Glory Was Not Their Companion

This is a story of New Yorkers who were recruited primarily from the gentle farmlands of central New York—young and middle-aged, American and European, farmer and tradesman, poor and well-off—all of whom were among the first to step forward and answer their fledgling nation’s call during the Civil War. Though those young men marched proudly off to war anticipating glory and quick victory, victory was usually absent and glory was not their companion. Official accolades never seemed to materialize, and death soon wrapped its cold arms around the “Second Oneida” with a vengeance experienced by very few other blue-clad regiments. To be fair, more often than not the regiment was placed in difficult, often impossible tactical situations, which resulted in the New Yorkers being forced to leave the field in disorder. They did their best and played their small role in a much bigger production whose results helped to shape America into what it is today. This work covers the regiment’s entire two-year term of enlistment from May 1861 to May 1863. Glory Was Not Their Companion draws upon numerous unpublished letters and diaries from the collections of individuals, private libraries and public institutions, as well as contemporary newspapers and obscure government documents. Appendices cover the order of command within campaigns and post assignments. Also included is a regimental roster listing the 1,182 men who served in the Twenty-sixth.

A story of New Yorkers who were recruited primarily from the gentle farmlands of central New York - young and middle-aged, American and European, farmer and tradesman, poor and well-off - all of whom were among the first to step forward and answer their fledgling nation's call during the Civil War. Recruited primarily from the gentle farmlands of central New York, the men of the Twenty-Sixth New York Volunteer Infantry were among the first to answer their nation's call during the Civil War. Death soon wrapped its cold arms around the regiment, whose losses were great. More often than not the Twenty-Sixth was placed in difficult or impossible tactical situations, which resulted in their being forced to leave the field in disorder. They did their best. This work covers the regiment's entire two-year term of enlistment from May 1861 to May 1863. It draws upon numerous unpublished letters and diaries from the collections of individuals, private libraries and public institutions, as well as contemporary newspapers and obscure government documents. Appendices cover the order of command within campaigns and post assignments. Also included is a regimental roster listing the 1,182 men who served in the Twenty-Sixth.