The 18th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment was organized at Milwaukee, Wis., and mustered in March 15, 1862. Left State for St. Louis, Mo., March 30; thence moved to Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., March 31-April 5. 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.
The Regiment lost during service 4 Officers and 52 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 167 Enlisted men by disease. Total 225.
Officers:
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.
Assignments:
Attached to 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, Army of the Tennessee, to July, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, District of Corinth, Miss., to November, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, Left Wing 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, to December, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, 16th Army Corps, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, 17th Army Corps, to May, 1863. 1st Brigade, 7th Division, 17th Army Corps, to September, 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 17th Army Corps, to December, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 15th Army Corps, to April, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 15th Army Corps, to July, 1865. (Non-Veterans attached to 93rd Illinois Infantry November-December, 1864. Veterans attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Provisional Division, Dept. of the Cumberland, December, 1864, to February, 1865. District of New Berne, N. C., Dept. of North Carolina, to April, 1865.)
Battles:
Battle of Shiloh
Second Battle of Corinth
Vicksburg Campaign
Battle of Port Gibson
Battle of Champion Hill
Siege of Vicksburg
Atlanta Campaign
Battle of Allatoona Pass
Sherman's March to the Sea
Carolinas Campaign
Battle of Bentonville
Bennett House Surrender
Service:
Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., April 6-7, 1862. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Duty at Corinth until July 18. Moved to Bolivar, Tenn., July 18, and duty there until August 16. Return to Corinth, Miss., August 16. March to Iuka, Miss., September 7-19. Battle of Iuka September 19. Battle of Corinth October 3-4. Pursuit to Hatchie River July 5-12. Moved to Grand Junction November 2. Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign. Operations on the Mississippi Central Railroad November 2, 1862, to January 3, 1863. Moved to Moscow, Tenn., January 3; thence to Memphis, Tenn., January 10, and to Young's Point, La., January 17. Moved to Lake Providence, La., February 8, and duty there until April 20. Movement on Bruinsburg and turning Grand Gulf April 20-30. Battle of Port Gibson, Miss., May 1 (Reserve). Jackson May 14. Battle of Champion's Hill May 16. Siege of Vicksburg May 18-July 4. Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22. Guard and patrol duty at Vicksburg until September. Moved to Helena, Ark., September 11; thence to Memphis and Corinth and march to Chattanooga, Tenn., October 6-November 20. Operations on Memphis & Charleston Railroad in Alabama October 20-29. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Tunnel Hill November 24-25. Mission Ridge November 25. Pursuit to Graysville November 26-27. Duty at Bridgeport, Ala., until December 21, and at Huntsville, Ala., until May 1, 1864. At Whitesburg, Ala., until June 19. Moved to Stevenson, Ala., June 19-25; thence to Allatoona, Ga., July 1-6. and garrison duty there until August 22. March to Chattanooga, Tenn. (7 Cos.), August 22-25. (Cos. "E," "F" and "I" remained on duty at Allatoona.) March into East Tennessee in pursuit of Wheeler August 25-30. Moved to Cowan, Tenn., and guard Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad until September 19. Moved to Allatoona, Ga., September 19-22, and garrison duty there until November. Repulse of French's attack on Allatoona October 5. Veterans on furlough November-December. Non-Veterans attached to 93rd Illinois Infantry November, 1864, to April, 1865, participating in march to the sea November 15-December 10. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865. Battle of Bentonville, N. C., March 19-21. Veterans ordered to Nashville, Tenn., December 28, 1864. Moved to Baltimore, Md., thence to Beaufort, N. C., January 5-February 2, 1865, and to New Berne, N. C., February 8. Duty at New Berne until March 28. Moved to Goldsbore, N. C., and rejoin command. Advance on Raleigh April 10-14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to Washington, D.C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 19. Grand Review May 24. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June, and mustered out July 18, 1865.
Rosters:
The composite rosters of this unit contain the names of 2213 men.
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.
Historical Sketch: