8th United States Infantry

Regimental History and Service Record

• In Texas January, 1861. Forced to surrender while en route north
  • April 25, 1861 - Surrender at Saluria, Texas (2 Companies)
  • May 9, 1861 - Surrender at San Lucas Spring, Texas
  • "C" at San Antonio April 22
  • "A" and "D" at Indianola April 24
  • Companies "B," "E," "F," "H," "I" and "K" at San Lucas Springs May 9, 1861
  • Company G attached to Department of Northeastern Virginia / 2nd Division (Hunter) / 1st Brigade (Porter), Brigaded with:
  • 8th New York State Militia Infantry
  • 14th New York Infantry
  • 84th New York Infantry
  • 27th New York Infantry
  • 2nd United States Infantry
  • 3rd United States Infantry
  • 1st United States Cavalry
  • 3rd United States Cavalry

• July 16-21, 1861 - The Manassas Campaign
  • July 21, 1861 - Battle of Bull Run, Virginia
  • Company "F" reached Washington, D.C., July, 1861
    • Companies "F" and "G" attached to Porter's City Guard, Washington, D.C., to March, 1862
• Provost Guard, Headquarters, Army Potomac, to July, 1863 (Cos. "A," "B," "D," "F," "G")
• Dept. of the East to April, 1864
• Provost Guard, 9th Army Corps, Army Potomac, to October, 1864
• 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps, to November, 1864
• Baltimore, Md., 8th Army Corps, Middle Department, to August, 1865.

SERVICE.--Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C., until March, 1862.

• Moved to Virginia Peninsula.
• March 17-September 2, 1862 - The Peninsula Campaign
  • April 5-May 4, 1862 - Siege of Yorktown, Virginia
  • Expedition up the Pamunkey May 17.
  • June 25-July 1, 1862 - The Seven Days Battles before Richmond, Virginia
    • June 26, 1862 - Engagement at Beaver Dam Creek, Virginia
    • June 27, 1862 - Engagement at Gaines's Mill, Virginia
    • June 30, 1862 - Engagement at Turkey Bridge, Virginia
    • July 1, 1862 - Engagement at Malvern Hill, Virginia

Movement to Alexandria August 16-23. Battle of Antietam September 16-17. (Co. "B" joined at Sharpsburg October 3, 1862.) At Sharpsburg, Md., until October 29. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 29-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15.

• April 27-May 6, 1863 - The Chancellorsville Campaign (Co. "C" joined at Falmouth, Va., April 18, 1863.)
  • May 1-5, 1863 - Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia
• June 11-August 1, 1863 - The Gettysburg Campaign
  • July 1-3, 1863 - Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Ordered to New York July 15. At City Hall Park, New York July 17-30, and on the Battery, New York, until August 22. At Forts in N.Y. Harbor until April 23, 1864. Moved to Washington, D.C., April 23.

• May 4-June 12, 1864 - The Overland Campaign
  • May 5-7, 1864 - Battle of the Wilderness, Virginia
  • May 8-21, 1864 - Battles of Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia
    • May 12, 1864 - Assault on the Salient at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia
  • May 22-26, 1864 - Operations on Line of the North Anna River, Virginia
  • May 28-31, 1864 - Operations on Line of the Totopotomoy River, Virginia
  • June 1-12, 1864 - Battles of Cold Harbor, Virginia
    • June 1-3, 1864 - Battle of Bethesda Church, Virginia

Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16-November 2. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28. Moved to Buffalo, N.Y., November 2, thence to Baltimore, Md., November 22, and duty there until August, 1865.

Companies "C" and "D" reached Washington, D.C., April, 1862. Attached to Defenses of Washington, to May, 1862. Cooper's 1st Brigade, Sigel's Division, Dept. of the Shenandoah, to June, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Corps, Army of Virginia, to September, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 12th Army Corps, Army Potomac, September, 1862. Joined other Companies at Headquarters Army Potomac. Moved to Harper's Ferry, W. Va., May 24, 1862. Defense of Harper's Ferry May 24-30. Operations in the Shenandoah Valley until August. Battle of Cedar Mountain August 9. Pope's Virginia Campaign August 16-September 2. Fords of the Rappahannock August 20-23. Sulphur Springs August 26. Plains of Manassas August 27-29. Battle of Bull Run August 30. Battle of Antietam, Md., September 16-17.

Regimental Roster

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Regiment Statistical Information

• Regiment lost during service 1 Officer and 15 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 4 Officers and 47 Enlisted men by disease. Total 67.

Legacy

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Sources

• Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. The Dyer Publishing Company (Des Moine, 1908). (Pages 271, 828, 880, 895, 897, 902, 903, 904, 905, 916, 933, 934, 936, 940, 941, 1711-1712)