18th Indiana Battery Marker - Chickamauga National Battlefield - American Civil War Monuments and Memorials on Waymarking.com

This marker to the 18th Independent Battery Indiana Light Artillery is in recognition of their service during the Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863. The 18th Indiana Independent Battery mustered in Indianapolis where it was drilled during 1861. In 1862 the 18th was deployed to join the Lightning Brigade commanded by Col. John T. Wilder. This is one of seven markers dedicated to the 18th Indiana Battery on the battlefield.

The "Wilder's" First brigade was comprised of:
  The 92d Illinois, Smith D. Atkins (detached at Chattanooga)
  98th Illinois, Col. John J. Funkhouser & Lieut. Col. Edward Kitchell.
  123d Illinois, Col. James Monroe.
  17th Indiana, Maj. William T. Jones.
  72d Indiana, Col. Abram O. Miller.
  Indiana Light, 18th Battery (1st Brigade), Capt. Eli Lilly. (division artillery)






Text on the front of the marker:

Indiana
Eighteenth Battery (Lilly)
First Brigade (Wilder)
Fourth Division (Reynolds)
Fourteenth Corps (Thomas)
Sunday, September 20th, 1863, 12 M.

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An interruptive marker located nearby gives the following account of the action:

Wilder´s defense
Col. Wilder´s lightning brigade resisted the Confederate tide

When the Confederates broke the Union line at the Brotherton Farm on September 20, Union units here on the southern part of the battlefield were swept away like flakes of foam on a River. The Federals were simply overwhelmed and were forced to flee.

The union mounted infantry brigade of Col. John T. Wilder witness to that disaster. Armed with deadly seven shots Spencer repeating rifles Wilder´s men counterattacked on foot, driving Manigault´s Confederate brigade backward toward the Lafayette Road.

Soon Wilder realized his brigade was isolated, and withdrew to this hill which he defended against repeated Confederate assaults. Wilder then fell back to the northwest to guard the retreating columns and wagon trains of the routed Union right.

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From the NRHP nomination form:

	Structure Number:	MT-757
	LCS ID:	008816

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Historical Significance:

	National Register Status:	Entered - Documented
	National Register Date:	07/25/1986
	National Historic Landmark?:	No
	Significance Level:	Contributing
	Short Significance Description:	The marker contributes to the national significance of the park under NR Criterion A because it represents the national movement among veterans to commemorate Civil War battlefields. This was the first U.S. national military park.

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Short Physical Description

This standard Indiana marker consists of a 4' x 4' x 4'8" high rock-faced oolitic stone block with a peaked top and a 12" x 18" bronze plaque affixed to its front. Marks battery's position near Widow Glenn house site.

Material(s)

Structural Component(s) Material(s) 1.  Superstructure Bronze 2.  Superstructure Limestone 3.  Substructure Limestone

Construction Period:	Historic
Chronology:	Physical Event Begin Year Begin Year AD/BC End Year End Year AD/BC Designer Designer Occupation 1.  Built 1898 AD

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My Sources
1. NRHP
2. Wikipedia - Battle of Chickamauga
3. The Civil War Home - The Chickamauga Campaign - Union Order of Battle
4. Wikipedia - 18th Independent Battery Indiana Light Artillery
5. Historic Markers across Georgia - Wilder's defense

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Note
Trailhead Graphics, Inc. has produced a map of the Chickamauga Battlefield showing the locations of all of the monuments and the markers on the battlefield. Each location on the map has a number associated with it that cross-references to an index on the back of the map that has the name of the marker (called the Chick-Chatt NMP monument numbering system). This number corresponds to the structure Number listed on the NPS List of Classified Structures that is normally prefixed with the letters MT for the Chickamauga Battlefield.

Date Installed or Dedicated: 01/01/1898 Union, Confederate or Other Monument: Union Rating (1-5): Related Website: [Web Link] Photo or photos will be uploaded.: yes Name of Government Entity or Private Organization that built the monument: Not listed

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   03/02/2011 Lat34North visited it