26th Cavalry Regiment

Nickname: Frontier Cavalry

Mustered in: February, 1865
Mustered out by companies: June 29 to July 7,1865

The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912.

This regiment, Col. Burr Porter, was organized in the States of New York, Massachusetts and Vermont, under special authority from the War Department, for services on he northern frontiers for one year. The New York battalion consisted of five companies, a, H, I, K and L, and under the rulings of the War Department, the field officers of the regiment were appointed by the Governor of this State.

The first company, L, Capt. David A. Piercy, was recruited, and February 24, 1865, mistered in the United States service at Malone; the second, Company H, Capt. Henry E. Turner, was recruited, and February 22, 1865, mustered in the United States service at Watertown; the third, Company K, Capt. Edgar Hinkley, was recruited, and February 24, 1865, mustered in the United States service at Buffalo; the fourth, Company G, Capt. Pliny Moore, was recruited, and February 11, 1865, mustered in the United States service at Plattsburg; and the fifth, Company I, Capt. Newton H. Davis, was recruited, and February 22, 1865, mustered in the United States service at Malone.

These companies were mustered out and honorably discharged under Col. Ferris Jacobs, Jr.; L and I at Ogdensburg, July 1 and 3, 1865, respectively; H at Madison Barracks, Sackett's Harbor, July 7; K at Fort Porter, Buffalo, June 29; and G at Plattsburg, July 6, 1865; having lost by death of disease, three enlisted men.

The following is taken from The Union army: a history of military affairs in the loyal states, 1861-65 -- records of the regiments in the Union army -- cyclopedia of battles -- memoirs of commanders and soldiers, Volume II: New York, Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio. Madison, WI: Federal Pub. Co., 1908.

Twenty-sixth Cavalry.—Cols., Burr Porter, Ferris Jacobs, Jr.; Lieut.-Cols., Ferris Jacobs, Jr., William E. Beardsley; Majs., William E. Beardsley, Charles E. Rice, Josiah Grout, Jr., Edward T. Bouve. This regiment, known as the Frontier cavalry, was organized in the states of New York, Massachusetts and Vermont under special authority from the war department, to serve on the northern frontier for one year. The five companies, G, H, I, K and L, composing the N. Y. battalion, were recruited in the counties of St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Lewis. Franklin, Clinton, Essex and Erie, and were mustered into the U. S. service from Feb. Ii to 24, 1865. Gov. Fenton appointed the field officers of the regiment, under a ruling of the war department. The above companics were mustered out under Col. Jacobs from June 29 to July 7, 1865, having lost 3 men who died of disease.

NYSMM Online Resources

Muster Roll

Unit Roster

Other Resources

This is meant to be a comprehensive list. If, however, you know of a resource that is not listed below, please send an email to ng.ny.nyarng.list.historians@army.mil with the name of the resource and where it is located. This can include photographs, letters, articles and other non-book materials. Also, if you have any materials in your possession that you would like to donate, the museum is always looking for items specific to New York's military heritage. Thank you.

Glazier, Willard Worcester. Three years in the Federal cavalry, by Willard Glazier. New York: R. H. Ferguson & co., 1870. 339 p., illus.

New York (State). Adjutant General's Office. A record of the commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates, of the regiments which were organized in the state of New York and called into the service of the United States to assist in suppressing the rebellion, caused by the secession of some of the Southern states from the Union, A.D. 1861, as taken from the muster-in rolls on file in the Adjutant-General's Office, S.N.Y. Comstock and Cassidy, Printers, 1864-1868.

Sturtevant, Ralph Orson, and Eli Nelson Peck. Pictorial History Thirteenth Regiment Vermont Volunteers: War of 1861-1865. Library Reprints, Incorporated, 1910.

Ullergy, Jacob G. Men of Vermont: An Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters and Sons of Vermont. Transcript Publishing Company, 1894.

 

Items in the museum collection are in bold.

 

Photos from the American Civil War Research Database:

Sumner A. Andrews. 26th New York Cavalry. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&670340.

William M. O. Daniels. 26th New York Cavalry. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&673076.

Peter J. Dewey. 26th New York Cavalry. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&673084.

Cornelius T. Frink. 26th New York Cavalry. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&673515.

Willard W. Glazier. 26th New York Cavalry. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1417774. Photo courtesy of Massachusetts Commandery of MOLLUS.

Josiah Grout Jr. 26th New York Cavalry. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&493963. Photo courtesy of Massachusetts Commandery of MOLLUS.

Ferris Jacobs Jr. 26th New York Cavalry. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1486757. Photo courtesy of Massachusetts Commandery of MOLLUS.

William Henry Lewis. 26th New York Cavalry. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&667103.

Sheridan McGowan. 26th New York Cavalry. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1482027. Photo courtesy of Edward Schoenberger.

Pliny Moore. 26th New York Cavalry. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1805571. Photo courtesy of Henry Pomerantz.

Chellis D. Swain. 26th New York Cavalry. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1483719. Photo courtesy of Massachusetts Commandery of MOLLUS.

George F. Thompson. 26th New York Cavalry. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&1483807. Photo courtesy of Massachusetts Commandery of MOLLUS.

Oscar J. Tomlinson. 26th New York Cavalry. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&670167.

Sidney E. Whitney E. Sidney. 26th New York Cavalry. http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U&667296.