The 18th Virginia Infantry Regiment was an

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

raised in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

for service in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. It fought mostly with the

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was a field army of the Confederate States Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed agains ...

. The 18th Virginia completed its organization in May, 1861. Its members were recruited at Danville and Farmville, and in the counties of Nottoway, Cumberland, Prince Edward, Appomattox, Pittsylvania, and Charlotte. Company A (Danville Blues) - many men from Danville Virginia Company B (Danville Grays) - many men from Danville, Virginia Company C (Nottoway Rifle Guards) - many men from Nottoway County Company D (Prospect Rifle Grays) - many men from Prince Edward County Company E (Black Eagle Rifles) - many men from Cumberland County Company F (Farmville Guard) - many men from Farmville, Virginia (Prince Edward and Cumberland Counties) Company G (Nottoway Grays) - many men from Nottoway County Company H (Appomattox Grays) - many men from Appomattox County Company I (Spring Garden Blues) - many men from Pittsylvania County Company K (Charlotte Rifles) - many men from Charlotte County, mustered in February 1861. Reorganized April 1862 with Captains Thomas J. Spencer, Mathew Lyle, Robert Morton Shepperson, Martin Luther Covington, William Henry Smith. 18th Virginia Infantry, by James I. Robertson The unit fought at First Manassas under General Cocke, then was assigned to General Pickett's, Garnett's, and Hunton's Brigade. It participated in the campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia from Williamsburg to Gettysburg except when it was detached to Suffolk with Longstreet. Later it served in North Carolina, returned to Virginia, and took an active part in the battles of Drewry's Bluff and Cold Harbor. The 18th endured the hardships of the Petersburg trenches north of the James River and saw action around Appomattox. It lost 6 killed and 13 wounded at First Manassas and in April, 1862, had 700 men fit for duty. The unit reported 206 casualties during the Seven Days' Battles, and of the 120 engaged in the Maryland Campaign, thirty-six percent of the 312 in action were killed, wounded, or missing. Many were captured at Sayler's Creek and only 2 officers and 32 men surrendered. The field officers were Colonels Henry A. Carrington and Robert E. Withers, Lieutenant Colonel George C. Cabell, and Major Edwin G. Wall. Robert Lewis Dabney briefly served as chaplain for the regiment, before becoming chief of staff for

Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general and military officer who served during the American Civil War. He played a prominent role in nearly all military engagements in the eastern the ...

. File:18VAflag.jpg, The 18th Virginia Infantry Regiment battle flag at the Appomattox museum. File:Robert E. Withers - Brady-Handy.jpg, Colonel Robert E. Withers File:Portrait of Robert Lewis Dabney.jpg, Chaplain Robert Lewis Dabney File:The Photographic History of The Civil War Volume 08 Page 117.jpg, Two Officers of Company "G" 18th Va Infantry; the officer at bottom Captain Arch. Campbell was killed in April 1865 at the

Battle of Sayler's Creek A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force c ...

-ironically next to Nottoway County in Prince Edward County File:The Photographic History of The Civil War Volume 08 Page 119.jpg, Nine more officers of Company "G" 18th Va Infantry File:Private John G. Lee of Company H, 18th Virginia Infantry Regiment, with bayoneted musket, large Bowie knife, and percussion pistol LCCN2011661455.jpg, Private John G. Lee of Company H, 18th Virginia Infantry Regiment

References

*{{USGovernment, url=http://www.civilwar.nps.gov/cwss/regiments.cfm, title=Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, agency=National Park Service Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Virginia 1861 establishments in Virginia Military units and formations established in 1861

See also

References