18th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry

18th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
Active	August 1861 – September 1864
Country	United States of America
Allegiance	Union
Branch	United States Army
Type	Infantry
Part of	In 1863: 1st Brigade (Tilton's), 1st Division (Barnes's), V Corps, Army of the Potomac
Commanders
Notable commanders	Col. James Barnes
Insignia
V Corps badge

The 18th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was a Union regiment that fought in the American Civil War. It was formed, primarily, with men of the Bristol, Norfolk and Plymouth counties of Massachusetts with a 3-year enlistment period. The regiment originally consisted of 10 companies, band and regimental staff.

The regiment was established in August 1861 and fought as part of the Army of the Potomac, taking part in most of the major battles of the Peninsula - until it disbanded in September 1864. Men, who reenlisted or still had time left on their enlistment, were transferred to the 32nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.

The 18th Massachusetts Volunteers Infantry was mustered into active service on 24 August 1861. Two days later, under instruction from then Governor John A. Andrew, the Regiment was ordered to the Seat of War at Washington.

Going by way of New York, Baltimore and Harrisburg, the Eighteenth reached Washington 30 August, and next day reported to Colonel E.D. Baker, going into camp about a mile to the west of the Capitol, the location being called Camp Massachusetts. The regiment was ordered on the 3d of September to cross the river and report to General Fitz John Porter, commanding a division, by whom it was assigned to General Martindale’s Brigade, its fellow regiments being the Second Maine, Thirteenth and Forty-first New York. The regimental camp was located near Fort Corcoran, on ground recently occupied by the Sixty-ninth New York, and the Eighteenth began to see actual service in fatigue duty and on picket. The division was moved to the front on the 26th and went into camp near Hall’s Hill, then the outpost of the Union army. This position was occupied during the winter, the regiment giving much attention to drill and discipline, so that at a review held at Bailey’s Cross Roads it was especially complimented for excellence by the commander in chief, and as a mark of appreciation received new uniform and camp equipage imported from France and modeled on that of the French chasseurs a pied. Before the opening of the spring campaign some changes were made in Martindale’s Brigade, the Forty-first New York giving place to the Twenty-second Massachusetts and Twenty-fifth New York Regiments, while the Second Company of Massachusetts Sharpshooters was attached to the brigade, which was known as the First Brigade, Porter’s Dvision, Third (Heintelman’s) Corps.

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