Draw the Sword

Location: The Loop

Order of Battle: 5th Corps, 1st Division, 1st Brigade

Number Engaged: 281; 1 killed, 23 wounded, 3 missing

Commander: Col. Joseph Hayes (1835-1912)

Raised: Bristol, Norfolk, and Plymouth counties.

Monument Specifications: Monument with apex cap stands on a tiered, rough-hewn base. Reliefs of the Corps insignia, the Maltese Cross, are affixed to the narrow faces which separate the four sides of the die. Four stacked muskets, standing upright, adorn the rear face of the die.

Dedication Date: Oct. 8, 1885.

Sculptor/Artist/Company: Smith Granite Company, fabricator.

Main Inscription: 18TH/MASS. VOLS./FIRST BRIG/FIRST DIV./5TH CORPS./”LET US HAVE PEACE”

Other Monuments and Memorials: None.

Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:

Organized at Readville and Boston and mustered in August 27, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., August 28. Attached to Fort Corcoran, Defenses of Washington, to October, 1861. Martindale’s Brigade, Porter’s Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, to October, 1864.

SERVICE.–Duty at Fort Corcoran, Defenses of Washington, D.C., until September 26, 1861, and at Hall’s Hill, Va., until March 10, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-16, 1862. Moved to Alexandria, thence to Fortress Monroe March 16-23. Reconnaissance to Great Bethel March 27. Warwick Road April 5. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Battle of Hanover Court House May 27. Operations about Hanover Court House May 27-29. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Operations about White House Landing June 26-July 2. At Harrison’s Landing until August 15. Retreat from the Peninsula and movement to Centreville August 15-28. Battle of Bull Run August 30. Battle of Antietam, Md., September 16-17. Shepherdstown Ford September 19. Shepherdstown, W. Va., September 20. At Sharpsburg until October 30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. Expedition to Richards and Ellis Fords December 29-30. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. Duty at Falmouth until April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa,) Campaign June 11-July 24. Ashby’s Gap June 21. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Williamsport, Md., July 14. At Warrenton and Beverly Ford July 27 to September 17, and at Culpeper until October 11. Bristoe Campaign October 11-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. At and near Brandy Station and Stevensburg until May, 1864. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May-June. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Jericho Ford May 23. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16 to October 21. Weldon Railroad June 21-23. Old members left front July 20 and mustered out September 2, 1864. Veterans and Recruits consolidated to a Battalion. Poplar Springs’ Church, Peeble’s Farm, September 30-October 2. Consolidated with 32nd Massachusetts Infantry October 21, 1864. Regiment lost during service 9 Officers and 114 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 127 Enlisted men by disease. Total 252.