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18th Massachusetts Infantry

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Muster In: August 27, 18611
Muster Out: Old members left front July 20 and mustered out September 2, 1864. Veterans and Recruits consolidated to a Battalion. Consolidated with 32nd Massachusetts Infantry October 21, 1864.2

Commander(s):
Major Thomas Weston
ThomasWeston18thMA3

Captain Luther S. Bent
LutherSBent18thMA4

Commander 3
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Third Brigade | First Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army5,6

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Third Brigade | First Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army8,9

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Third Brigade | First Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army12,13

  • Commander: Captain Luther S. Bent (July 31, 1864)14
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Old members left front July 20 and mustered out September 2, 1864.  Veterans and Recruits consolidated to a Battalion.15

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Third Brigade | First Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army16,17

  • Commander: Captain Luther S. Bent (August 31, 1864)18
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Old members left front July 20 and mustered out September 2, 1864.  Veterans and Recruits consolidated to a Battalion.19

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Third Brigade | First Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army20,21

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The 18th Massachusetts had two (2) companies at this time.22
  • Note: Old members left front July 20 and mustered out September 2, 1864.  Veterans and Recruits consolidated to a Battalion.23

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Third Brigade | First Division | V Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army (up until consolidation with 32nd Massachusetts on October 21, 1864?)24

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Consolidated with 32nd Massachusetts Infantry October 21, 1864.25

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer an independent command.26

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer an independent command.27

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer an independent command.28

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles29:

  • Before Petersburg June 16-18.
  • Siege of Petersburg June 16 to October 21.
  • Weldon Railroad June 21-23.
  • Old members left front July 20 and mustered out September 2, 1864.
  • Veterans and Recruits consolidated to a Battalion.
  • Poplar Springs’ Church, Peeble’s Farm, September 30-October 2.
  • Consolidated with 32nd Massachusetts Infantry October 21, 1864.

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    2. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    3. Thomas Weston image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 96, Page 4768.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA.
    4. Luther S. Bent image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 96, Page 4768L.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA.
    5. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 223
    6. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 545
    7. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 18th Massachusetts Entry, Page 84; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
    8. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 223
    9. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 545
    10. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 545
    11. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 18th Massachusetts Entry, Page 84; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
    12. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 255
    13. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 732
    14. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 732
    15. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    16. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 615: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864”
    17. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 123: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)”
    18. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 615: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864”
    19. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    20. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1300.
    21. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 139: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)”
    22. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 139: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)”
    23. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    24. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3): “1st Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, to October, 1864.”
    25. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    26. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    27. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    28. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    29. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    { 2 comments… add one }
    • Steve McManus August 8, 2012, 2:46 pm

      TOm Churchill, Donald Thompson and I have been researching the 18th Mass for many years. Each of us had one or more ancestors in the regiment, so we have a personal connection to it. Our website is www18thmass.com. We certainly have some material regarding the regiment from 1864, but, as you are aware, the 18th was mustered out in Sept 1864. The remaining men were transferred to the 32nd Mass and were with that unit through the rest of the war. Steve

    • bschulte August 10, 2012, 10:08 am

      Steve,

      Thank you for yor comment. I’m away on a business trip right now, but I’ll be contacting you when I return to see if we might come to some mutually beneficial arrangement regarding your materials. Typically I will link back to your site on every post where I use your material, and I’ll also include an official link to your site on this page if you provide any material whatsoever.

      Brett

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