Organized June 11, 1861; Confederate service August 7, 1861; reorganized September 26, 1862; formed field consolidation with 26th Tennessee Infantry Regiment October, 1863; formed Company “I”, 4th Consolidated Tennessee Infantry Regiment April 9, 1865; paroled at Greensboro, North Carolina May 1, 1865.
FIELD OFFICERS
- Colonel-Joseph B. Palmer
- Lieutenant Colonels-A. G. Carden, William R. Butler.
- Majors-Samuel W. Davis, W. H. Joyner.
CAPTAINS
- Milton R. Rushing, John G. McCabe, Co. “A”. Men from Cannon County.
- W. H. Joyner, James W. Roscoe, Co. “B”. Men from Sumner and Davidson Counties.
- Joseph B. Palmer, William R. Butler, Richard L. Stephens, John W. Oslin, Co. “C”. Men from Rutherford County.
- H. J. St. John, M. E. St. John, Co. “D”. “St. John’s Guards.” Men from Cannon County.
- Gid H. Lowe, Co. “E”. “The Ashland City Guards.” Men from Cheatham County.
- Benjamin F. Webb, Co. “F”. Men from Rutherford and Bedford Counties.
- A. J. McWhirter, John Dick, Joseph B. Matthews, Co. “G”. Men from Davidson County.
- B. Grand Wood, Thomas G. Curlee, Co. “H”. Men from Rutherford and Cannon Counties.
- A. G. Carden, William L. Putman, Z. W. Williams, Co. “I”. Men from Wilson County.
- W. J. Grayson, William P. Bandy, Co. “K”. Men from Wilson County.
Of the field officers, Colonel Palmer was promoted to brigadier general November 15, 1864. Lieutenant Colonel Carden resigned, and Major Davis was not re-elected at the reorganization.
The companies from which this regiment was formed were organized in various Middle Tennessee counties during May 1861. They assembled at Camp Trousdale, where the regiment was organized, and where it was transferred to Confederate service.
A Field and Staff report from Lieutenant Colonel William R. Butler dated March 31, 1864 at Dalton, Georgia, gave the following information as to the history of the regiment up to that date: “This regiment was organized at Camp Trousdale June 11, 1861; sent to Bowling Green, Kentucky, September 1, under General Buckner; sent to Fort Donelson in February; participated in that fighting; captured February 16, 1862; in prison till September 16, 1862; exchanged at Vicksburg; reorganized at Jackson, Mississippi; sent to Murfreesboro; placed in Breckinridge’s Division and took active part in the engagement at Stone’s River, especially on Friday evening; was in the fight at Chickamauga in Division of Major General Stewart; lost 144 men killed and wounded; was not much injured in Battle of Missionary Ridge. We were then in Stevenson’s Division and are at present. Temporarily consolidated with 26th Tennessee, October 8, 1863.”
During this period the regiment was reported at Camp Trousdale in July, 1861 with 883 men armed with flintlock muskets. On September 28, 1861, under the command of Brigadier General Simon B. Buckner, it was reported in the brigade commanded by Colonel John C. Brown. along with the 3rd and 23rd Tennessee Regiments. At Fort Donelson, half of Baldwin’s Brigade was attached to Brown’s Brigade. The 18th reported 685 men.
This unit history was extracted from Tennesseans in the Civil War, Vol 1. Copyrighted 1964 by the Civil War Centennial Commission of Tennessee and is published here with their permission. This history may not be republished for any reason without the written permission of the copyright owner.