LaTeX "\indent" creating paragraph indentation / tabbing package requirement?

Question

The LaTeX code provided below shows the usage of the command "\indent" as it appears in the document, but it does not produce the desired indentation within the document. Is there a specific package associated with the command "\indent" or "\="? I am asking for a step by step method of producing an indentation within a document for only one paragraph, regardless of location within the document.

---

\documentclass[12pt]{article}

\usepackage{graphicx}
\topmargin -3.5cm
\oddsidemargin -0.04cm
\evensidemargin -0.04cm
\textwidth 16.59cm

\textheight 21.94cm

\parskip 7.2pt
\parindent 8pt
\title{Physics}

\author{Pareshkumar Brahmbhatt}

\date{March 17, 2010}

\begin{document}
\maketitle

\indent Now we are engaged in a great civil war.

\end{document}

---

Answer 1

The first line of a paragraph is indented by default, thus whether or not you have \indent there won't make a difference. \indent and \noindent can be used to override default behavior. You can see this by replacing your line with the following:

Now we are engaged in a great civil war.\\
\indent this is indented\\
this isn't indented


\noindent override default indentation (not indented)\\
asdf 

Answer 2

LaTeX will usually not indent the first paragraph of a section. This is standard typographical practice. However, if you really want to override this default setting, use the package indentfirst available on CRAN.