26th Indiana Battery Light Artillery was an

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

of the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. It was also known as Wilder's BatteryNo soldier by the name of Wilder is in the records of the battery. Perhaps this was the name of someone who initially sponsored the battery.

Service

The battery was organized in May 1861, but was not accepted for the service. Instead, the recruits were mustered in as Company A,

17th Indiana Infantry The 17th Indiana Infantry Regiment, also known as 17th Indiana Mounted Infantry Regiment, was an infantry and mounted infantry regiment that served in the Union Army from 1863 to 1865 during the American Civil War. It served in West Virginia befor ...

on June 12, 1861, but retained their status as artillery. The battery was detached from the 17th Indiana Infantry in mid-September 1861. The battery was attached to Reynolds' Cheat Mountain District, West Virginia, to November 1861. Milroy's Command, Cheat Mountain, West Virginia, to March 1862. Milroy's Cheat Mountain Brigade, Department of the Mountains, to June 1862. Milroy's Independent Brigade,

I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to: France * 1st Army Corps (France) * I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French A ...

Army of Virginia The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of ''Northern'' Virginia, ...

, to July 1862. Piatt's Brigade, Winchester, Virginia, to August 1862. Trimble's Brigade, White's Division, Winchester, Virginia, to September 1862. Miles' Command, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, September 1862. Camp Douglas, Illinois, and Indianapolis, Indiana, to March 1863. Central District of Kentucky,

Department of the Ohio The Department of the Ohio was an administrative military district created by the United States War Department early in the American Civil War to administer the troops in the Northern states near the Ohio River. 1st Department 1861–1862 Genera ...

, to June 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, XXIII Corps,

Army of the Ohio The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. The first army became the Army of the Cumberland and the second army was created in 1863. History 1st Army of the Ohio General Orders No. 97 appointed Maj. Gen. Do ...

, to July 1863. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, XXIII Corps, to August 1863. Reserve Artillery, XXIII Corps, to October 1863. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, XXIII Corps, to April 1864. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, XXIII Corps, to February 1865. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, District of East Tennessee,

Department of the Cumberland The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio. History The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creation ...

, to March 1865. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, District of East Tennessee, to July 1865. The 26th Indiana Battery Light Artillery mustered out of service on July 19, 1865.

Detailed service

Left Indiana for Parkersburg, Virginia, July 2. Moved from Parkersburg, to Oakland July 23, 1861; then to Camp Pendleton and duty there until August 7. Moved to Cheat Mountain Pass and Elkwater August 7–13. Operations on Cheat Mountain September 11–17. Petersburg September 11–13. Cheat Mountain Pass September 12. Elkwater September 13. Greenbrier River October 3–4. Expedition to Camp Baldwin December 11–14. Allegheny Mountain December 13. Duty at Beverly until April 1862. Expedition on the Seneca April 1–12. Monterey April 12. Battle of McDowell May 8. Franklin May 10–12. Strasburg and Staunton Road June 1–2. Battle of Cross Keys June 8. Duty at Winchester until September 1. Defense of Harpers Ferry September 12–15. Bolivar Heights September 14. Surrendered September 15. Paroled and sent to Annapolis, Maryland, then to Camp Douglas, Illinois; duty there, at Camp Butler, Springfield, Illinois, and at Indianapolis, until March 1863. Left Indiana for Lexington, Kentucky, March 18. Duty in Central District of Kentucky until August. Operations against Pegram March 22-April 1. Action at Danville, Kentucky, March 24. Hickman's Heights March 28. Dutton's Hill, Monticello, May 1. Burnside's Campaign in eastern Tennessee August 16-September 17. Carter's Depot September 20–21. Jonesboro September 21. Knoxville Campaign November 4-December 23. Siege of Knoxville November 17-December 5. Garrison duty at Knoxville until March 1865. Stoneman's Raid through eastern Tennessee into North Carolina March and April 1865. Duty at Greenville, Tennessee, until July.

Casualties

The battery lost a total of 13 men during service; 1 officer and 12 enlisted 6 men due to disease.

Commanders

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Silas F. Rigby * Captain Hubbard T. Thomas

Notes

References