18th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment
| 18th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Active | March 15, 1862 – July 18, 1865 |
| Country | United States |
| Allegiance | Union |
| Branch | Infantry |
| Size | Regiment |
| Engagements | American Civil War |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel | James S. Alban |
| Colonel | Gabriel Bouck |
| Lt. Colonel | Charles H. Jackson |
| Wisconsin U.S. Volunteer Infantry Regiments 1861-1865 | ||||
|
The 18th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was a volunteer infantry regiment that served in the Union Army in the western theater of the American Civil War. A large portion of the regiment was captured in their first battle, at Shiloh, but they went on to participate in the Vicksburg Campaign, and Sherman's campaigns in Georgia and the Carolinas. For much of the war, the regiment was commanded by Gabriel Bouck, who would later become a U.S. congressman and speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Service
The 18th Wisconsin was organized at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and mustered into Federal service March 15, 1862.
The regiment was mustered out on July 18, 1865, at Louisville, Kentucky.
| Company | Earliest Moniker | Primary Places of Recruitment | Earliest Captain |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Taycheedah Union Guards[3][5] | Fond du Lac, Lamartine, Gravesville, Charlestown, and Neillsville. | James P. Millard |
| B | Eagle Light Infantry[3] | Monroe, Spring Grove, Brodhead, Argyle, Milwaukee, Glenmore, and Green County. | Charles Henry Jackson |
| C | Bad Axe Tigers[6] | Viroqua, Springville, Sterling, Readstown, La Crosse, and Vernon County. | Newton May Layne† |
| D | Northernwestern Rangers[3] | Sparta, Angelo, Franklin, Springville, Vernon and Monroe counties. | George Augustus Fisk |
| E | Northernwestern Light Infantry or Portage Light Infantry[1][3] | Stockton, Plover, Linwood, Stevens Point, Belmont, and Portage County. | William Alexander Bremmer |
| F | Oshkosh Rangers/ Algoma Rifles[1][3] | Oshkosh, Eureka, Eldorado, Rushford, Fond du Lac and Winnebago counties. | Joseph W. Roberts |
| G | Alban Pinery Rifles[3] | Grand Rapids, Kilbourn, Portage, Green Bay, Oxford, Buena Vista, Portage and Wood counties. | John H. Compton† |
| H | Green Lake CountyRifles[1] | Berlin, Waukau, Milwaukee, Poy Sippi, Neshkoro, Winnebago and Waushara counties. | David H. Saxton |
| I | Lewis Rangers[3] | Columbus, Portage, Milwaukee, Dekorra, Elba, Pepin, Columbia, Dodge, and Pepin counties. | William A. Coleman |
| K | Union Guards[1] | Monroe, Plover, Big Spring, Columbus, and New Haven among other cities. | William J. Kershaw |
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 fatalities.[1]
Commanders
- Colonel James S. Alban (March 15, 1862 – April 7, 1862) was killed at the Battle of Shiloh. Before the war he had been a Wisconsin state senator.
- Colonel Gabriel Bouck (April 29, 1862 – January 4, 1864) was commissioned colonel after serving a year as captain of Co. E in the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. He resigned in 1864. Before the war he had been the 6th attorney general of Wisconsin. After the war he became the 24th speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, and served two years in the United States House of Representatives.
- Lt. Colonel Charles H. Jackson (January 4, 1864 – July 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 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 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.
- Phineas A. Bennett, son of Alden I. Bennett, 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 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 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
References
- ^ a b c d e "Outright Murder: The 18th Wisconsin at Shiloh". Outright Murder. Retrieved 2025-09-30.
- ^ United States. Adjutant-General's Office; Fallon, John T. (1885). List of synonyms of organizations in the volunteer service of the United States during the years 1861, '62, '63, '64, and '65. New York Public Library. Washington, Govt. Print. Off.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Eastabrook, Charles E. (1912). Annual Reports of the Adjutant General of the State of Wisconsin for Years 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864 (PDF). Madison, Wisconsin.: Democrat Publishing Co. p. 75.
- ^ Wisconsin. Adjutant General's Office (1886). Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, war of the rebellion, 1861-1865. The Library of Congress. Madison, Democrat printing co., state printers. p. 83.
- ^ Wisconsin Daily Journal, Dec 5, 1861, p. 1
- ^ History of Vernon County, Wisconsin, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens; history of Wisconsin. New York Public Library. Springfield, Union. 1884. p. 203.
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