18th Mississippi Infantry Regiment

Confederate Regiments & Batteries > Mississippi

1861
June 7 Organized in Corinth, Mississippi under Colonel Erasmus R. Burt, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas M. Griffin and Major Eli G. Henry.
June 10 Ordered to Virginia
June 18 Arrived at Camp Walker near Manassas Junction and brigaded with 17th Mississippi and 5th South Carolina under Brigadier General David R. Jones.
July 18 Blackburn’s Ford
July 21
First Battle of Manassas, or Bull Run

The regiment was posted at McLean’s Ford, and at the close of the battle advanced up Rocky Run. All but Company H were forced to withdraw due to severe artillery fire. Captain Adam McWillie, Lieutenant Seary and 6 enlisted men were killed and Lieutenants York and McLaurin and 21 enlisted men were wounded.
August The 13th Mississippi replaced the 5th South Carolina in the brigade, which moved to Leesburg under the command of Brigadier General N.G. Evans.
October 21
Battle of Leesburg, or Ball’s Bluff

The regiment lost 32 killed and 63 wounded, including Colonel Burt, who was mortally wounded leading the charge against the Federal battery. Lieutenant F. Bostwick was also killed and Captains A.P. Hill and Welborn and Lieutenant Fearn were wounded.
November 17 Lieutenant Colonel Griffin was promoted to colonel and Captain Walter G. Kearney was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
December 9 Assigned to Brigadier General Richard Griffin’s Mississippi Brigade, consisting of the 13th, 17th, 18th and 21st Mississippi Infantry Regiments.
1862
March Move to Culpeper, then to Yorktown and Richmond.
April 26 The regiment re-organized and re-enlisted for two years, reporting 684 effectives. Lt. Colonel Kearney and Major Eli Henry were dropped. Captain William H. Luse of Company B was elected lieutenant colonel and Captain James C. Campbell of Company E was elected major. Eli Henry returned to the rank of captain.
May 3 Began retreat from Yorktown line. The regiment was attached to Magruder’s Division.
June 29 Reached the battlefield of Savage Station after dark and slept on the field.
July 1
Malvern Hill

Took part in the evening attack. The regiment lost 16 killed and 126 wounded. Colonel Griffith was wounded, Captains Eli G. Henry and Captain Bostick were both mortally wounded. Lieutenant Colonel William Luse took command of the regiment.
September Left Richmond for Maryland
August Colonel Barksdale of the 13th Mississippi was promoted to brigadier general and given permanent command of the brigade, which was assigned to McLaws’ Division
September 12 & 13
Siege of Harpers Ferry

Scaled Maryland Heights north of Harpers Ferry, driving off the Union defenders.
September 16 To Brownsville
September 17
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)

Marched from Brownsville, reaching the field after the batle had begun. Out of 186 men engaged, the regiment lost 11 killed and 69 wounded. Major Campbell, commanding the regiment, was badly wounded.

From the brigade marker on the Antietam battlefield:

September 17, 1862.

Barksdale’s Brigade crossed the Potomac at Blackford’s Ford about daybreak of the 17th and halted in the western suburbs of Sharpsburg until nearly 9 A.M. It then advanced to the rising ground southwest of this point and formed line in the left center of McLaws’ Division, Kershaw on the right and Semmes on the left.

In the general advance of the Division it encountered the enemy’s line at the edge of the West Woods at this point and, supported by Ransom’s Brigade of Walker’s Division, forced it back through the woods to the fields beyond, where it was checked by the destructive fire of the Federal Artillery and compelled to retire to the protection of the hill and ledges of rock in this vicinity.

Later in the day the Brigade reoccupied a portion of the ground from which it had been driven and, with Ransom on the right and Early on the left, held the position until the night of the 18th when it recrossed the Potomac.
October Rested and recruited in Winchester.
November Moved to Fredericksburg
  Lieutenant Colonel Thomas M. Griffin promoted to colonel
December 13
Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment lost 18 men wounded
1863
May 2-3
Second Battle of Fredericksburg (Chancellorsville campaign)

The regiment was commanded by Colonel Thomas M. Griffin. It and the 21st Mississippi defended Marye’s Heights, with the 18th behind the stone wall along the sunken road and 21st higher up on the heights. Attacked by ten Union regiments, the Confederate line held at first but eventually gave way. The regiment lost 25 men killed and and 43 men were wounded. Major Campbell was mortally wounded. Colonel Griffin, Lieutenant Colonel Luse and 226 survivors were captured along with the regiment’s colors.
May 5 Major Campbell escaped but died of his wounds after reaching Southern lines. Captain George B. Gerald of Company F was promoted to major.
July 2-3
Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded by Colonel Thomas M. Griffin and brought 242 men to the field. It took part in the evening asault through the Peach Orchard, breaking the Union line and driving them back to the the foot of Cemetery Ridge before being pushed back. The regiment lost 18 killed and 82 wounded. Colonel Griffin was wounded and Lt. Colonel William H. Luse was captured, leaving Major George B. Gerald in command.

From the brigade’s monument on the Gettysburg battlefield

July 2. Arrived about 3 P. M. and formed line here. Advanced at 5 P. M. and took part in the assault on the Peach Orchard and adjacent positions vigorously pursuing the Union forces as they retired. The 21st Regiment pushed on past the Trostle House and captured but were unable to bring off 9th Mass. Battery and I Battery 5th U. States. The other Regiments inclining more to the left pressed forward to Plum Run where they encountered fresh troops and a fierce conflict ensued in which Brig. Gen. Wm. Barksdale fell mortally wounded.

July 3. Supported artIllery on Peach Orchard Ridge. Withdrew from the front late in the afternoon.

July 4. In position near here all day. About midnight began the march to Hagerstown.

Present 1598, Killed 105, Wounded 550, Missing 92, Total 747
September Movement of Longstreet’s Corps by rail to North Georgia via Richmond and South Carolina.
September 19 Arrived at Ringgold after the battle has begun and marched through the night to the battlefield.
September 20
Battle of Chickamauga

Went into support of Hood’s Division, breaking the Union line.
September 22-
November 4		 Siege of Chattanooga
November 4 Left Lookout Mountain for Knoxville
November 15 Crossed the Tennessee River at London
November 16 Skirmish at Campbell’s Station
November 20 Siege of Knoxville
November 29
Assault on Fort Sanders
December 16 To Clinch Mountain Gap. The 13th Mississippi were sent to pursue the Union forces there and capture the camp and equipment of the 117th Indiana infantry.
Winter Winter quarters at Russelville, Tennessee
1864
March Moved to Bristol, Tennessee
May 3 To Gordonsville, Virginia,
May 6
Battle of the Wilderness

Rejoined the Army of Northern Virginia
May 8-21
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

The regiment was commanded by Captain William H. Lewis
May 27 Hanover Junction
June
Battle of Cold Harbor
June 19 To Petersburg
late August Transferred to Lieutenant General Jubal Early’s Army of the Shenandoah
October 19
Battle of Cedar Creek

Major Gerald was wounded.
November 18 Colonel Griffin retired due to his wounds.
November 20 Returned to the Richmond Front, posted at Garnett’s Farm and on the Darbytown and Newmarket Roads.
1865
April 1-2 Moved through Richmond on the way to Appomattox
April 9
Appomattox Court House

The 18th Mississippi surrendered 4 officers and 44 enlisted men under the command of Lieuteant John W. Gower.