The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-11-20
THE 18TH IND.
A Regiment That Marched 5000 Miles in Its Four
Years of Service

To THE EDITOR: l have been reading THE
TRIBUNE for long time, and seeing nothing
in it about the 18th Ind, | Will give an outline
sketch Of what it did during the rebellion
The 18th was first organized in 1861 for one
year. 1t went to Washington, ID. c., and did
guard duty on the Potomac for the first year,
and was discharged in 1852. 1t was reorganized
and mustered into the u. S. service Aug s.
1862. for three years or during the war. We
were hurried to the front into Kentucky to
meet Gen. Kirby Smith. We met him at Rich
mond, KY Aug. 80, 1862, to our sorrow. We
went into the fight with near LOCO men, and
had 272 killed and wounded, and all the rest
except 60 captured. Lieut.. Edward S. Len
festy afterwards Captain) saved our flag by
tearing it off the staff and tying it around him
self While he was tying it a bullet cut his
cap rim Off We all went into Parole Camp al
Camp Morton, Indianapolis, until November
when we were exchanged. We then went to
Memphis, Tenn, and were attached to the
Army of the Tennessee. We participated in
the siege of Vicksburg and the capture OF
jackson, Miss
At later day we hurried with Gen. Sherman
to the relief of the beleaguered army at Chatta-
nOoga. The battle of Missionary Ridge was
fought and Gen. Bragg was routed, though
mother earth drank the blood of more than
100 of our regiment. We then took up the
line ofmarch for Knoxville, Tenn, and through
that long Midwinter march to Knoxville, which
took us II days to accomplish, we only received
one and half days rstions issued to us from
the Government. The rest we gathered off the
country. When We got back to Chattanooga
there were scores of the men barefoot We
went to scarborough, Ala, for our Winter
quarters; but little time did those who were
able to travel put in at Winter quarters for
we were out on the scout the most of the time.
May l, 1864, we broke camp aud started on
the Atlanta campaign. We opened the ball at
Resaca, being the first regiment engaged losing
So in killed and wounded. From this time
until the fall of Atlanta we were scarcely out
of reach of the enemy's fire. Our loss on this
campaign was 2iS in killed and wounded Our
division captured about 800 prisoners and
eight battietiags on this campaign.
After the fall of Atlanta Gen. Hood con-
cluded to play sharps on Gen. W. I. Sherman
and flank him out of Georgia. So we had to
follow him back to near Lookout Mountain,
when we left him to the mercy of Pap Thomas
and then we turned back for Atlanta and
down through Georgia to the seacoast. We
participated in the battle of Griswoldville and
at Savannah.
We went from Savannah, Ga, to Beaufort
s. c.. by ship, and from Beaufort we went
UP through South and North Carolina We
saw Columbia burned to ashes, and were in
the battle Of Bentonville, n. c., and at the
surrender of Joe Johnston at Raleigh. From
Raleigh we went TO Richmond, thence to
Washington. ID. c., from where we took the
train for indianapolis, and were mustered out
of the service June 90, 1865.
During the three years that we served we
marched upwards of 5000 miles with KNAPP.
sacks upon our backs aud muskets upon oul
shoulders We were in about 90 battles, be-
sides numerous skirmishes, and were in every
Southern State except Texas and Florida. Oui
regiment numbered 400 men in all We left
over 900 lying beneath the sod of the South
G. CHALMERS, Co. c, 18th Ind Lebo, Kan.