United States Regiments & Batteries > Indiana
“Wilder’s” or “Rigby’s Battery”
The 26th Indiana Battery lost 1 officer and 12 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War.
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1861
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| May | Organized, but not accepted since Indiana had already met its quota of artillery companies/. |
| June 12 | The 26th Indiana Battery mustered in as Company A, 17th Indiana Infantry, but retained its artillery status. It was under the command of Captain John T. Wilder, who would quickly become Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment and eventually Brigadier General of the legendary “Lightning Brigade.” When Wilder was promoted Silas F. Rigby was commissioned Captain and given command of the company. |
| July 2 | Left Indiana for Parkersburg, Virginia, bringing a long two six-pounder cannons that Captain Wilder had cast in his own foundry. Attached to Reynolds’ Cheat Mountain District, West Virginia. The company was permanently detached after it had left Indiana, being known as “Wilder’s Battery” and eventually being officially designated as the 26th Indiana Battery Light Artillery. |
| July 23 | Moved from Parkersburg to Oakland |
| August 7 | To Camp Pendleton |
| August 7-13 | To Cheat Mountain Pass and Elkwater |
| September 11-13 | Petersburg |
| September 11-17 | Operations on Cheat Mountain |
| September 12 | Cheat Mountain Pass |
| September 13 | Elkwater |
| October 3-4 | Greenbrier River |
| November | Attached to Milroy’s Command, Cheat Mountain, W. Va. |
| December 11-14 | Expedition to Camp Baldwin |
| December 13 | Allegheny Mountain |
| December | Duty at Beverly |
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1862
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| March | Attached to Milroy’s Cheat Mountain Brigade, Dept. of the Mountains |
| April 1-12 | Expedition on the Seneca |
| April 12 | Monterey |
| May 8 |
Battle of McDowell |
| May 10-12 | Franklin |
| June 1-2 | Strasburg and Staunton Road |
| June 8 |
Battle of Cross Keys |
| June | Duty at Winchester. Attached to Milroy’s Independent Brigade, 1st Corps, Army of Virginia |
| July | Attached to Piatt’s Brigade, Winchester, Virginia. |
| August | Attached to Trimble’s Brigade, White’s Division, Winchester, Va. |
| September | Attached to Miles’ Command, Harper’s Ferry, W. Va. |
| September 12-15 |
Defense of Harper’s Ferry |
| September 14 |
Bolivar Heights |
| September 15 |
Surrendered with the Harpers Ferry Garrison |
| September | Paroled and sent to Annapolis, Maryland, then to Camp Douglas, Ill. |
| November | At Camp Butler, Springfield, Illinois, and at Indianapolis, Indiana |
| November 11 | Captain Silas F. Rigby was dismissed. |
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1863
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| March 18 | Left State for Lexington, Ky. |
| March 22 | Captain Hubbard T. Thomas was given command of the 26th Indiana Battery. |
| March | Duty in Central District of Kentucky, Dept. of the Ohio |
| March 22-April 1 | Operations against Pegram |
| March 24 |
Action at Danville, Ky. |
| March 28 | Hickman’s Heights |
| May 1 | Dutton’s Hill, Monticello |
| June | Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 23rd Army Corps, Army of the Ohio |
| July | Attached to 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 23rd Army Corps |
| August | Attached to Reserve Artillery, 23rd Army Corps |
| August 16-September 17 |
Burnside’s Campaign in East Tennessee |
| September 20-21 | Carter’s Depot |
| September 21 | Jonesboro |
| October | Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 23rd Army Corps |
| November 4-December 23 |
Knoxville Campaign |
| November 17-December 5 |
Siege of Knoxville |
| December | Garrison duty at Knoxville |
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1864
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| Garrison duty at Knoxville | |
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1865
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| February | Attached to 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, District of East Tennessee, Dept. of the Cumberland |
| March |
Stoneman’s Raid through East Tennessee into North Carolina |
| April | Duty at Greenville, East Tennessee. Attached to 1st Brigade, 4th Division, District of East Tennessee |
| July 19 | The 26th Indiana Battery mustered out at Indianapolis under the command of Captain Hubbard T. Thomas. |