The 26th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry

Infantry

Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...

 regiment

Regiment

A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...

 that served in the Union Army

Union Army

The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...

 during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

.

Service

• The 26th Indiana Volunteer Infantry was organized and federalized in Indianapolis, Indiana on August 1, 1861. The regiment was processed and trained at Camp Morton located in Indianapolis.

The regiment (26th Infantry Regiment of the Indiana Volunteers) was fielded in St. Louis, Missouri and organized under the "Army of the West" Department of Missouri. This was accomplished on September 7, 1861. The 26th with many other military organizations made up the "Western Campaign".

Military actions to include battles:

• Advance on Springfield, Missouri. September, 1861. Note: The action was a failure resulting in relieving of General John C. Fremont from command.
• Pursuit of General John Marmaduke's Confederates. Resulted in many skirmishes and losses of men.
• Defense of the Union Pacific Railroad at Sedalia, Missouri. July, 1862.
• Skirmish in Newtonia, Missouri. October 4, 1862. This was an extension of fighting that started on September 30, 1862.
• Reorganized under a district identified as "District of Southwest, Missouri". October, 1862.
• Advance on Fayetteville, Arkansas. December 1862.
• Battle of Prairie Grove~Arkansas. December 7, 1862.
• Skirmish at Dripping Spings, Arkansas. December 29, 1862.
• Battle "Siege of Vicksburg" Mississippi. June 11 - July 4, 1863.
• Relief of Port Hudson, Louisiana. July 23 - July 27, 1863. Located 20 miles north of Baton Rouge on the Mississippi, River.
• Expedition to Carrollton, Louisiana. August 28, 1863. Carrollton is 2 miles west of New Orleans.
• Expedition to Morganza, Louisiana. September 5 - 12, 1863.
• Battle of Stirling's Plantation/Farm. September 29, 1863.
• Encampment at Carrollton, Louisiana with security of prisoners. October 1863.
• Expedition to the Rio Grande [River Area], Texas.
• Garrison duty for the purpose of rest and relaxation. Brownsville, Texas area and Fort Butler at Donalsville, Louisiana.
  • The regiment conducted reenlistments efforts and granted forloughs during the Garrison Duty period of time. October 1863 - May 1864.
• Reorganized under the District of LaFourche, Department of the Gulf. February 1865. Preparation for battle in the Gulf area.
• Campaign against Mobile, Alabama. March 17 - April 12, 1865. Siege of Spanish Fortand Fort Blakely.
  • During this period of time, surrender actions were taking place at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865.
• The regiment mustered out of service [Deactivated] on January 15, 1866.

Total strength and casualties

The regiment lost 96 enlisted men killed in action or died of wounds and 3 officers and 265 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 364 fatalities.