The Civil War News & Views Open Discussion Forum

Re: Ben F. West 26 Va. Inf. Co. E. Clothing Issue.

Here are bits of information that provide clues for the whereabouts of Wise's Brigade around the time you are asking about.

I made a hurried check of the compiled service records, but did not find anything relevant.

2/20/64 Wise’s Bgde involved in the Battle of Olustee, Fla

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA, &C.,
April 10, 1864.
Brig. Gen. WILLIAM B. TALIAFERRO,
Seventh Military District:
GENERAL : I am instructed by the commanding general to ac-
knowledge the receipt of your report upon the demonstration made
by the enemy in your front on the night of the 8th instant,* and to
say that he is fully alive to the exposed condition of your district,
and in consequence thereof he had by telegraph already ordered
Major-General Anderson to return as soon as practicable the two [from Florida]
regiments of Wise's brigade (Twenty-sixth and Fifty-ninth Vir-
ginia), and one of Evans' (Eighteenth South Carolina), which regi-
ments will be ordered to report to you on their arrival here. The
order to put them in motion for this place will be renewed to-day.
I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient
servant,

4/14/64—10 p. m. Charleston, Beauregard, Gen Cdg to Maj Gen Patton Anderson, Camp Litton (via Baldwin, Fla):
Send here at once the 11th & 18th SC Vols & the 26th & 59th Va Vols. Return to Savannah the 12th Ga Bn or the 64th Ga Vols at once. Should you think advisable, consolidate Harrison’s & Finegan’s Brigades under latter. Use utmost dispatch in pushing forward the troops. Acknowledge receipt of dispatch.

APRIL 15, 1864.
Maj. Gen. J. F. GILMER,
Commanding, &c., Savannah, Ga. :
GENERAL : I am instructed by the commanding general to direct
that you order the following dispositions made of certain named
regiments which have been ordered to return from Florida, upon
their arrival in Savannah, Ga.., to wit :
Eighteenth South Carolina Volunteers, to report to Brig. Gen. R.
S. Ripley, Sullivan's Island.
Fifty-ninth Virginia Volunteers, to report to Brig. Gen. B. H.
Robertson, Ashepoo, S. C.
Twenty-sixth Virginia Volunteers, to report to Brig. Gen. H. A.
Wise, Adams' Run, S. C.
Eleventh South Carolina Volunteers, to report to Col. A. Rhett, in
this city.
The Sixty-fourth Georgia Volunteers or Twelfth Georgia Battal-
ion has also been directed to return, which you will retain in Dis-
trict of Georgia to replace the Holcombe Legion, ordered to North
Carolina.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,
Charleston, S. C., April 15, 1864.
431
Maj. Gen. PATTON ANDERSON,
Commanding, &c.:
GENERAL : I am instructed by the commanding general to direct
by letter (as was done by telegram of yesterday's date) the transfer
of the following regiments to Savannah at once, where they will re-
ceive further orders, to wit : Eleventh and Eighteenth South Caro-
lina Volunteers, Twenty-sixth and Fifty-ninth Virginia, and the
Sixty-fourth Georgia or Twelfth Georgia Battalion, as you prefer.
I am further instructed to express his regret at the withdrawal of
these regiments from your district, and to say that in consequence of
orders from the War Department transferring a large number of
troops from this State to Wilmington, N. C., this depletion of your
command is considered imperatively necessary and unavoidable.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. M. OTEY,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

APRIL 16, 1864.
Maj. M. A. PRINGLE,
Quartermaster, Charleston, S. C. :
MAJOR : The Eleventh and Eighteenth South Carolina Regiments
and Twenty-sixth and Fifty-ninth Virginia Volunteers are ordered
from Florida, and upon their arrival in Savannah they will be dis-
tributed as follows : The Eleventh South Carolina to report to Brig.
Gen. R. S. Ripley, on Sullivan's Island ; the Eighteenth South Caro-
lina Volunteers to Colonel Rhett, in this city; the Twenty-sixth
Virginia Regiment to Brigadier-General Taliaferro, on James Island,
and the Fifty-ninth Virginia to General Robertson, at Green Pond.
The commanding general desires that you use every means in your
power to facilitate their arrival at these points.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. M. OTEY,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

April 16, 1864.
Brig. Gen. THOMAS JORDAN,
Chief of Staff :
GENERAL : I beg leave to urge upon the commanding general the
pressing necessity now for the return of the two regiments of my
brigade. All the cavalry has been removed from this district except
the Rebel Troop and Stono Scouts. This has compelled me to with-
draw the guards at Gioham's and Parker's Ferries, Bacon's and
Slann's Bridges, to establish infantry pickets at all the points here-
tofore guarded by cavalry, and to order mounted couriers from the
light artillery batteries. This is very inconvenient to the batteries
now wanting horses and oppressive upon the infantry over so large
a district. Besides this the numerous works in this district are re-
tarded and most of them are suspended for the want of force. The
works on John's Island are very necessary to be done, and we have
but four companies of infantry to employ on them when there ought
to be at least a full regiment on that island.
I ask again that my two regiments be returned to my command at
once. My whole brigade is inadequate to guard this district. I
hope that neither of my regiments shall be stopped in the Second
District. It is desirable to keep the brigade together, and I ask
that other troops may be assigned to General Robertson's district
than those which compose my brigade.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
HENRY A. WISE, Brigadier-General [commanding 6th District of SC]

APRIL 18, 1864.
Brig. Gen. HENRY A. WISE,
Comdg. Sixth Military District, Adams' Run:
GENERAL : Your letter of the 16th instant, urging the pressing
necessity for the return of the two regiments of your brigade, has
been received and considered. I fully concur in the justice of your
remarks on the depleted condition of your command, and deprecate
the necessity which prevents me from complying at this time with
your request. ?ª The regiments referred to are now on their return
from Florida, but the interests of the service demand that for the
present one of them shall be stationed in the Third Military District,
and the other for a few days in the Seventh Military District, to
await the return of Colquitt's brigade, which is also en route from
Florida, and which will upon arrival resume its former position on
James Island.
In conclusion, I beg to assure you, general, that I shall take the
earliest opportunity for bringing the troops of your command to-
gether; that is, as soon as the peculiar nature of the service in this
department will permit. I have been careful to locate your two
regiments in districts adjoining the Sixth, that they may at any time
and without delay be concentrated under your command.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. T. BEAUREGARD.

Abstract from return of the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, Maj. Gen. Samuel Jones commanding, for April, 1864
[26th and 59th Virginia listed in District of Georgia]

4/30/64 Bragg to Cooper-A dispatch from Gen Lee to the President, just received, reports Burnside certainly moving rapidly to join Meade, & Gen L. urges the movement of all assistance practicable to his front. The Sec of War concurs with me in the following: Urge the expedition of Gen Hoke to an issue at once, so that his force may join Gen Lee. It will be best to telegraph Beauregard at Kinston, where he went yesterday to confer with Hoke. Order B. R. Johnson’s Bgde from Bristol here, & Hagood’s from Wilmington; Colquitt’s or Wise’s may also be safely sent on from Charleston. As Wise’s are Va troops, they may be best, but you know them better than I can. These orders should be sent tonight if possible.
[Endorsement] Maj Reilly: Make a telegram in conformity to Gen Bragg’s suggestions within in my name to Gen Beauregard, &, & send it off tonight. Order Johnson’s Bgde from Bristol here, & Hagood’s from Wilmington to start without delay, & dispatch Gen Jones to send on at once Wise’s or Colquitt’s Brigade (Wise's in preference), to repair immediately to Richmond. Also telegraph Gen Beauregard to send up Hoke’s force if there should be no prospect of an attack by Hoke on New Berne, which it is understood will not now be made, on account of large force of the enemy at that place & the strength of the works there

4/30 Cooper to Jones- Send at once Wise's or Colquitt's Bgde to this place, the former preferred

4/30 Cooper to Buckner, Abingdon, Va.: Send Johnson’s Bgde without delay to this place

5/3 Richmond, Cooper to Jones- Send on to this place with least possible delay both Wise's & Colquitt's Bgdes.

5/3 Gen Jones orders-Par VIII Brig-Gen’ls Wise & Colquitt & their Brigades are relieved from duty in this Dept,[Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida] & will proceed without delay by rail to Richmond & report to Gen Cooper.

2/20/64 Wise’s Bgde involved in the Battle of Olustee, Fla

4/6/64 General WISE:
GENERAL: I am instructed by the commanding general to inform
you that orders have been issued by him to Maj. Gen. Patton Ander-
son to return the Twenty-sixth and Fifty-ninth Virginia Regiments [from Florida]
as soon as the movements of the enemy in his front will permit.
One of the regiments of your brigade will, however, have to return
temporarily to the Second Military District until its place can be
supplied by other troops, either cavalry or infantry.
General Beauregard desires me to express to you his regret at not
being able to keep your brigade together as he most earnestly desires,
but the want of sufficient troops in the department, and the system
of independent districts, compel the adoption of the present system,
which alone can prevent the enemy from obtaining a foothold on
the main, by which he would necessarily turn the adjacent districts.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. W. FEILDEN

4/14/64—10 p. m. Charleston, Beauregard, Gen Cdg to Maj Gen Patton Anderson, Camp Litton (via Baldwin, Fla):
Send here at once the 11th & 18th SC Vols & the 26th & 59th Va Vols. Return to Savannah the 12th Ga Bn or the 64th Ga Vols at once. Should you think advisable, consolidate Harrison’s & Finegan’s Bgdes under latter. Use utmost dispatch in pushing forward the troops. Acknowledge receipt of dispatch.

4/30/64 Bragg to Cooper-A dispatch from Gen Lee to the President, just received, reports Burnside certainly moving rapidly to join Meade, & Gen L. urges the movement of all assistance practicable to his front. The Sec of War concurs with me in the following: Urge the expedition of Gen Hoke to an issue at once, so that his force may join Gen Lee. It will be best to telegraph Beauregard at Kinston, where he went yesterday to confer with Hoke. Order B. R. Johnson’s Bgde from Bristol here, & Hagood’s from Wilmington; Colquitt’s or Wise’s may also be safely sent on from Charleston. As Wise’s are Va troops, they may be best, but you know them better than I can. These orders should be sent tonight if possible.
[Endorsement] Maj Reilly: Make a telegram in conformity to Gen Bragg’s suggestions within in my name to Gen Beauregard, &, & send it off tonight. Order Johnson’s Bgde from Bristol here, & Hagood’s from Wilmington to start without delay, & dispatch Gen Jones to send on at once Wise’s or Colquitt’s Bgde (Wises in preference), to repair immediately to Richmond. Also telegraph Gen Beauregard to send up Hoke’s force if there should be no prospect of an attack by Hoke on New Berne, which it is understood will not now be made, on account of large force of the enemy at that place & the strength of the works there
4/30 Cooper to Jones- Send at once Wise's or Colquitt's Bgde to this place, the former preferred

4/30 Cooper to Buckner, Abingdon, Va.: Send Johnson’s Bgde without delay to this place

5/3 Richmond, Cooper to Jones- Send on to this place with least possible delay both Wise's & Colquitt's Bgdes.

5/3 Gen Jones orders-Par VIII Brig-Gen’ls Wise & Colquitt & their Bgdes are relieved from duty in this Dept, & will proceed without delay by rail to Richmond & report to Gen Cooper.

Messages In This Thread

Ben F. West 26 Va. Inf. Co. E. Clothing Issue.
Re: Ben F. West 26 Va. Inf. Co. E. Clothing Issue. *NM*
Re: Ben F. West 26 Va. Inf. Co. E. Clothing Issue.
Re: Ben F. West 26 Va. Inf. Co. E. Clothing Issue.