Men of Company G, Washington County Rifles.
The only man identified is Henry A. Mueller
(front, 2nd from the left). -- collection of Russell Scott.

Robert Templeton was a hero of the Civil War, giving his life to the struggle to save the Union. In August, 1862, Robert enlisted with the 26th Regiment, "The German Regiment," Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He served with Company G, the Washington County Rifles, at Chancellorsville, Virginia, in the Spring of '63, where he was injured.1 The Regiment moved north with the 11th Corps, and met Confederate soldiers of the 44th Georgia streaming into Gettysburg on that great battle's first day. After a few hours, the number of Rebels became overwhelming, and the 11th moved at a dead run through town to Cemetery Hill. They stopped the Confederate advance at their line on the second day, and defended their position against a Rebel charge on the third day of the battle. On the battle's fourth day, the 26th Wisconsin caught up stragglers of the defeated Confederate army east of Gettysburg.

In April, 1864, the Army of the Potomac was reorganized by their new Commanding General, Ulysses S. Grant, and the 26th Wisconsin was put into the 20th Army Corps under Joseph Hooker at Chattanooga. General Sherman took command of this and two other Army Corps, and began his march on Atlanta. The 26th Wisconsin had many skirmishes while en route. They fought at Buzzard Roost, Resaca, New Hope Church, Kenesaw Mountain. An engagement at Peach Tree Creek became the 26th’s signal victory with their capture of the 33rd Mississippi regimental flag.2

It was in a rare night battle at New Hope Church, Georgia, that marked the first of eleven days of skirmishing around Dallas, Paulding County, that Robert H. Templeton was fatally wounded, May 25, 1864. After marching from eight in the morning, the men of Robert's company scraped out rifle pits with scrounged wood -- no tools -- when put into battle at 5:00 in the afternoon. They fought until they were relieved at 2:00 AM, and allowed some much needed rest.3 Sometime that evening, or night, our ancestor Robert found rest.

Robert was the eldest son of David and Rachel (Espy) Templeton. Both he and probably his younger sister, Elizabeth, had been born in Trumbull County, Ohio, before his parents moved their fledgling family to Washington County, Wisconsin in the mid-1840s.

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NOTES

1. Scott, Russell, editor, "Diary of Karl Karsten," www.russscott.com/~rscott/26thwis/karlkdi2.htm, 2007.03.24.
2. Scott, Russell, "History of the 26th Wisconsin Infantry",
3. Karsten, (Scott), ibid., www.russscott.com/%7Erscott/26thwis/26t2hist.htm, 2007.03.24. Also: Davis, Maj. George B., U.S. Army, Leslie J. Perry, Joseph W. Kirkley, The Official Military Atlas of the Civil War, © 1983, Arno Press, Inc. and Crown Publishers, Inc.

Thanks to Ralph D. Jeffords for his sleuthing that turned up the story of Robert H. Templeton, one hero among contending armies of heroes.