| 1861-1862 Western Virginia Campaign |
| Source: Ohio in the War, Vol II, by Whitelaw Reid, 1868 |
Soon after the 26th OVI was organized in the summer of 1861, the regiment was ordered to Western Virginia, in the upper Kanawaha River Valley. It was assigned to the Department of Western Virginia of the Union army. The mission was to scout out confederate troops in the area, and to take over control of the 34 most western counties of Virginia. By doing so, the state of Ohio would extend the natural border and barrier between Ohio and Confederate held territory from the Ohio River to hundreds of miles of mountainous terrain, i.e. the Allegheny Mountains. This action also helped support and defend the Unionist citizens living in this area of the Virginia. In this part of of Virginia, the citizens had more in common with those in rural Pennsylvania and Ohio than eastern Virginia. Very few citizens in western Virginia owned slaves. With this protection, the Unionist Virginia citizens would organize their support for independent statehood, and at a convention in Wheeling, the State of West Virginia was born. For the most part, the 26th was involved in scouting duty. The regiment participated in a "movement" at Sewell Mountain led by General Rosecrans. General Robert E Lee's troops were on Sewell Mountain and General Rosecrans was on Armstrong Ridge, directly west of Lee's position. Though battle seemed imminent, and major battle never ensued.The 26th led the advance against the confederate forces, and they were the last regiment to leave the battle as well. One of the scouting expeditions was led by Colonel Rutherford B Hayes ( soon to be President Hayes) and was towards the Fayetteville area. The 26th OVI did see action at Big Chimney ( east of Gauley Bridge), Cotton Hill, and at Gauley Bridge. The records are not clear as to whether there were any casualties during the time of the regiment's involvement in western Virginia. However, the Official Roster lists 19 soldiers of the 26th who died in western Virginia during that time period; most of these deaths occuring at Gauley Bridge in western Virginia. In addition, 2 solidiers were discharged on surgeon's certificate of disability. ( this usually would indicate receiving serious and debilitating injuries). The regiment remained in Western Virginia until January, 1862 when it was ordered to join the Department of the Ohio army. It was brigaded with the 15th, 177h, and 50th Indiana Regiments under the command of Colonel Milo S Hascall. HEADQUARTERS KANAWHA BRIGADE, Gauley Bridge, August 7, 1861. Brig. Gen. W. S. ROSECRANS, Comdg. Army of Occupation, Western Virginia, Clarksburg, Va.: GENERAL: I hand you herewith the report of Lieutenant Wagner upon the topography and means of defense of this place; also reports of Major Hines as to the roads in several directions. Since arriving here I have had reconnoitering parties under intelligent officers at Fayette Court-House, Sewell Mountain, Summersville, and intermediate points, the substance of whose information is contained in the reports accompanying this. The retreat of Wise has every characteristic of a final movement out of the valley. Not only his burning of bridges and destruction of arms and other property has this look, but the conduct and air of the professed secessionists strongly confirms this opinion. Those who have been committed to the cause of the rebellion, and who moved their families and property far up the valley when we entered it, have returned in considerable numbers and asked leave to occupy their homes again. Great numbers of Wise's troops, raised here in the valley, deserted him near this point, and the story of the deserters is quite uniform that it was understood that he was permanently abandoning the valley, and that they were unwilling to follow him into Eastern Virginia, having enlisted, as they say, solely with a view to defend their homes against the outrages which it was represented our troops would commit. In a thousand ways, difficult to detail minutely, the people show that their understanding of the matter is that the Kanawha Valley is, for the present at least, given up. My own view, therefore, is that if a reconquest of Western Virginia is attempted, it will be by some other line of operations, unless Wise is wholly superseded in command, and an entirely new enterprise planned and set in motion by others. I do not incline to think Summersville will be in the line of new offensive operations on their part; first, because from whatever direction it is approached the roads are peculiarly difficult, and second, it is not a place of peculiar advantages when reached. If the design is to invade Northwestern Virginia, a more direct and easy road upon Beverly can be found, and if the design were to invade Southwestern Virginia, the route through this point is vastly easier. The road laid down upon the maps from Summersville to Huntersville is described by numerous persons as a very hard and nearly, if not quite, an impracticable route for wagons. From Summersville in any direction the roads are bad, and especially so between that point and this. The opportunities for stopping and seriously injuring a force moving upon Summersville are great, and I do not believe the advantages to be gained by the enemy would be great enough to induce him to make any offensive movements in that direction, so long as here and at Sutton there are strong bodies of our troops. My belief is that they think the Kanawha Valley must eventually follow the fate of Northwestern Virginia, and that they will attempt to recover what they lost at Rich Mountain whenever they again take the offensive, unless some movement of ours should tempt them in this direction again. With this view of the case, I incline to the opinion that the line from here northward through Summersville, &c., should be kept strong with active outposts, which could give information of the enemy's movements in time to concentrate a considerable force at any point that might be menaced. Of course I only give this opinion as from the stand-point I occupy here, and not at all as of value, in view of all the information you are doubtless possessed of. If a force as large as my present command were kept here, with the aid of a few more horsemen, we could be in possession of news of every movement from Giles or Raleigh Court-House to Lewisburg, and connect on the north with the force at Summersville, which could in its turn reconnoiter as far as Huntersville, and be ready to unite in any offensive or defensive policy as the action of the enemy might make it advisable. For ease of reaching Lewisburg we are better off here than at Summersville, and in a few days might have a bridge of flat-boats, which would give us a safe passage of the Gauley at all times. The town of Charleston is the headquarters of the secessionists of this valley, and I have kept a regiment there since I came through the place. At present Colonel Lowe, of the Twelfth Ohio, commands that post, having with him two companies of the Twelfth, two Virginia companies from Mason City, and the Twenty-sixth Ohio. I think the stationing of two companies at Poca, or Red House, and one or two at Thirteen-Mile Creek, with two or three at Point Pleasant, is necessary to secure the safe passage of messengers and boats, and the speedy quieting of the valley. I have already suggested the propriety of stationing some force at Guyandotte. I should have remarked above, when speaking of the topography of this country, that the channels of both the Gauley and New Rivers are very rocky, and so irregular and full of seams and chasms that we can learn of no practicable ford on either of them as far as our reconnaissances have extended. I do not pretend that the opinions I have expressed have any value, except as they may show you how the country and the movements of the enemy have impressed my own mind, situated as I am in the midst of them. Your dispatches received to-day direct me to move to Summersville, after fortifying this place so that a regiment may hold it. Lieutenant Wagner's report will show that this will necessarily involve some delay. Meanwhile I shall make my arrangements for moving and await your orders. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. D. COX, Brigadier-General, Commanding. WASHINGTON, D. G., January 2, 1862. Capt. G. L. HARTSUFF, Wheeling, W. Va.: Order Twenty-sixth Ohio, First Kentucky, Second Kentucky, Twenty-ninth Indiana to proceed to Louisville without delay. Ask Milroy how he is off for troops. Your case is before the Cabinet. You will not be compelled to resign. Send orders to Colonel Fyffe, giving him leave for twenty days. Send in cipher strength at Romney. Get Crook and Milroy's reports and telegraph me. Hope to leave to-morrow via General Banks' headquarters and Cumberland. W. S. ROSECRANS, Brigadier-General |
| Official Records Reports |
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| Confederate Reports of the Western Virginia Campaign |
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| Western Virginia Location Photos |