The 18th Louisiana Regiment, which was temporarily organized at Camp Moore with eight companies, completed its full organization in December, 1861, at Camp Benjamin, on Gentilly road, near New Orleans, by the addition of Company I, the third company of the Orleans Cadets (the first having gone out with Captain Chas. D. Dreux; the second being in the 5th Louisiana, also in Virginia) had been in service in the State since the 19th of June, and took rank as the first or right company; and Company K was newly formed from the parish of St. Landry. Being brigaded with the Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth, under command of Brig.-Gen. Daniel E. Ruggles, the regiment left New Orleans about the 17th of February, 1862, for Corinth, Miss. organized as follows:

Colonel. Alfred Mouton.
Lieutenant-Colonel. Alfred Roman.
Major. Louis Bush.
Company A--Captain Druilhet, St. James Rifles.
Company B--Captain Hugh L. Garland, of St. Landry.
Company C--Captain Wood, Nachitoches Rebels.
Company D--Captain Hayes, of St. Mary.
Company E--Captain Mire, Chasseurs of St. James.
Company F--Captain Wm. Mouton, of Lafayette.
Company G--Captain J. K. Gourdain, Lafourche Creoles.
Company H--Captain Henry Huntington, of Orleans.
Company I--Captain Joseph Collins, Orleans Cadets.
Company K--Captain Lastrapes, of St. Landry.

At Corinth, the regiment was ordered to the Tennessee River; and at Pittsburg Landing drove off two of the enemy’s gunboats, the Tyler and Lexington, unsupported by any artillery. In this first engagement the loss of the regiment was nine killed and twenty-two wounded; while that of the gunboats was seventy killed. The regiment bivouacked that night in and around the little log church which afterwards gave its name to the battle of “Shiloh”.

It took part in the battle of Shiloh, in Pond’s Brigade, Ruggles’ Division; and lost killed and wounded, two hundred and eighteen, or almost half the number of men in line-Colonel Mouton himself being wounded in the face. Remained in Corinth, taking part in all the engagements of the siege, until the evacuation. It was then ordered to Tupelo.

Colonel Mouton having been appointed Brigadier-General after the battle of Shiloh, Lieut.-Colonel Roman having been appointed on the staff of General Beauregard, and Major Bush having returned to Louisiana to organize a regiment of cavalry, and the reorganization of the twelve-month’s troops having taken place, the regiment began its second year’s service, with the following named officers:

Colonel. Leopold L. Armant of St. James.
Lieutenant-Colonel. Joseph Collins, of Orleans.
Major. William Mouton, of Lafayette.
Company A--Captain William Sanchez.
Company B--Captain
Company C--Captain Cloutier.
Company D--Captain Ben S. Story.
Company E--Captain Alexander S. Poché.
Company F--Captain A. Pope Bailey.
Company G--Captain J. K. Gourdain.
Company H--Captain Paul B. Leeds.
Company I--Captain John T. Lavery.
Company K--Captain James Hayes.

It was ordered to Pollard, Ala., where it remained, with the 19th Louisiana and 29th Alabama, under command of Colonel Tatnall, of the latter regiment, until about the 1st of October, 1862; when it was ordered to the Trans-Mississippi Department, reporting to Brig.-General Mouton at New Iberia. Soon afterwards it marched to Berwick’s Bay; and, on the 26th of October, at Labadieville, about fourteen miles from Thibodeaux, the 18th Regiment, the Crescent Regiment, and Ralston’s Battery,* under command of Colonel Armant, with less than five hundred men and four pieces, fought the brigade of General Weitzel, which had come out of New Orleans. Colonel Armant succeeded in holding the enemy in check for several hours; he only fell back when his canister and case shot had given out. The last shot fired by the last piece in action was a round shot, while the enemy were only a few yards distant. Our loss in this affair was heavy, several having been taken prisoners; among others were Captain Ben Story, of the Eighteenth, and Captain Ralston, of the artillery. Colonel McPheeters, of the Crescent was killed; Lieut.-Col. Collins, of the Eighteenth, wounded. The enemy’s loss was greater than the numbers opposed to him. Returning to the Bayou Teche, the regiment was largely recruited from the Camp of Instruction, near New Iberia.

It took part in the affair of the 14th of January, 1863, when the enemy came up the Teche above Pattersonville.

In April, 1863, Banks having advanced from Berwick’s Bay, by land, with a large force (estimated at 18,000), and sent 12,000 in transports up Grand Lake to take our troops in the rear, the Eighteenth, holding, with the Crescent Regiment and Faries’ (Pelican) Battery, the extreme left of the line, fought him for two days from behind hastily thrown up breastworks, until compelled to fall back, to prevent being cut off by the troops who had gone up the lake in transports and landed at Mrs. Porter’s place, near Franklin.

At this battle--known as “Bisland,” from the name of the owner of the place upon which our lines were made--the entire Confederate force consisted of about 5,000 of all arms: and the estimated loss of the enemy was over 4,000 in killed and wounded. Retreating as far as Nachitoches, the regiment returned, and was present at the recapture of Brashear City, with all Banks’ commissary, quartermasters’ and ordnance stores, and heavy baggage, which had been left to facilitate the pursuit of our little army.

In August, the regiment camped in the vicinity of Vermillionville, the brigade consisting of the 18th Louisiana (Mouton’s) Colonel Armant; **28th Louisiana, Colonel Henry Grey; Crescent Regiment, Colonel A. W. Bossworth; Yellow Jacket Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Fournet; Beard’s Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Beard; Clack’s Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Clack.

In September, the brigade, with Waller’s Battalion (Texas Cavalry), crossed the Atchafalaya at Morgan’s Ferry, and captured about 400 prisoners at Bayou Fordoche, the enemy retreating to the cover of his gunboats at Morganza.

In October, the 18th Regiment was consolidated with the Yellow Jacket Battalion, and was afterwards known as the Consolidated Eighteenth Regiment, and was officered by Col. L. L. Armant, Lieut.-Colonel Joseph Collins, and Major Paul B. Leeds (afterwards of the staff of General E. Kirby Smith). During the winter, the brigade, under the command of Colonel Henry Grey, marched to the Arkansas line on Bayou Bartholomew, returning, in February, 1864, to Pineville, opposite Alexandria, on Red River.

On the 8th of April, the army having fallen back to Mansfield before Banks’ advancing force, halted and gave him battle. Mouton’s Division, consisting of his brigade and Polignac’s Texas brigade, on the left of the line, made the decisive charge of the day. Mouton’s brigade was composed of the 18th Louisiana, 28th Louisiana and Crescent Consolidated Regiment, Col. Beard. The loss of the Regiment, in this battle was 96 killed and wounded. General Mouton, its first Colonel, was killed, and also its Colonel, Leopold L. Armant, who fell while gallantly leading the charge; Colonel Beard, of the Crescent, Lieutenant Colonels Walker, of the twenty-eight and Clack, of the Crescent, and Major Caufield, of the Crescent, were killed, and the brigade was left in command of Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Collins, of the Eighteenth, who had his horse shot from under him--Captain Wm. C. C. Claiborne, commanding the Crescent Regiment. These two regiments continued the pursuit of the enemy, and held the left of the line against the fresh army corps brought up. Marched next day to Pleasant Hill, about twenty miles, and got into the fight about sundown.

The following description of Bank’s advance and defeat, is extracted from Mrs. Dorsey’s “Recollection of Henry Watkins Allen:”

“In the month of March, 1864, General Banks made his famous raid up the valley of the Red River. General Taylor, stationed at Alexandria, had been advised in February, by secret information sent him from New Orleans, of the probable Federal plan of attack, by one division under A. J. Smith, from Vicksburg, and General Banks from New Orleans, who was to march up through the Teche country. Taylor immediately notified General Kirby Smith of his suspicions of this attack, and Smith began to concentrate his troops to meet the attack, if so made.

“Smith’s department was very large, and so desolated in Arkansas and Louisiana, that in order to subsist the troops, it was necessary to scatter them; so the forces were scattered over Louisiana and Texas. Shreveport and its vicinity was the central point in this widely-scattered circle of troops. Upon the reception of Taylor’s information, Smith began to draw in his forces.

“General A. J. Smith came up the Red River, Banks advanced up the Teche. It was estimated by us that Banks had a force of forty thousand men, and a co-operating navy of sixty gunboats and transports, ‘and a legion of camp-followers and speculators,’ in his train. The Federals captured Fort DeRusay, an inferior earthwork below Alexandria, and then marched unchecked up the whole valley of the Red River, until they reached Mansfield, a small town between Shreveport and Natchitoches. Taylor had fallen back before the Federals, skirmishing every day, until he found himself here almost at the doors of Shreveport, within a day’s march of the Texas border.

>“Taylor resolved to make a stand, and sent a dispatch to Smith, at Shreveport, to that effect. Taylor had 9000 men at Mansfield. He selected his ground as well as he could, about a quarter of a mile from Mansfield. The country here is hilly, and heavily wooded.

“The line of battle was single. Mouton commanded his own brigade, with Polignac’s in the center. Majors, with his cavalry dismounted, formed the left wing. De Bray, with mounted cavalry, was posted on the extreme right. Churchill and Parsons, with Missouri and Arkansas troops, acted as reserves, stationed three miles in the rear. The public road, by which the Federals were advancing, ran over a very steep hill. They had posted one of their best batteries (Nims’),---the same battery that Allen had rushed upon, captured and lost, after being wounded at the battle of Baton Rouge,---upon the top of this high hill. Taylor rode along this line, and when he passed Polignac, he called out, “Little Frenchman, I am going to fight Banks here, if he has a million of men!” Taylor now ordered Mouton to advance until he engaged the enemy. Mouton led the charge of infantry. By agreement, all the Confederate officers retained their horses, which was one reason why so many of them were killed in this famous charge. Mouton charged down a hill, over a fence, through a ravine, then up a hill right in the teeth of the guns. The charge lasted twenty-five minutes. The men were moved forward at double-quick, exposed to a terrible fire all the time, especially whilst in the ravine, between the woods and the hill, upon which the Federal batteries were stationed. The exposure to grape and canister were dreadful; many Confederates fell here. The men were nearly breathless when they struggled up the ravine. Mouton commanded them to throw themselves prostrate a moment, to recover breath. Then they sprang up, and rushed on to the attack. The officers fell fast. Armand, at the head of his Creoles, had his horse killed, and received a shot in the arm. Starting to his feet, after disengaging himself from his dying steed, he ran on by the side of his men, waving his sword in the other unwounded hand. Again a shot struck him--he fell--a wound through both thighs. He raised himself again, on his wounded arm, and, half-reclining, with the life-blood pouring in torrents, he still waved his sword, and cheered on his Louisianians. They responded with a cry of vengeance. Another shot struck Armand in the breast,--their gleaming sword dropped from the cold hand. Armand lay dead. The Eighteenth Louisiana rushed on. Polignac led his troops gallantly. Mouton was always in the front. The guns were taken after a desperate struggle. The Federals broke and fled. Mouton pursued; he passed a group of thirty-five Federal soldiers; they threw down their arms in token surrender. Mouton turned, lifting his hand to stay the firing Confederates upon this group of prisoners: as he did so, five of the Federals stooped down, picked up their guns, aimed them at the generous Confederate: in a moment, five balls pierced the noble, magnanimous breast; Mouton dropped from his saddle dead, without a word or a sigh. The Confederates who witnessed this cowardly deed, gave a yell of vengeful indignation, and before their officers could check them, the thirty five Federals lay dead around Mouton. The chase of the Federals was continued a mile and a half by this division, then the reserves under Walker and Churchill book up the hunt, and drove back the enemy to Pleasant Hill. Half way between Pleasant Hill and Mansfield, there was a creek of pure water, for which there was a heavy fight. It ended in the Confederates retaining possession of the water, on who's margin they bivouacked that night,--Major General N. P. Banks’ assertion to the contrary notwithstanding. Mouton had (2,200) twenty-two hundred men in this charge; he lost seven hundred and sixty-two. Five officers were killed, amongst them Taylor, of the Seventeenth Texas, a much-beloved officer. It was the musket-fire from the enemy on the left of the ravine, and the grape and canister in it, that killed most of Mouton’s men. Mouton said to Polignac, previous to the attack, “Let us charge them right in the face, and throw them into the valley.’

“The Battle of Mansfield was fought on the 8th of April. It was a day of fasting and prayer, specially ordered by General Smith, and spent by most of us, ignorant of the contest that was transpiring, on our knees before our alters. Taylor now pressed his success. He had captured an immense wagon-train--two hundred and ninety-five wagons, filled with most valuable stores; had taken Nim’s Battery of six guns, which Allen had such cause to remember; had also captured twenty two guns on the road. The ‘Great Army’ fled in wild confusion. At Pleasant Hill the Federals were re-enforced. Taylor engaged them again, with Walker and Churchill’s Divisions. The fight was heavy; and night fell on ‘a drawn battle;’ but the Federals retreated under cover of darkness, and Taylor camped on the battle-ground. That night General E. Kirby Smith joined him.”

Colonel Gray, having been promoted, assumed command of the brigade as Brigadier-General. It was then composed of the Eighteenth, Colonel Collins, Twenty-eighth, Colonel Thomas Pool, and Crescent Regiment, Captain Claiborne commanding. It continued operations around Alexandria while the enemy was shut up therein, building a dam on the falls, to let his fleet out; following his to his crossing on the Atchafalaya, at Simmsport, and giving him the last fight at Yellow Bayou. In this affair, the Eighteenth was on the extreme right, (Captain Wm. Sanchez, commanding,) and with the Thirty-second Texas, Colonel Wood, turned the enemy’s left. While on the extreme left, between the road and the bayou, a gallant little company, Captain William’s engineer troops, composed of old soldiers of the Eighteenth, Crescent and Twenty-eight, with a vigorous fire, checked his advance up the road.

In the Fall it marched to Camden, Arkansas: back to Minden, La., and in February camped on Bayou Cotile, near Alexandria. During the stay at Camden Brigadier General Henry Gray was elected to the Confederate Congress, and Colonel Joseph Collins, who had been recommended for promotion, assumed command of the Brigade, until the return of Col. A. W. Bosworth’s Crescent Regiment.

A new organization of Brigades was about to be effected. Collins Brigade to consist of the Eighteenth, Twenty-eight and Eighth Louisiana Dismounted Cavalry, Colonel Ben W. Clark, of West Baton Rouge, when the news of Lee’s surrender closed the history of the war, and the Consolidated Eighteenth Louisiana Regiment surrendered at Natchitoches, on the 9th of June, 1865, being probably the last organized troops of the Confederacy who laid down their arms.

Colonel Joseph Collins was twice wounded, at Shiloh and Texana. Major J. Kleber Gourdain, who was wounded at Shiloh, was killed at New Orleans on the 14th of September, 1874. Captain Wm. Sanchez, who went out as Sergeant-Major of the regiment, commanded it in the last engagement, as its senior Captain.

Among the other officers, who surrendered, were Captains Alexander Poche’, Ben. S. Story, H. N. Jenkins, (with thirteen of the original members of his company, the Orleans Cadets,) C. M. Shepherd, of St. James, L. Becnel, of St. John the Baptiste, A. Castille, of St. Martin; Lieutenants Octave Jacob, Septime Webre (who left his right arm at Mansfield,) V. S. Bourque, of St. Landry, (who lost a leg in a gunboat skirmish on Red River, near the mouth of Cane River, with a detachment of the regiment then supporting Cornay’s Battery,) the St. Mary Cannoneers, (in which the gallant Cornay himself was killed) ; Alfred St. Martin, (who succeeded Sanchez as Sergant-Major until appointed a lieutenant--a soldier who had never been off duty for a single day during the war) ; Sheldon W. Clark, Charles L. Cobb and Charles E. Cautzon, of the Orleans Cadets, Thomas Bellow, of St. James, L. C. Villere, of Orleans.

Among the officers killed at Shiloh were Captains Henry Huntington, Wood, of Natchitoches, and Lastrapes, of St. Landry. Lieutenant John M. Young, of the Orleans Cadets, was wounded and taken prisoner; Lieutenant Gautreaux, of Lafourche, was wounded and died at home of his wounds. Lieutenant Dudley Avery was severely wounded.

Captain John T. Lavery, of the Orleans Cadets, was wounded at Mansfield and died a few days after. ⁴

* A much larger quantity of the artillery used in the Confederate Army, than is generally supposed, was made in New Orleans, in hastily constructed works. Edmund M. Ivens, a manufacturer of this city, claims to have made sixty pieces, with gun carriages, battery wagons and everything attached to them except the horses. The metal for the guns was obtained by recasting the bells from the churches, plantations and other sources. Dr. Palmer’s church contributed one, and more than a hundred were obtained form all sources. These guns were hurried forward as soon as made, and some of them did service in the battle of Belmont a few days after their manufacture.

**Major Wilber Blackmau was Adjt.-General of this command, and acquired enough military glory to be several times elected to the House and Senate of this State. He was a prominent candidate for the office of Governor in 1872, though a young man. Since that time he has devoted himself to the practice of law in Alexandria.

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