The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-09
HISTORY OF THE loTH REGI. MENT OF ALABAMA voLUN-
 THEIR INFANTRY.

MENT OF ALABAMA voLUN-
 THEIR INFANTRY.
 tsy Capt. eeergs '. Brewer sf nont<sr.rv [, Gn the preparation of this sketch th. writer has had the very valuable assist ance ef Col. M. L. Woods for which The 18th Regiment of Alabama Volun. teer Infantry was organised at sIoach. apoka, Ala. May 10th. 1882. The form due dmon Q. tnis eommand was principally ire; iEse; prominent attorney. then resid- ins in Montgomery. Mir. Woods was at the time member ef the General As senbly from Montgorhery County, and wes widely known and deseryedly pop with Col. Tennent Lomax,s Reximent January 3. 1881, as a private in the Mont somery True Blues, and, subsequently,. had served for several months in 1sSl. as Assistant Commissary of Subsistence Alabama Volunteer Infantry. He tend cred his resignation of that ofiice the latter part of that year, with . view to organizing a regiment ef infantry. of of Co. c. 18th Alabama Infantry, then at Yorktown, Va, to be the Colonel. Mfr. Woods procured . leave of absence from tre War Department, pending the &C., CcptdnCe OI ms reSlRhdtlSn, ana went from Yorktown to Richmond. Va. There he awaited the passage of the act of the Confederate Congress "to amend an act to raise an additional military force to serve during the war" approved January z. 1882. This act authorized the Presi- dent to appoint and commission per- sens as field officers or captains te raise regiments, souadi cns, or companies" the individuals comprising the same "to be n.r: tered at the time of enrolment and hA fA n4 V ra q ,A - subsistence from the date ef the organ ization of compa nies. every officer 50 com s1issioned for such purpose to receive Sn appointment prorortioned te the fores he recruited"
 Mir. Woods was designated by the Wal Department as Major to raise a bat talon or regiment under this act, by an order of the War Department, ef which the following Is . copy
 Confederate States sf America.
 "War Department.
 Richmond. Feb 4. 1869. "Majer M. L. Woods, Montgomery, Ala., Present:
 "Sir-You are authorized te accept en- llstments of volunteers for three years. CT the war. to be organized into cnm- panies, and if the number of companies s' all be sufficient. into . Regiment. or . battalion (of not less than five com panies), electing their own offieers These enlistments will be binding from date of snr nrollments and volunteers will receive, when enlisted. transportation and sub slstence to the place. of rendezvous or muster. where they will be subsisted un- til regularly organized.
 You are further authorized te estap- fish a convenient camp of instruction, and to make acquisitions upon Quarter transportation, etc, until permanent ar rr---"'-rt can be rcsde.
 tSigned.) "Pesneetfullv.
 y. P. Benjamin,
 "Secretarv of War"
 Mator Weeds, unosr this authority. es. tablished a Camp of Instruction at Loachepoka, and advertised in tSs news papers for companies. The Confederate Government about this time called upon Alabama for twelve regiments of volun- teers and the Governor. February F. 1882, issued his proclamation calling for the regiments necessary to comply with the requisitlon. It was not the purpose ot Colanel Woods. originally. to tende. his Regiment to the Governor to sid ir filling the States quota, called for by the Confederate Government. The Ala banfa authorities. however. insisted that 1t was his duty to tender the regiment arose out of this situation, which caused delay in the formation of the Regiment Finally Major Woods yielded to the wish es of the State authorities, in order to then really near the point of accomp- lishment, and accordingly inserted the following advertisement in The Mont gomery Advertiser April 20. 1862:
 Three or four Go nLAuies wanted to f1l q Regiment for which arms and blankets have been secured. Under the authority from the Secretary of War, as heretofore advertised. I am now or sanizing my Regiment of Infantry for thYee years. or the war. at ISoachapoka Ala.
 Three or four companies are wanted to speedily consunmate an organization
 T have secured arms and blankets for the Regiment blank requisition forms having been sent to me by the Depart. Inent. to be properly authenticated and returned when the Regiment is fully organized, at which time the arms and blankets will be sent forwards and will bs furnished. Arrangements als' have been made for uniforms, knap- sacks, haversacks. canteers. etc.
 T have large tents of a superior qual' spiders. tin cups. tin plates spoons axes spades, etc. now at Loachapoka for the entire Regiment.
 T believe offer the best and speediest opportunity of getting into active service aii1 would be pleased to accent the ten der of three or four companies at once 20 the Regiment can go te the scene o'
 My Regiment will be accepted as on. of the twelve called for from the State
 Captains can report with their com. panias. at Loachapoka, without any com nunication. as I am ready to receive them. M. L. Woods.
 On the organization. May 20. 1862, Major Woods was chosen Colonel. it being i'm. possible for him to have his wish grat. iied by the election of Captain Kyle tc that office, but the latter was elected Lieutenant-Colonel.w who. at the time. was with his company i1 Virginia. Thert was not any election of & Major at this time
 There were really only nine eompanie, present at the organization. es one be- ing raised oy Capt. Thos. M. Sadler oi Autauga that was expected. failed to re- portIn the latter part of June, lSs2I|the company of Capt. Geo. F. Brewer, the writer of this sketch, which nad been on duty at Fort McReA, near Pensacola Fla, from March 1st. to the evacua- tion of Pensacola, sA the eth et May lsSs. joined the 18th at Chattanooga Tenn. under orders of Gov. Jonn Gil Shorter, of Alabama. thus eornpietins the full roster of companies. This beine the oldest company caused A change in the letters of the other companies by becoming Company A" It will appear on Hetieing the dates of the ether com. nanies two do net take the rank te which they are entitled by such dates Way, Is not now known.
 The following are the companies. with
 Company "A" Goose County Geo. F Brewer. Captain. mustered in at Mont -.