The 26th Alabama Infantry Regiment was an

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

of the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

regiment during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. The regiment was composed of ten companies that came from various counties across

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

. It is one of the few regiments that served both in the

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was a field army of the Confederate States Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed agains ...

and

Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was a Field army, field army of the Confederate States Army in the Western theater of the American Civil War, Western Theater of the American Civil War. Named for the Confederate States of America, Confederate state of Tenn ...

. It is not to be confused with another 26th Alabama (Coltart's) which was formed around the same time in Mississippi; that unit being renumbered as the 50th Alabama Infantry Regiment on June 6, 1863.

Organization and muster

The 26th Alabama Infantry Regiment was formed at

Tuscumbia, Alabama Tuscumbia is a city in, and the county seat of Colbert County, Alabama, Colbert County, Alabama, United States. The population was 9,054 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, and was estimated to be 9,169 in 2023. The city is part of ...

, on March 27, 1862, by increasing the 3rd Alabama Battalion to a regiment. Two companies of the 3rd battalion had been captured at

Fort Donelson Fort Donelson was a fortress built early in 1862 by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River, which led to the heart of Tennessee, and thereby the Confederacy. The fort was named after Confederate general Da ...

, and were not part of the redesignation. The regiment was consolidated with the 1st, 16th, 33rd and 45th Alabama Infantry Regiments on April 8, 1865, and redesignated 1st Alabama Infantry Regiment Consolidated and surrendered at Greensboro, North Carolina, on April 26, 1865.

History

After forming at Tuscumbia, the regiment was ordered to

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

on March 24 and reported to General John B. Magruder at Yorktown. It was assigned to the brigade of Brigadier General Gabriel J. Rains. They were engaged at the

Battle of Seven Pines The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union's Army of the Po ...

where their regimental commander, Col.

Edward A. O'Neal Edward Asbury O'Neal (September 20, 1818 – November 7, 1890) was a Confederate officer during the American Civil War and the 26th Governor of Alabama. Early life and career O'Neal was born in Madison County, Alabama, to Edward and Rebecc ...

was wounded. The brigade saw further action at Mechanicsville and

Gaines Mill The Battle of Gaines' Mill, sometimes known as the Battle of Chickahominy River, took place on June 27, 1862, in Hanover County, Virginia, as the third of the Seven Days Battles which together decided the outcome of the Union's Peninsula Campaig ...

as part of General

D.H. Hill Daniel Harvey Hill (July 12, 1821 – September 24, 1889), commonly known as D. H. Hill, was a Confederate general who commanded infantry in the eastern and western theaters of the American Civil War. Hill was known as an aggressive leader, b ...

's Division. Missing the action at the

Second Battle of Bull Run The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederate ...

since D.H.Hill's Division was sent to Richmond to guard the capital, the regiment was engaged at the battles of South Mountain, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville as part of Rodes Brigade. After the reorganization of the

in the spring of 1863, Col. O'Neal took charge of the brigade, as General Rodes went on to command the Division as part of the Second Corps. The regiment took part in the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

. Cullen A. Battle later replaced O'Neill as brigade commander and the regiment went on to participate in the Bristoe and Mine Run Campaigns, before being on special duty. On February 15, 1864, the regiment was ordered by Inspector General

John H. Winder John Henry Winder (February 21, 1800 – February 7, 1865) was a career United States Army officer who served with distinction during the Mexican–American War. He later served as a Confederate general officer during the American Civil War. Wind ...

to convey prisoners to Andersonville, Georgia. The regiment served as guards at Andersonville until May. The regiment was intended to go back to Virginia but instead left for

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama. Named for Continental Army major general Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River on the Gulf Coastal Plain. The population was 2 ...

, on May 22 by order of Adjutant General

Samuel Cooper Samuel or Sam Cooper may refer to: * Samuel Cooper (painter) (1609–1672), English miniature painter * Samuel Cooper (clergyman) (1725–1783), Congregationalist minister in Boston, Massachusetts * Samuel Cooper (surgeon) (1780–1848), English su ...

, dated May 14.Official Records No.66 p 484, 487, 496 In June the regiment was part of the brigade of General

James Cantey James Cantey (December 30, 1818 – June 30, 1874) was a Confederate States Army brigadier general during the American Civil War. He was a lawyer, slave owner, state legislator in South Carolina and officer in the Mexican–American War, and a ...

; sent north to be assigned to the

. Canteys Brigade served in Walthall's Division, Polks Corps and was engaged in the Atlanta Campaign, the battles of Franklin and Nashville; serving until the final surrender at Durham Station near Greensboro, North Carolina, on April 26, 1865.

References

* U.S. War Department
''The War of the Rebellion''
''a Compilation of the

Official Records The ''Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies in the War of the Rebellion'', commonly known as the ''Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies'' or Official Records (OR or ORs), is the most extensive collection of Americ ...

of the Union and Confederate Armies'', U.S. Government Printing Office, 1880–1901. * Stewart Sifakis. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Alabama. Facts on File, NY 1992

Notes

External links

* {{Authority control Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Alabama 1862 establishments in Alabama Military units and formations established in 1862 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865

Organization and muster

History

See also

References

Notes

External links