The Twenty-Sixth Infantry Regiment was organized at Charleston, South Carolina in September, 1862, by consolidating the 6th and 9th Battalions South Carolina Infantry because the two regiments were essentially wiped out in the first summer of the war in Virginia. After serving in South Carolina, the Twenty-Sixth moved to Mississippi, was placed in N.G. Evans' Brigade, and confronted the enemy at Jackson, Mississippi. The expectation was that they were to relieve Vicksburg which was under siege by General Grant. Before dawn on the 7th of July, news was received that Vicksburg had been surrended on the 4th. General Evans' brigage was ordered back to South Carolina and arrived in Charleston late July of 1863. 

   On Morris Island, At Fort Wagner, the 26th threw back the Federals including the famous 54th Massachusetts. Abondoning Morris Island, the 26th was transferred to Fort Sumter. They repelled the "Boat Attack" in September of 1863 and continued to defend Fort Sumter throughout the Fall. They fired upon the Yankees on Morris Island where the Federals had set up heavy artillery and were bombarding Fort Sumter.

   The regiment  was sent to Virginia in March of 1864 where they were assigned to Elliott's and Wallace's Brigade. They arrived on May 17th. ON the night of the 19th, they moved across the Appomattox River to Clay's farm or Warebottom Church were they met the enemy. On the 18th of June 1864 the Petersburg siege began and lasted until April 2, 1865. Participating in this long seige the regiment sustained 72 casualities at the Petersburg mine explosion and lost many men at Saylor's Creek. 

   The Twenty-Sixth Regiment ended the war at Appomattox surrendering with 8 officers and 113 men having lost 222 men in just one and a half years. The field officers of the Twenty-Sixth Regiment were Colonel Alexander D. Smith, Lieutenant Colonels Stephen D. M. Byrd, and Joshua H. Hudson, Majors Ceth S. Land, and Cornelius D. Rowell.

• Jackson Siege, Mississippi (July 1863)
• Charleston Harbor, South Carolina (August - September 1863)
• Bermuda Hundred, Virginia (17 May - 16 June 1864)
• Petersburg Siege, Virginia (June 1864 - April 1865)
• The Crater, Virginia (30 July 1864)
• Ft. Stedman, Virginia (25 March 1865)
• Five Forks, Virginia (1 April1865)
• Appomattox Court House, Virginia (9 April 1865)

The following letter from Colonel J.H. Hudson to Colonel J.P. Thomas was dated:

"Bennetsville, South Carolina July 2, 1898."

My Dear Sir,
The rolls are the same Except the name of Capt. Dickenson who must have been the first Capt. before the reorganization of the Volunteer Army in May 62 when all enlisted for the War. Co. C & H of the 26 S.C.V. originally constituted Byrd's Battalion. Located at McClellansville in Dec. 1862. these three companies were consolidated with the seven companies of the 9th Battalion and came to us at Church Flats.
Dickinson must have evidently Resigned or were left out upon the reorganization at all events, Wheeler was the Capt. when the Co. came to us and became Co. H 26 S.C.V. The roll headed by the name of Capt. Dickinson has been made out by me who mistook the letters of the Co. whilst the roll headed by Capt. Wheeler was made out by a different person but who has been correct letter Viz. H. Therefore each roll must be lettered H. or Dickerson's roll must be changed from D. to H.

Yours truly,
J.H. Hudson

Joshua Hilary Hudson was born on 29 January 1832 at Chester, S.C. He married the former Miss Mary Miller on 4 May 1854. He died on  22 July 1909 at Greenville, South Carolina.

J.H. Hudson was commanding officer of the 26th SC Regiment at the Battle  of Five Forks which was fought on April 1, 1865. During that battle, he was severely wounded and transported to the Pegram House (where the  depot agent lived) at Ford's Station, about seven miles from the Five Forks battlefield on the South Side Railroad. 

At the Pegram House, Hudson shared a room with Willie Pegram, the famous Confederate Colonel of Artillery, who had been  wounded in a similar fashion- and not too far from where Colonel Hudson fell with his wound. The following morning, Col. Hudson awoke and inquired about Colonel Pegram. He was told that Pegram had died during the night and was buried in the yard below.

On the morning of April 4, 1865, Colonel Hudson fell into the hands of the Union Army, as they were passing through the area. On this day, he was visited by General Grant, who had his personal surgeon examine Hudson and left orders with the Guard stationed there that Col. Hudson was to remain at the Pegram House, unmolested, until he was able to get about from his wound. 

On May 2, 1865, Colonel Hudson received his Parole Papers from a visiting General Joshua L. Chamberlain of Maine. Of course, Chamberlain has been made into a post-war hero for his gallant deeds at the Battle of Gettysburg. After a total of six weeks, Colonel Hudson began the trek back home to Bennettsville, South Carolina., where he was restored to his family. 

His wife, the former Miss Mary Miller, had been told that her husband was dead on the field at Five Forks. As we might imagine, his homecoming was indeed a very special one! 

In the years after the war, Colonel Hudson was very active across the state of South Carolina. He served as Circuit Judge from 1878 to 1894. After that, he maintained a private law practice- and was called upon often to help dedicate many Confederate markers and monuments across the Palmetto State.

Joshua Hilary Hudson was a brother to Dabney Rush Hudson, who was the great-great grandfather of Hudson Alexander of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  Dabney Hudson served throughout the war as a member of the 13th SC Regiment. (Hudson Alexander submitted the photo and biographical information about his co-lateral ancestor, Colonel J.H. Hudson.)

Officers
• Captain Henry S. Dickinson Sumter County
• 1st Lt. Robert E. Wheeler Clarendon County, Killed at Petersburg, Va.
• 2nd Lt. Reece Tomlinson Clarendon County, died 1879
• 2nd Lt. Henry Hickson Lancaster County
• 2nd Lt. Jos. Cosworth Floyd died July 8, 1863, Jackson, Mississippi #
• 1st Sgt. W.J. Sturgeon Sumter County, wounded Petersburg, Va.
• 2nd Sgt. W.J. Gibbons Clarendon County
• 3rd Sgt. J. T. Chandler Clarendon County
• 4th Sgt. W.D. McKenzie Clarendon County
• 1st Corp. T. G. Floyd Clarendon County
• 2nd Corp. J.C. Floyd Clarendon County
• 3rd Corp. Ebb P. Truluck Clarendon County, wounded Jackson, Mississippi
• 4th Corp. N. B. Barrow Clarendon County
• Corp. T.Z.B. Vasser died Aug 1863, Jackson, Mississippi #


Enlisted Men

• Asher, Nickolas Clarendon County
• Baker, M.E.B. Clarendon County
• Barfield, W. Henry Clarendon County
• Barrow, C.L. Clarendon County
• Barrow, P.M. Clarendon County, died at Camp Palmer, S.C.
• Beard, Joseph H.F. Clarendon County
• Brown, WilliamClarendon County
• Brown, H.E.Clarendon County
• Carraway, Jesse C.**
• Carraway, John J.Clarendon County
• Cannon, W.T.Clarendon County
• Chandler, Daniel Clarendon County
• Chandler, Samuel Mallory (Corporal) *** Clarendon County died July 30, 1864, Battle of the Crater ##
• Coker, R.H.Clarendon County
• Coker, W.N. Clarendon County
• Cone, Daniel Sumter County, wounded at Charlotte, N.C.
• Conyers, Robert Sumter County
• Dennis, Jerimiah Clarendon County, wounded at Petersburg, Va., died May 22, 1864, He was born in S.C; enlisted in Sumter Dist., S.C. ##
• Driggers, Daniel Clarendon County
• DuBose, J.J. Clarendon County
• DuBose, W.H. Clarendon County
• Ellis, Jesse B. Williamsburg County,died at Jackson, Mississippi July 1863#
• Evans, John P.R. Clarendon County, wounded at Canton, Mississippi July 1863
• Friese, John F.W. Charleston County
• Floyd, James Clarendon County
• Floyd, John C.Clarendon County, died Mississippi 1863
• Floyd, Pleasent C.Clarendon County, died Mississippi 1863
• Floyd, Jesse Clarendon County, died Mississippi 1863
• Floyd, W. Henry Clarendon County
• Gamble, J. Fletcher Clarendon County
• Gibbons, M.M. Clarendon County, killed at Clay's Farm, Va. May 20, 1864
• Gibbons, J. Preston Clarendon County
• Gowdy, James E.Clarendon County
• Green, Thomas J.*Sumter County, died in Mississippi
• Green, William L.Sumter County, died in Union Prison 1864
• Green, Sidney A. Sumter County, killed in battle July 30, 1864
• Gibbes, Joseph W.Sumter County
• Goodman, E.B.Sumter County
• Hicks, James W.Clarendon County, wounded at Clay's Farm, Va.
• Hickson, S.E.B. Darlington County
• Hill, Hezikiah Timmonsville, Florence County d. 22 Feb. 1907 buried Sparrow Swamp Baptist Church**
• Jackon, Gabriel Charleston County
• Kirby, Evanada Sumter County
• Lemmon, William O.Clarendon County
• McCaskill, John W.Clarendon County, died of disease at Camp Palmer 1862
• McElveen, Adam T.Darlington County
• McElveen, William E.Sumter County
• McKenzie, James Clarendon County
• McKenzie, Lorenzo Sumter County
• McKnight, Robert J.Clarendon County
• McKnight, H.B. ****Captured March 25, 1865, released June 29, 1865 (moved to Texas)
• McKnight, John H.**
• McNeil, James C.Sumter County
• Miles, Allen Williamsburg County, died of disease 1863
• Millet, Miller - ******* Miller M. Mellett, Co. H, 26th SC died in Wayside Hospital, Charleston, SC on Sept. 16, 1863 and is buried at Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, on row 7, grave # 50
  
• Morris, A. Jackson Clarendon County
• Morris, Christopher Clarendon County
• Morris, Harvey Clarendon County
• Oliver, William died May 23, 1864. He was born in Marion Dist., S.C. ##
• Osborne, Joseph W. Clarendon County, died of disease in Georgia 1863
• Perkins, John P. (Corp.) Sumter County, died at Petersburg, Va. May 23, 1864 ##
• Piggot, E. Melton Sumter County, died at Richmond
• Player, M.C. Clarendon County
• Reynolds, Pleasent T. Darlington County.*******He was born in November 1836 and died 26 Jan 1920 in Arkansas. His certificate of release as a prisoner from the Point Lookout, MD prison camp of war is dated 17 June 1865.
• Robertson, Samuel Clarendon County, discharged at Camp Palmer
• Robertson, Ellison Clarendon County
• Rolong, Jacob Clarendon County
• Rush, Alvin W. Clarendon County
• Scurry, John C.Williamsburg County
• Sims, Thomas W.Darlington County, died of disease at Jackson, Mississippi ,1863
• Smiley, James Clarendon County
• Smith, Samuel E.Clarendon County
• Smith, Samuel Clarendon County
• Thornhill, Benjamin B.Clarendon County
• Truluck, James Clarendon County, captured near Farmville April 6, 1865, sent to Point Lookout Prison, released July, 1865
• Truluck, John Thomas Clarendon County
• Tomlinson, Ira Sumter County, died in 1871
• Tomlinson, William D. Sumter County
• Tomlinson, J.C.C. Sumter County, killed in action in Virginia ******* (Pay voucher shows promotion to Lieutenant)
  
• Turnstall, William J. Sumter County
• Tolson, R.G. Darlington County
• Vasser, Thomas Z. B. Clarendon County, died of disease, Mississippi 1863
• Welch, Robert J.Clarendon County, died in 1881
• Welch, James Clarendon County
• Welch, Henry Clarendon County
• Welch, Elijah Clarendon County
• Welch, Joseph Clarendon County
• Welch, Joseph W. Clarendon County
• Welch, W. H .Clarendon County
• Wilder, Arthur Clarendon County
• Wilson, J.J. Clarendon County
• Yarborough, J.E. Clarendon County
• Yarborough, John *****Clarendon County, killed at Petersburg, June 17, 1864
• Yarborough, Needam. Clarendon County
• Yarborough, William A. Clarendon County

*This information provided and documented with muster rolls by Dale Molina, a descendant of Thomas J. Green.

**This information ws provided and documented by Frank A. Ward who has an application
 to the Florence County pension board for P. Elixabeth Ward Hill.

*** This information was provided and documented by Rose Jones who is a descendant of Samuel Chandler.

****This information was provided and documented by Johnny McKnight, who is a descendant of H.B. McKnight

***** This information was provided by Jenny Londrico , who is a descendant of Yarborough family.

******This information was provided by Kevin L. Privette, who is a descendant of Pleasant Reynolds.

*******  Information on promotion, provided by Barry Tomlinson, a descendant of J.C.C. Tomlinson.

******* Information on Miller Mellette provided by Aldine Owen.

#Confederate Deaths in Jackson, Mississippi ref:
 Volume II of Deaths of Confederate Soldiers in Confederate Hospitals by Raymond W. Watkins 

## Buried at Blandford Cemetery, Petersburg, Va. ref:Confederate Burials Vol VII

If you have any information to add to this data, please let me know.

Mystery of Button Found on Battlefield In about 1990, Paul Kraft, who lives in the Gluckstadt, Mississippi, an area just south west of Canton, Mississippi  found a  button embossed with the Palmetto tree insignia. He had been searching for War Between the States relics. How this button came to be in this area had always puzzled him until he visited this website, honoring Company H of the 26th Regiment from Sumter and Clarendon, South Carolina. Upon discovering that Company H of the 26th Regiment SCV had engaged in battle in the area where he found the button, he now feels that the mystery has been solved. Proudly, as with many folks west of the Mississippi, Paul has  deep roots in South Carolina. His great - great - great grandfather, Sebastian Kraft was from near Sedalia, in Union County, South Carolina. Paul's ancestor is  buried there, in the family cemetery just north of his home, the old Minter house. If you had an ancestor who served with Company H, you may imagine that  the button possibly belonged to your great-great-great grandfather. You now know that a man who cherishes our shared history and southern roots found this button many years after it was lost by another man who was from South Carolina. Paul keeps it in rememberance of men from Sumter and Clarendon Counties, brave men, who traveled far from home, to fight and sacrifice for a cause in which they believed. This information was added on December 2, 2006.

Return to Sumter County's Main Page

Company I 25th Regiment South Carolina Volunteers

Company I 23rd Regiment South Carolina Volunteers

Company K 23rd Regiment South Carolina Volunteers

Company I, 7th Regiment South Carolina Cavalry

20th South Carolina Militia, Sumter District

Information on Some of My Confederate Ancestors

Elmira Prison Camp Listing

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John Edward Yarborough, William A. Yarborough, Needham Yarborough

1924 Jesup, Georgia
This photo was take of them to honor
them as Confederate Soldiers.
They were all over 80 years of age.
They are all buried in Wayne County, Georgia

Photograph donated by Jenny Londrico .