18th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment
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The 18th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was a
volunteer Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency ...
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 ...
that served in the Union Army in the western theater of 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 ...
. A large portion of the regiment was captured in their first battle, at Shiloh, but they went on to participate in the
Vicksburg Campaign The Vicksburg campaigns were a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi ...
, and Sherman's campaigns in Georgia and the Carolinas. For much of the war, the regiment was commanded by
Gabriel Bouck Gabriel Bouck (December 16, 1828 – February 21, 1904) was an American lawyer, Democratic politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He represented Wisconsin in the United States House of Representatives for two terms. He also served as Wisconsin's 6 ...
, who would later become a U.S. congressman and
speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly The Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly is the Speaker (politics), presiding officer of the Wisconsin Wisconsin State Assembly, State Assembly, the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Article IV of the Constitution of Wisconsin, ratifi ...
.


Service

The 18th Wisconsin was organized at
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, and mustered into Federal service March 15, 1862. The regiment was mustered out on July 18, 1865, at
Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...
.


Casualties

The 18th Wisconsin suffered 4 officers and 52 enlisted men killed in action or who later died of their wounds, plus another 2 officers and 167 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 225 fatalitie


Commanders

* Colonel (United States), Colonel James S. Alban (March 15, 1862April 7, 1862) was killed at the
Battle of Shiloh The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the American Civil War fought on April 6–7, 1862. The fighting took place in southwestern Tennessee, which was part of the war's Western Theater of the ...
. Before the war he had been a Wisconsin state senator. * Colonel
Gabriel Bouck Gabriel Bouck (December 16, 1828 – February 21, 1904) was an American lawyer, Democratic politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He represented Wisconsin in the United States House of Representatives for two terms. He also served as Wisconsin's 6 ...
(April 29, 1862January 4, 1864) was commissioned colonel after serving a year as captain of Co. E in the
2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment The 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It spent most of the war as a member of the famous Iron Brigade of the Army of the Potomac. It suffered the largest numbe ...
. He resigned in 1864. Before the war he had been the 6th
attorney general of Wisconsin The attorney general of Wisconsin is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the government of Wisconsin, government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Forty-five individuals have held the office of attorney general since statehood. The ...
. After the war he became the 24th
speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly The Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly is the Speaker (politics), presiding officer of the Wisconsin Wisconsin State Assembly, State Assembly, the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Article IV of the Constitution of Wisconsin, ratifi ...
, and served two years in the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
. * Lt. Colonel Charles H. Jackson (January 4, 1864July 18, 1865) began the war as captain of Co. B, and was promoted to major in 1862 and lieutenant colonel in 1864. He was designated for promotion to colonel but never mustered into federal service at that rank. He was the younger brother of Thomas A. Jackson, who was also an officer in this regiment.


Notable people

*
Jeremiah Wallace Baldock Jeremiah Wallace Baldock (March 11, 1842 – December 5, 1919) was an American farmer and politician. Born in Parma, Ohio, Baldock and his parents moved to Hayton, Wisconsin, in 1852, and then settled in the town of Chilton, Calumet County, W ...
was enlisted in Co. K and rose to the rank of sergeant. He was captured at Shiloh and later designated for a commission as second lieutenant, but was never mustered into federal service at that rank. After the war he became a Wisconsin state legislator. *
Samuel Beall Samuel Wootton Beall (June 16, 1807September 26, 1868) was an American land speculator, lawyer, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was the second lieutenant governor of Wisconsin (1850–1852) and lost his leg at the Battle of Shiloh, as a Union Arm ...
was lieutenant colonel of the regiment. He was severely wounded at Shiloh and lost a leg. After leaving the regiment, he was commissioned as a major in the Veteran Reserve Corps and served as overseer of a prisoner of war camp. Before the war he had been Wisconsin's 2nd
lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
. * Phineas A. Bennett, son of
Alden I. Bennett Alden Isaac Bennett (August 23, 1807June 17, 1862) was an American physician, Republican Party (United States), Republican politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was a member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing eastern Rock County, Wisconsi ...
, was second lieutenant in Co. K, was wounded at Shiloh and discharged. * Edward Colman was first lieutenant of Co. A and later became adjutant of the regiment. He was wounded twice—at Shiloh and Champion Hill. After the war he became a Wisconsin state senator. *
Ira Ford Ira Hamilton Ford Sr. (June 11, 1827 – August 3, 1903) was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Biography Ford was born on June 11, 1827, in Granville, Vermont. He left in 1849 to take part in the California Gold Rush. In 1852, Ford moved ...
was first lieutenant and later captain of Co. I. He was wounded and taken prisoner at Shiloh. After the war he became a Wisconsin state legislator. * Thomas A. Jackson was first lieutenant and later captain of Co. B. He was captured at Shiloh but paroled after seven months captivity. After the war he became a Wisconsin state legislator. * Addison W. Merrill was enlisted in Co. H and rose to the rank of corporal. After the war he became a Wisconsin state legislator. *
Fred Ties Frederick J. Ties (January 4, 1841March 27, 1928) was a German American immigrant, farmer, and Republican politician. He was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Green County during the 1905 and 1907 sessions. As a young man ...
was enlisted in Co. B and rose to the rank of first sergeant. He was wounded and captured at Jackson, Mississippi, and later designated for a commission as second lieutenant, but was never mustered into federal service at that rank. After the war he became a Wisconsin state legislator.


See also

{{portal, American Civil War *
List of Wisconsin Civil War units The state of Wisconsin enrolled 91,327 men for service in the Union Army during the American Civil War, 77,375 in the infantry, 8,877 in the cavalry, and 5,075 in the artillery. Some 3,802 of these men were killed in action or mortally wounded, ...
*
Wisconsin in the American Civil War With the outbreak of the American Civil War, the northwestern state of Wisconsin raised 91,379 soldiers for the Union Army, organized into 53 infantry regiments, 4 cavalry regiments, a company of Berdan's sharpshooters, 13 light artillery bat ...


References


The Civil War Archive
Military units and formations established in 1862 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union army from Wisconsin 1862 establishments in Wisconsin