18th Virginia Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 18th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry
regiment
raised in Virginia
for service in the Confederate States Army
during the American Civil War
. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia
.
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.
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
.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
raised in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
for service in the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
.
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.
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
Robert E. Withers
Robert Enoch Withers was an American physician, military officer, newspaperman, politician and diplomat. He represented Virginia in the United States Senate and served as U.S. Consul in Hong Kong.-Biography:...
, Lieutenant Colonel George C. Cabell, and Major Edwin G. Wall.
Robert Lewis Dabney
Robert Lewis Dabney
Robert Lewis Dabney was an American Christian theologian, a Southern Presbyterian pastor, and Confederate Army chaplain. He was also chief of staff and biographer to Stonewall Jackson. His biography of Jackson remains in print today.Dabney and James Henley Thornwell were two of Southern...
briefly served as chaplain for the regiment, before becoming chief of staff for Stonewall Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
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.