The Eighteenth U.S. Infantry During the Civil War
XXX Military History Institute
By direction of the President of the United States, of date May 4, 1861, subsequently confirmed by Act of Congress, July 29,1861, the infantry arm of the Regular Army was increased nine regiments, numbering from the eleventh to the nineteenth, inclusive; the new regiments to be organized into three battalions each, each battalion to consist of eight companies, the companies of each battalion to be lettered from A to H inclusive.
The organization of the 18th Infantry was begun in compliance with G.O. 16, A. G. O., May 4, 1861, and G. O. 48, A. G. O., July 21, 1861.
Henry B. Carrington, a native of Connecticut, and at this time (1861) a citizen of Ohio, was appointed colonel of the regiment; Captain Oliver L. Shepherd, 3d U. S. Infantry, a graduate of the Military Academy of 1840, and a veteran of the Mexican War, was appointed lieutenant-colonel; Capt. Edmund Underwood, 4th U. S. Infantry, a native of Pennsylvania, whose original date of entry into service was March 3, 1848, was appointed major; and Frederick Townsend, a citizen of New York, was appointed major. All of these field officers dated from May 14, 1861.
The headquarters of the regiment were stationed in Columbus, Ohio, and recruiting commenced on the 1st day of July, 1861. A camp was established, August 10, 1861, about four miles north of Columbus, called, in honor of the Adjutant-General of the Army, Camp Thomas. The organization of companies was commenced in August, and the necessary captains and lieutenants were appointed and ordered to the rendezvous. As was the case in all of the new regiments thus added to the service, nearly all of these gentlemen were from civil life and entered the military service from a variety of unwarlike professions.
On the 30th of November five companies (A. B, C, D, F) of the 1st Battalion, six (A, B, C, D, E, F) of the 2d Battalion, and one (D) of the 3d Battalion, were organized and...