18th Infantry Regiment completed its organization in September, 1861, at Auburn, Alabama. The men were recruited in the counties of Coffee, Pike, Coosa, Butler, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Shelby, Talladega, and Covington. It was attached to the Department of Alabama and West Florida, then in March, 1862, moved to Tennessee. Assigned to J.K. Jackson's Brigade, the unit took an active part in the fight at Shiloh. Later it was ordered to Mobile and placed under the command of Generals Slaughter and Cumming. The 18th moved again in April, 1863, and attached to General Clayton's and Holtzclaw's Brigade fought with the Army of Tennessee from Chickamauga to Nashville. Returning to Mobile in January, 1865, it participated in the defense of Spanish Fort. The regiment totalled 858 men in January, 1861, but lost 20 killed and 80 wounded at Shiloh and fifty-six percent of the 527 engaged at Chickamauga. It sustained 209 casualties at Chattanooga and had a force of 275 effectives in November, 1864. The unit was included in the surrender of the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana. Its field officers were Colonels E.C. Bullock, James T. Holtzclaw, Eli S. Shorter, and James Strawbridge; Lieutenant Colonels Peter F. Hunley and R.F. Inge; and Majors William M. Moxley, Shep. Ruffin, and Bryan M. Thomas.
