Alabama 26th Infantry Regiment (O'Neal's)


HISTORICAL NOTES: The 26th Alabama Infantry Regiment was formed at Tuscumbia in December, 1861, using the 7-company 3rd AL Infantry Battalion as a nucleus.
The men were from Walker, Winston, Tuscaloosa, Marion, and Fayette counties. Two companies under Major J.S. Garvin were soon ordered to Fort Donelson and captured in that fight on February 16, 1862. After being exchanged, they joined the regiment in Virginia. It was placed in General Rains' Brigade at Yorktown, then was assigned to Rodes', O'Neal's, and Battle's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. The 26th was active in many conflicts of the army from Williamsburg to Mine Run . Later it moved to Camp Sumter, Georgia (Andersonville), and for a time guarded prisoners. During the spring of 1864, the unit was attached to Cantey's Brigade and fought with the Army of Tennessee from Atlanta to Bentonville . This unit totalled 283 men in April, 1862, and reported 32 casualties at Gaines' Mill and 86 at Malvern Hill . It lost 116 at Chancellorsville , and of the 319 engaged at Gettysburg , forty-one percent were disabled. The regiment was badly cut up at Nashville and a very small group surrendered at Greensboro, North Carolina in April, 1865

OFFICERS:

Colonels:
׉William Russell Smith (Tuscaloosa; elected to state legislature)
׉Edward Asbury O'Neal (wounded, Seven Pines, Boonsboro, Chancellorsville)
Lt. Colonels:
׉John Springer Garvin (Gavin) (Tuscaloosa; wounded, Chancellorsville, Franklin)
׉William Henry Hunt (died in service, 20 June 1862
׉William C. Reeder (dropped, 3 Nov 1862)
Majors:
׉Raymond Dial Reddin (Fayette; resigned, 4 Dec 1862)
׉David F. Bryan (Fayette; dropped, 17 Feb 1865)
Adjutants:
׉D. C. Moses (dropped, 27 March 1862)
׉Edmund P. Major
Samuel H. Moore (Madison)

ASSIGNMENTS:
Ft. Donelson
General Gabriel James Rains' Brigade
Assigned to Rodes', O'Neal's, and Battle's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia

BATTLES:
Fort Henry, Tenn.
Fort Donelson February 15, 1862
Yorktown, Virginia April - May, 1862
Battle at Dam #1 April 16, 1862
Fort Donelson February 6-16, 1862
Williamsburg, Virginia Battle May 5, 1862
Seven Pines Battle May 31-June 1, 1862
Seven Days Battle June 25-July 1, 1862
Gaines Mill
White Oak Swamp Action June 30, 1862
Malvern Hill Battle
Boonesboro (South Mountain) September 14, 1862
Sharpsburg (Antietam) in Maryland September 17, 1862
Shephardstown Ford, West Virginia September 20, 1862
Louden, Faquier and Rappahannock Counties, Virginia Actions October 26-November 10, 1862
Fredericksburg, Virginia Battle December 12-15, 1862
Chancellorsville, Virginia Battle May 2-3, 1863
Gettysburg Battle
Manassas Gap Retreat July 5-24, 1863
Kelly's Ford, Virginia Skirmishes July 31-August 1, 1863
Brandy Station Action August 1, 1863
Bristoe Station Campaign Battle October 9-22, 1862
Mine Run Campaign
Payne's Farm Battles report Nov. 26-Dec. 2, 1862
Georgia Campaign June 1 - September 8,1864
New Hope Church Battle June 1, 1864
Kennesaw Mountain Actions June 20-26, 1864
Kennesaw Mountain Battle report June 27, 1864
Nickajack Creek Battle July 2-5, 1864
Chattahoochie River Battle July 5-17, 1864
Peachtree Creek Battle report July 20, 1864
Bald Hill Assault July 22, 1864
Seige of Atlanta Defensive July 23-Aug. 25, 1864
Ezra Church Battle report July 28, 1864
Jonesboro Battle Aug. 31-Sept. 1, 1864
Northern Georgia & Alabama September 29
Decauter, Alabama Seige October 26-29, 1864
Spring Hill, Tennessee Battle November 29, 1864
Franklin, Tennessee Battle
Nashville, Tennessee Battle December 15-16, 1864
Retreat from Tennessee December 17-28, 1864
Surrender in North Carolina

ROSTERS:
The roster of this regiment contains the names of 2003 men.

׉Co. "A" (Fayette): J. H. Moore (resigned, 1 July 62); E. M. Vandiver (wounded, Chancellorsville)
׉Co. "B" (Fayette): James S. McCoy (died in service, 22 July 62); John Y. Caldwell; Lt. Alexander Thompson
׉Co. "C" (Fayette): E. B. Newton (resigned, 1 July 62); David McDaniel; James M. Harton (dropped, 17 Feb 65); Fill Treadaway
׉Co. "D" (Fayette): Isaac H. Sanders (resigned, 11 Aug 62); Thomas Taylor (KIA, 3 May 63); David Ballenger (resigned, 12 oct 63); D. M. Gideon
׉Co. "E" (Fayette): H. H. Reid (resigned, 11 Nov 63); Sidney B. Smith
׉Co. "F" (Marion): David F. Bryan (promoted); Raymond Dial Redden (promoted); E. M. Turner
׉Co. "G" (Marion): Silas Hosmer; A. B. Faver (resigned, 7 Feb 63); A. J. Burchfield
׉Co. "H" (Marion): John S. White (resigned, 20 March 62); James W. White
׉Co. "I" (Fayette): David F. Bryan (promoted); Lewis M. Wimberly (resigned, Jan 62); William H. Lindsey; Frank M. Haly; Allen B. Lowry (resigned, 27 Oct 62)
׉Co. "K" (Fayette): Edward C. Leach; Frank M. Smith
SOURCE:
Brewer, William Brief Historical Sketches of Military Organizations Raised in Alabama During the Civil War
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
  • Rigdon, John C. A Guide to Alabama Civil War Research, Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources, 2011.





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