 
 arriving about I p. m., Opdyke's brigade leading, and drove 
 the enemy out of the town north. Bradley's brigade, the sec- 
 ond in line of march, formed line facing east and advanced 
 nearly a mile, our brigade. Colonel Lane commanding, form- 
 ing the reserve. The 26th Ohio soon after was ordered to ex- 
 tend the skirmish line east of the pike farther south and take 
 possession of and hold a dirt road coming into the pike over 
 a mile south. At this place we were located near a cotton gin. 
 on which an outlook was posted, who soon reported Confed- 
 erate troops in sight. We built a rail barricade, each man 
 got out of cartridge box and bit off ten cartridges and made 
 all the arrangements we could for rapid firing. The gray lines 
 could be seen by Sergeant Hall (the outlook) for a long dis- 
 tance and he kept posting us as to their movements. He held 
 his post too long and was killed in the effort to reach us at ttie 
 barricade. It v/as undulating farm land where we were 
 located, with timber showing south of us and also in our rear 
 three-fourths of a mile or one-fourth west of the pike. We 
 could see the gray lines east of us. at some places half a mile 
 away, as they v/ere advancing, but owing to the roll of the 
 land they passed out of our view nearly one-fourth of a mile 
 in front or east of us and did not appear again until less 
 than one hundred yards away. We opened fire and effect- 
 ually stopped them m our front and temporarily to right and 
 
 33 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 left, but to our left, north of us, they soon pressed forward, 
 passing directly between us and Spring Hill. Wagnei, 
 seeing our situation from his position, over a mile away, 
 rushed a battery forward and opened fire, we getting the 
 effect as well as our enemy between us and the guns. We 
 held this position until all or nearly all had consumed their 
 ten rounds, when Captain Clark gave the order to escape i( 
 possible. In doing this we obliqued to the southwest to es- 
 cape a heavy fire now reaching us from the north and the 
 quicker to get protection from the rolling ground. While 
 the battery held them in check we crossed the pike and made 
 a complete half circle to reach Spring Hill, which we did, los- 
 ing 7/ men from the regiment. Sergeant John F. Chambers 
 of company E was among the slain. Schofield, with the army 
 from Columbia, began to arrive about 11 p. m., and leaving 
 our division, now confronting Hood's entire army, in position, 
 moved north, driving the rebel cavalry from the pike, the 
 wagon train following, just as it began to show light in the 
 east, the last of the wagons crossed a bridge at the north edge 
 of the town. Our division swung back in line of battle across 
 the pike and became the rear guard as the train moved off rap- 
 idly and cleared the way. Lane's (our brigade) and Con- 
 rad's (formerly Harken's) swung into the pike, leaving Op- 
 dyke's the rear guard. This order was kept, holding the ene- 
 my in check until we reached the heights, about three miles 
 south of Franklin. Flere Cpdyke moved to the ins.de of the 
 works being built, Lane and Conrad moving back gradually 
 from one position to another until nearly one-third of a mile 
 
 34 
 
HISTORY COllPAXY E, TVVENTY-SIXTFI O. V. V. I. 
 
 in front of the hastily constructed fortifications. Here, through 
 a blunder that General Schofield should not escape by charg- 
 ing it to others, as we were in plain sight and had been on 
 extreme duty without cooked food of any kind for thirty-two 
 hours, and every soldier in the line knowing we were in a 
 false position, our two brigades of the division that had pro- 
 tected his rear saved the entire tram, fought the battle of Spring 
 Mil! and stood guard during the night while the army and 
 train moved on. To be left on the plains without works and 
 both flanks exposed was a gross error. The 26th Ohio was 
 the extreme right of this exposed line upon the plain. We 
 saw the solid lines of Hood's army as it advanced. We held 
 this position but a short time. Those to the left of us being 
 more advanced, owing to the lay of the ground, than we, were 
 struck and broken, we fell back to the main line. Company E 
 was less than 200 yards to the right of the Carter House and 
 the main line was not broken at this point. We fought with 
 other troops that occupied the works when we reached them 
 Here the enemy was repulsed. A short distance to our left, 
 near the Carter House, ihey had gained part of our line. The 
 26th, under orders from Captain Clark, moved or closed to 
 the left to aid in repelling them from this place. Our lines, 
 Vv'ith the other trcops in the v/orks, formed m ranks four or 
 five deep, the rear men loading and passing the guns to those 
 in front, and the firing '^vas constant until long after dark, when 
 Hood ceased his efforts to make his lodgment permanent and 
 firing gradually ceased. Vanhorn in his hiotory states (\''ol. 
 2, page 202) : "The defensive fire Avas so rapid from 4 p. 
 
 35 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E. TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 m. to nightfall that it was difficult to supply the troops with 
 ammunition. One hundred wagon loads of artillery and in- 
 fantry ammunition were used from the 4th corps train alone." 
 Company E had one man wounded. In view of the fact that 
 General J. D. Cox, in his writing on the battle, has left the 
 impression that the two brigades doing outpost duty continued 
 their retreat past the main line to the river, I feel that in jus- 
 tice to those brigades (and more especially to company E, 26th 
 and company D, 65th Ohio, both Morrow County com- 
 panies), I should say a few words more. I have never yet 
 seen in any official report a single statement justifying his posi 
 tion. Cox on that day v/as in command of the 23rd corps. 
 It was his line that was broken at the Carter House and it was 
 Opdyke's brigade of our division that, without orders, started 
 the countercharge which, with the assistance of Lane's com- 
 rades and part of the 23rd corps, reestablished the continuity 
 of the line. Either of those three brigades, called Sheridan's 
 old division,* have more regiments listed among Fox's three 
 hundred than has the entire corps commanded on that occasion 
 by Cox. When we started from our first position, exposed on 
 the plain, it became necessary for us to make speed and clear 
 the field in front of our main line that our men in the works 
 might open fire. In this hasty retreat it was but natural for the 
 men to incline to the left or east toward the pike or road by 
 which v/e had retreated from Columbia, and some of the ex- 
 
 *Major General Slieridan was the first commander of the 2nd 
 Division 4th A. €., and was followed in the order named by Generals 
 Newton, Wagner and Elliott. It was commonly known in the army 
 as "Sheridan's old Division." 
 
 36 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 treme left of our regiment reached the works near the Carter 
 House and found them already vacated by our troops and oc- 
 cupied by the enemy, and two or three of company B were 
 taken prisoners after reaching the main line. Of these. Sergeant 
 David Bragg, now living in Columbus, Ohio, and one of the 
 oldest railroad mail clerks now in the service, was one. From 
 the recent call for volunteers and the draft, quite a large as- 
 signment of new troops had been made to some of the regi- 
 ments in Lane's and Conrad's brigades. (Our regiment re- 
 ceived none.) These new troops reached us v,'hile on the re- 
 treat from Pulaski but a few days before. They had never 
 been drilled and it is probable that a large share of them may 
 have continued their flight beyond the main line. Opdyke's, 
 Lane's and Conrad's brigades (2nd division, 4th army corps) 
 lost more men than the entire other four divisions of infantry 
 and the cavalry corps that was present, and as a rule, if you 
 follow the trail of blood, you are keeping close to the fighting 
 line. 
 
 The veterans of that old division, whose well-tried cour- 
 age shone forth in historic grandeur, it is not overpraise to say 
 were practically panic-proof. Opdyke was in the direct line 
 of retreat, and on the same reasons given by Cox and others 
 for the break in the line at the Carter House, he (Opdyke) 
 with no line of works to protect them would certainly have 
 been "carried away" if the flight of Lane and Conrad had 
 continued to the river. The men of the 26th were called from 
 the lines and we crossed the river before midnight and con- 
 tinued our march, arriving at Nashville December 1st, near 
 
 37 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. r. 
 
 noon, where we made coflee and lay down to rest for the 
 first time since the morning of November 29 th. In the even- 
 ing company E was called to tear clown some buildings in 
 front of our established line and to build works during the 
 night. We remained at this line until the battle of Nashville, 
 December 15th and 1 6th. December 9th Captain Wm. 
 Clark Vv'as promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, First Lieutena )t 
 Phillips M. Ogan to Captain and Sergeant Walden Kelly 
 to First Lieutenant. The first day of the battle, the 4th corps, 
 leaving a detail to hold the works, moved to the right, at- 
 tacked the enemy, driving them from their fortified position. 
 The 26th Ohio was left in our main line of works, deployed 
 to a division front or nearly half a mile. Our instructions were 
 to hold them. We were not engaged the first day. On the 
 morning of the second day's battle, December 1 6th, before 
 daylight, we moved to position in the front line of the brigade 
 and at daylight moved toward the Brentwood Hills, driving 
 the enemy's outposts and establishing our lines under easy En- 
 field rifle range of their fortified line. Under a heavy artillery 
 and infantry fire w^e held position until about 3 p. m., when 
 we were instructed to prepare ten rounds for rapid firing, at a 
 given signal to commence and at a second signal, to be given 
 as we exhausted the ninth round, we were to charge with 
 loaded guns and capture the works on our front. These in- 
 structions were literally carried out, a heavy per cent of the 
 enemy being captured in their works. We pursued rapidly 
 until dusk. Early in the morning of the 1 7th we were in pur- 
 suit, the 4th corps in the lead on the direct line of Hood's re- 
 
 38 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E. TWK.N'TY-SIXTH O. V. V. T. 
 
 treat. Thus in midwinter, following as rapidly as possible, 
 the bridges were all destroyed, and flooded streams delayed 
 the pursuit, whidh was continued until January 1, 1865. The 
 broken and disorganized army of Hood's crossed the Tennessee 
 River at Florence, Ala. The latter part of the campaign 
 was done by us on short rations; three days to last five were 
 the orders. Our line of march was changed to Huntsville, 
 Ala., where we arrived January 7, 1865, and remained enjoy- 
 ing a well-earned season of rest until March 15. Soon after 
 arriving Captain Ogan rejoined his company and Lieutenant 
 Kelly was temporarily placed in command of company F. 
 This proved to be permanent. On February 28th he was 
 commissioned captain and assigned to said company after hav- 
 ing served three years and over eight months in company F, 
 and, as it proved, after all our fighting was over. In March 
 we (the 4th army corps), moved to East Tennessee by rail via 
 Chattanooga and Knoxville to Bulls Gap, thence marched 
 repairing and rebuilding the railroad northeast toward Rich- 
 mond, Va. While at this work, near Greenville, Tenn., we 
 received the news of Lee's surrender. That night was spent 
 hilariously cheering and singing that old familiar piece, "Go 
 Tell Aunt Rhoda the Old Gray Goose Is Dead." The fol- 
 lowing morning I doubt if there was enough ammunition in 
 the cartridge boxes of the men in our division to have made a 
 respectable skirmish. Soon afterward Johnston surrendered to 
 Sherman and the 4th corps was ordered by rail to Nashville, 
 where we expected to be mustered out. May 9th the corps 
 passed in review before General Thomas and received his con- 
 
 39 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E. TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 gratulatory order on the 10th. About the 1st of June it be- 
 came the talk of the camp that our corps would probably be 
 sent to the Mexican frontier on account of the Maximilian gov- 
 ernment which foreign powers were trying to establish there. 
 Strong protests were made by both officers and men, feehng 
 that we had fulfilled the terms of our enlistment, "three years 
 or during the war," but to no avail. June 16th the command 
 started. Just before starting all who had less than ninety day's 
 to serve were mustered out. The 97th Ohio infantry of our 
 brigade came under this order. Fifty-six of their men, who had 
 more than the specified time yet to serve, were transfered to 
 the 26th, company E receiving her share of them. The com- 
 mand moved by rail to Johnsonville, Tenn., thence, by steam- 
 boats down the Tennessee, Ohio and .Mississ.ppi Rivers to 
 New Orleans, La., by ocean steamers to the Matagorda Bay, 
 landing at Indianola, since destroyed by a storm similar to 
 the one a few years ago at Galveston. We marched about 
 thirty-five miles and camped on the Plasadore, about July 20th. 
 Here we remained. Nothing especially interesting or eventful 
 worth relating took place — no drill, except dress parade. 
 Guard and fatigue duty was reduced to the minimum, until 
 mustered out October 2 1 . We started on the home trip the 
 24lh. On account of storms and an unsafe vessel we ran into 
 the harbor at Galveston and remained four days, were trans- 
 ferred to a safer vessel and arrived at New Orleans November 
 4th. We came up the Mississippi to Cairo on the steamer 
 Ruth, the largest vessel then plying the river; by rail (freight 
 cars) via Matoon, 111., Terra Haute and Indianapolis, Ind. 
 
 40 
 
HISTORY COMPAXY E. TWEXTY-SIXTH O. V. V. T. 
 
 From there we took passenger coaches to Columbus, Ohio. 
 The enlisted men received their pay and discharges in the same 
 barracks that we had built when the regiment organized in 
 June, 1861. The commissioned officers were held one day 
 later to turn over the official records and make final settlement, 
 arriving at home near the middle of November, 1865. 
 
 Discrepancies appear in both the Rebellion Official Rec- 
 ords and Roster of Ohio Soldiers. Some of them, when prop- 
 erly explained, show to the reader the honest intention of the 
 compiler or author. I call attention to two cases: 
 
 First, General George D. Wagner, commanding 2nd bri- 
 gade, 2nd division, 4th army corps. The 26th was in sa;d 
 brigade. In his official report covering the entire Atlanta 
 campaign. May 3, to September 20, 1854, he reports ten 
 officers killed and wounded in the 26th Ohio regiment. 
 
 The Oihcial report of Major Noris T. Peatman, com- 
 manding the regiment at the close of said campaign, reports one 
 officer. Lieutenant Piatt, killed, and five officers, viz. : Major 
 Peatman, Captain Baldwin, Lieutenants Renick, Hoge and 
 Foster wounded — si.\ in all. During said campaign the com- 
 pany and regimental official records were left far in the rear 
 and not seen until after the campaign closed. During this 
 period temporary reports were made almost daily on just such 
 scraps of paper as were available — leaves from memorandum 
 books, etc. In the continual skirmish or battle many officers 
 and men were temporarily disabled by wounds and in the 
 daily reports would be included in the list of casualties . In 
 the official report, made at close of the campaign, only those 
 
 41 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 whose disabilities compelled a continued absence were re- 
 ported. 
 
 Second, m the Roster of Ohio Soldiers: Company E 
 26th Ohio, is shown to have had two first lieutenants from 
 December 9, 1864, to February 28, 1865— Kelly and Os- 
 ier. The former was present (at date of commission) with the 
 regiment and was mustered. Osier was wounded June 27, 
 1864, at Kenesaw and was still in the hospital, at or near tlie 
 time Kelly was commissioned captain and assigned to com- 
 pany F. He (Osier) joined the regiment, was mustered and as- 
 signed to company E. He remained but a short time, his wound 
 still in bad condition and continued so, and he was com- 
 pelled to have his leg amputated twenty or twenty-five years 
 later. He died m Columbus, Ohio, a few years ago. In 1 890 
 I did considerable careful estimating as to losses and percen- 
 tage of losses in the 26th Ohio and wrote Colonel William F. 
 Fox the results of my study. I here insert a copy of his reply : 
 
 "Albany, N. Y., June 18, 1890. 
 "Capt. Walden Kelley, Osborn, Mo. : 
 
 "Dear Comrade — Your interesting letter of the 9th was 
 read with pleasure and in the next edition of 'Regimental 
 Losses' I will insert on page 32 : 
 
 " 'Twenty-sixth Ohio, Wood's division, number engaged 
 362, killed 52, percentage killed 14.' 
 
 "This percentage, however, already appears, although in 
 a somewhat different form, on page 36, the loss being one of 
 the severest in the war. 
 
 42 
 
HISTORY COMPANY K. TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 "I was pleased with the perfect analysis you made of the 
 enrollment of your regiment, for it indicates that among the 
 readers of Regimental Losses there are those who catch the 
 idea involved in the question of enrollment, and who understand 
 the argument I was trymg to make. Had I known that the 
 enrollment of the Twenty-sixth was capable of such an exten- 
 sive boiling down, I would have gone over the names myself, 
 and, as a result, would have assigned it a page among the 
 'three hundred fighting regiments.' As it is, I will try to 
 put it there in the next edition. I will also msert on page 1 3 : 
 
 " 'Twenty-sixth Ohio, Newton's division. Fourth corps, 
 1,161 enrolled, 122 killed, 10.5 per cent.' 
 
 "A further study of the matter leads me to think that the 
 Twenty-sixth must have lost 60 in killed and mortally wounded 
 at Chickamauga but as this number includes some whose exact 
 fate will never be known, I will have to leave the number, 
 for the present, at 52, which is all that can be officially proved. 
 If I remember rightly, however, this number includes two or 
 three of the missing men in company E, whose names were 
 mentioned in your letter. 
 
 "The Twenty-sixth Ohio was a fighting regiment, and its 
 grand record at Chickamauga has given it a foremost place in 
 the heroic annals of the war. The figures for its loss on that 
 field tell better than any high flown rhetoric of the desperate 
 stand made by that gallant little battalion. Will attempt no 
 compliments here, for I have no words which can add any- 
 thing to the mute record of the figures which I have already 
 recorded in connection with its name. 
 
 43 
 
HISTORY COMPANY E, TWENTY-SIXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 "Perhaps your old comrades of the Twenty-sixth may be 
 interested to know how the other regiments of their division 
 fared on that hard fought field. I enclose a memorandum of 
 the casualities in General Wood's division, and have added 
 the figures for the number which each regiment carried into 
 the fight. These figures indicate that the hottest fire along the 
 line was concentrated on the position held by the Twenty-sixth 
 Ohio. If any other regiment faced a hotter fire, it must have 
 been from behind breastworks or some equivalent protection. 
 
 "I think the losses in Wood's division were st.ll larger than 
 these percentages indicate, for the number present seems to have 
 been taken from the morning report, and so includes the non- 
 combatants, together with others who, although borne on the 
 mornmg report as present for duty, never carried a musket. I 
 see that the Eighth Indiana battery reported 134 present, but 
 I never saw a battery take that many men into action. And 
 the Eighth Indiana had been knocking around a good deal be- 
 fore it reached Chickamauga. 
 
 "Well, those were heavy losses, but they saved the day. 
 I know there are many who call Chickamauga a Confederate 
 victory, and the Johnnies fought hard enough to entitle them 
 to one. But those two armies marched out for a prize. That 
 prize was Chattanooga. 'You'uns' won it. and held it. 
 'They'uns' lost it. 
 
 "I hope your regimental reunion will be a pleasant one, 
 and that your reunions may be well attended for many years 
 to come. With kind regards for all old comrades of the Army 
 of the Cumberland (for my regiment served in the Army of 
 
 44 
 
HISTORY COMPAXV E. TWKNTY-SiXTH O. V. V. I. 
 
 the Cumberland part of the time), I remain 
 
 "Yours in F., C. and L., 
 
 WILLIAM F. FOX." 
 
 The author makes no claim to being a writer or in any 
 way qualified to prepare a historic sketch of this character for 
 publication. He has made this attempt as a duty and a labor 
 of love. The space allotted does not permit of an extended 
 and complete article, such as the company's service Vk'ould 
 justify. Laboring daily, it is between days and with the lim- 
 ited records at his command, largely from memory, that it is 
 produced. Having been present with the company in all its 
 campaigns, battles and marches until its last battle was over, 
 no one. living or dead, had better opportunities of knowing 
 than he. 
 
 I have avoided individual praise or special mention. 
 There is glory enough for all. Let it be the common inher- 
 itance of company E. 
 
 WALDEN KELLY. 
 Osborn, Missouri, September 1st, 1909. 
 
 45 
 
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