In honor and remembrance of the ancestors who served with this regiment, lest they be forgotten, this regimental history is dedicated to:
Noah Asbell a first cousin four times removed was born in 1840 in Telfair County, Georgia, the son of Joseph Asbell and Rebecca Wilcox. Noah enlisted in Company I as a private on 12 August 1862. He surrendered at Appomattox, VA. on 9 April 1865. National Archives Microfilm Box, Roll, and Record: 000226, 0002, 00002582
Thomas C. Lott a first cousin four times removed was born on 20 October 1842 in Ware County, Georgia the son of Joel Lott and Rhoda Davis. Thomas was selected as Junior 2nd Lieutenant 26 August 1861, elected 1st Lieutenant 6 April 1862 and Captain on 15 August1862 in Company D. His unit the 26th Georgia, was at one time also called "Company H-Ware County Guards, of the 13th Georgia Volunteer Infantry and also Company D 13th Georgia Volunteer infantry. He was wounded in battle and died at Manassas, VA on 28 August 1862, . He appears on a list of killed, wounded and missing in Ewell's Division August 22-September 20 1862. His father took a wagon and a slave from Ware County to go bring his son's body back home, but once they reached Virginia, they could not find it and returned home. National Archives Microfilm Box, Roll, and Record: 000226, 0037, 00002219
Gray Stock Roberts Jr. a first cousin four times removed was born on 13 February 1832 in Ware County, Georgia, the son of Gray Strock Roberts Sr. and Sarah "Sallie" Lott. On 2 September 1852 when Gray was 20, he married Mary Ann Elizabeth Meeks, daughter of Charles C. Meeks and Lydia Ryner, in Ware County, Georgia. She was born on 12 March 1836 in Emanuel County and died in Coffee County, Georgia on 15 June 1894. He enlisted in Company H at Waresboro Georgia on 11 May 1862. Gray was wounded on 1 June 1864 and died from these wounds received in the battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia at a hospital in Richmond on 21 June 1864 at the age of 32. Some records indicate he served as a sergeant. National Archives Microfilm Box, Roll, and Record: 000226, 0052, 00000413
John Roberts a first cousin four times removed was born on 20 February 1829 in Ware County, Georgia, the son of Gray Strock Roberts Sr. and Sarah "Sallie" Lott. On 30 November 1854 when John was 25, he married Sarah A. Henderson, my first cousin four times removed, daughter of Rev. John J. Henderson Sr. and Rhoda Whitley, in Irwin Co, Georgia. She was born on 13 September 1833 in Irwin County and died in Coffee County, Georgia in 1910. John enlisted in Company K on 10 May 1862 and died in a Confederate hospital, Richmond Virginia on 30 July 1862 at the age of 33. National Archives Microfilm Box, Roll, and Record: 000226, 0052, 00000590
The Twenty-sixth regiment Georgia volunteers when organized had the following field officers: Col. C. W. Styles; Lieut.-Col. W. A. Lane; Maj. Thomas N. Gardner; Adjt. E. N. Atkinson. The captains were G. C. Dent (A), A. S. Atkinson (B), J. C. Nichols (c), D. J. McDonald (D), Eli S. Griffin (E), Wm. H. Dasher (F), Ben F. Mosely (G), Wm. A. McDonald (H), Alexander Atkinson (I), J. S. Blain (K), Ben A. White, Jr. (L). This regiment was for a time on the Georgia coast under Lawton, accompanied that officer to Richmond in time to share in the Seven Days' battles, thenceforward serving in the army of Northern Virginia until Appomattox, where, in the division commanded by Gen. Clement A. Evans and the corps of John B. Gordon, it shared in the least charge of that illustrious army. During this long and honorable service E. N. Atkinson succeeded Colonel Styles in the command of the regiment; the successors of Lieutenant-Colonel Lane were E. S. Griffin, J. S. Blain and William A. McDonald; the majors after Gardner were E. S. Griffin, J. S. Blain and B. F. Grace; Adjutant Atkinson was succeeded by Andrew J. Lyles. Before the reorganization M. R. Cogdell became captain of Company L. fter the reorganization there were only the usual ten companies, of which the following were captains at different times: (A) J. S. Blain and N. Dixon; (B) A. Atkinson (c) James Knox and James H. Hunter (Captian Hunter commanded Company C until October 1863 when he resigned due to wounds received at Gettysburg on 1 July 1863); (D) Davidson; (E) E. S. Griffin; (F) John Lee; (G) C. M. Howell; (H) J. P. Smith and R. Paxton; (I) C. W. Hilliard and Thomas J. Ivey; (K) B. F. Grace and J. Hilton.
Notes on the Organization and Reorganization of Companies of the 26th Regiment.
Company A: Glynn County men-Glynn Guards. This company was successively designated Company A and new Company K, 13th regiment Georgia Infantry, and Company A, 26th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry. It served the month of March 1862, in Savannah, Georgia, as an artillery company. It was detached from this regiment April 1, 1862, by order of General A. R. Lawton, and formed into a cavalry company, performing duty between Brunswick, Georgia, and the Altamaha River under the command of Major Duncan L. Clinch. (see 4th Georgia (Clinch) Cavalry). Most of the members reenlisted for the duration of the war on May 12, 1862, as part of Captain Hazzard's Company, 3rd Battalion Georgia Cavalry, and then subsequently Company B, 4th Georgia Cavalry (Clinch's).
Company B: Glynn County men-Camden Rifles/Camden Mounted Rifles. This company was successively known as old Company D, and new Company B, 13th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry and Company B, 26th regiment Georgia Volunteers Infantry. It ceased to exist in May 1862, and a majority of the members reenlisted in Captain Brown's Company, Camden Mounted Rifles, which subsequently became Company C, 4th Georgia Cavalry (Clinch's). This regiment was reorganized May 10, 1862, and the designation changed to the 26th regiment Georgia Infantry.
Company C: Camden and Wayne County men-Seaboard Guards. This company was successively known as old Company F, and new Company C, 13th regiment Georgia Infantry and Company C, which became Company D, on May 8, 1862, of the 26th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry.
Company D: Ware County men-Ware Guards. This company was successively designated old Company H, and new Company D, 13th regiment Georgia Infantry and Company D, which became Company D, 26th regiment Georgia Infantry.
Company E: Twiggs County men-Faulk Invincibles. This company was successively designated new Company E, 18th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry and Company E, which became Company I, on April 8, 1862, of 26th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry.
Company F: Charlton County men-Okefenokee Rifles. This company was successively designated as old Company I, and new Company F, 13th regiment Georgia Infantry and Company F, which became Company G on May 8, 1862 of the 26th regiment Georgia Infantry.
Company G: Lowndes County men. This company was successively designated new Company G, 13th regiment of Georgia Volunteer Infantry and Company G, which became Company H on May 8, 1862 of the 26th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry.
Company H: 1st Company H. This company became 2nd Company L, 1st Confederate Infantry Regiment on November 8, 1862.
Company H: 2nd Company H- Clinch and Ware County men-Forest Rangers. This company was successively designated new Company H, 13th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry and Company H, which became Company K on May 8 or 10, 1862 of the 26th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry. This company was organized at Waresboro, Georgia on October 1, 1861. It was ordered to Brunswick, Georgia and arrived on October 3, 1861. It was next ordered to St. Simon Island, Georgia on October 4,1861. It was mustered into Confederate State service for six months on October 14,1861, and attached to the l3th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry, under the command of Colonel C. W. Styles. It was ordered back to Brunswick, Georgia on February 17, 1862. With the original time having expired, this company was mustered out March 31,1862, and reenlisted afterward.
Company I: Brooks County men-Piscola Volunteers. This company was successively designated new Company I, l3th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry and Company I, which became Company C on May 10,1862 of the 26th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry.
Company K: Glynn County men-Brunswick Rifles/ Brunswick Riflemen. This company was successively designated Captain B.F. Harris' Independent Company, old Company L, and new Company K, l3th regiment Georgia Infantry and new Company K, which became Company A of the 26th regiment Georgia Infantry on May 12, 1862.
Company L: Ware County men- Wiregrass Minutemen. This company was successively designated lst Company B of the 2nd regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry, old Company M, and new Company L, l3th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry and Company L, which became Company E on May 10, 1862 of the 26th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry.
Company M: Mcintosh County men-McIntosh County Guards. This company was successively designated new Company M, l3th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry, and Company M, which became Company B on May 8, 1862 of the 26th regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry.
Company N: Pierce County men-Pierce Mounted Infantry. This company was formed as a cavalry troop and was originally called the "Atlantic and Gulf Guards." It was organized in Pierce County, Georgia as a volunteer company in 1860. It was ordered into Confederate service September 29, 1861. It was organized near Blackshear, Georgia later arrived at Brunswick, Georgia on October 4, 1861, and was mustered into Confederate service on October 6, 1861. The company was ordered to St. Simon Island, Georgia on October 19,1861, and was attached to the 26th regiment Georgia Infantry on February 16, 1862. The term of enlistment was for six months, at the expiration of which time it was mustered out at Waynesville, Georgia. The men reported at Blackshear, Georgia soon afterwards, reorganized and entered the service of the Confederate States for the duration of the war.
Bibliography-26th Georgia Infantry
Confederate Military History, Extended Edition. Volunteers 7: Georgia. Wilmington, NC: Broadfoot, 1987. See pp. 49-50 for a brief unit history.Crute, Joseph H., Jr. Units of the Confederate States Army. Midlothian, VA: Derwent Books, 1987. Ref. See pp. 101-02 for a concise summary of the regiment's service.
Georgia State Division of Confederate Pensions and Records. Roster of the Confederate Soldiers of Georgia, l86l-l865. Volunteers 3. Hapeville, GA: Longino & Porter, 1959. pp. 183-284. Unit roster.
Jones, Charles E. Georgia in the War, 1861-1866. Atlanta, GA: Foot & Davies, 1909. E559.4J76. See p. 28 for an incomplete list of unit officers.
Murray, Alton J. South Georgia Rebels: The True Wartime Experiences of the 26th Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, Lawton-Gordon-Evans Brigade, Confederate States Army. St. Marys, GA: Murray, l976.
Scaife, William R. The Georgia Brigade. Atlanta, GA: By the Author, 1988.
Sifakis, Stewart. Compendium of the Confederate Armies:...Georgia. NY: Facts on File, 1995. pp. 231-33
The following manuscripts may be found in the US Military History Institute Archives:
Stuart, Charles Thompson (Autobiography) - BrakeColl
© 2001 John Griffin