The 8th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

that served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. The 8th Wisconsin's mascot was

Old Abe Old Abe (May 27, 1861 – March 26, 1881), a bald eagle, was the mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the American Civil War. Later, his image was adopted as the eagle appearing on a globe in Case Corporation's logo an ...

, a bald eagle that accompanied the regiment into battle.

Service

The 8th Wisconsin was raised at

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...

, and mustered into Federal service September 13, 1861. The regiment was mustered out on September 5, 1865, at

Demopolis, Alabama Demopolis is the largest city in Marengo County, in west-central Alabama. The population was 7,162 at the time of the 2020 United States census, down from 7,483 at the 2010 census. The city lies at the confluence of the Black Warrior River and T ...

Total enlistments and casualties

The 8th Wisconsin initially mustered 870 men and later recruited an additional 333 men, for a total of 1,203 men. The regiment lost 2 officers and 53 enlisted men killed in action or who later died of their wounds, plus another 2 officers and 219 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 280 fatalities.

Commanders

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

Robert C. Murphy * Colonel George W. Robbins * Colonel John W. Jefferson * Colonel William B. Britton

Battles

The 8th Wisconsin Infantry along with their mascot

The

War Eagle War Eagle is a battle cry, yell, or motto of Auburn University and supporters of Auburn University sports teams, especially the Auburn Tigers football team. War Eagle is a greeting or salutation among the Auburn Family (e.g., students, alumni, fa ...

attended numerous battles and lesser engagements during the war: * Fredericktown, Missouri - 21 October 1861 * New Madrid and * Island #10 - March & April 1862 Union General John Pope captures Point Pleasant, Missouri, and provokes Confederates to evacuate New Madrid. The Confederates abandon arms and provisions, valued at one million dollars, during their escape across the Mississippi River to the eastern bank and to Island No. 10.Cyrus F. Jenkins Civil War Diary, 1861–1862: Civil War Timeline: June 30, 1861–1862
/ref> * Point Pleasant, Missouri - 20 March 1862 *

Farmington Farmington may refer to: Places Canada *Farmington, British Columbia * Farmington, Nova Scotia (disambiguation) United States *Farmington, Arkansas *Farmington, California *Farmington, Connecticut *Farmington, Delaware * Farmington, Georgia * ...

, Mississippi. - 9 May 1862 *

Corinth Corinth ( ; el, Κόρινθος, Kórinthos, ) is the successor to an ancient city, and is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform, it has been part o ...

, Mississippi. - 28 May 1862 *Iuka, Mississippi. - 12 September 1862 * Burnsville, Mississippi. - 13 September 1862 * Iuka, Mississippi. - 16–18 September 1862 *

, Mississippi. - 3–4 October 1862 * Tallahatchie, Mississippi. - 2 December 1862 * Mississippi Springs, Mississippi. - 13 May 1863 *

Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Q ...

, Mississippi. - 14 May 1863 * Assault on Vicksburg, Mississippi. - 22 May 1863 * Mechanicsburg, Mississippi. - 4 June 1863 *

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

, Louisiana. - 15 June 1863 *

Vicksburg Vicksburg most commonly refers to: * Vicksburg, Mississippi, a city in western Mississippi, United States * The Vicksburg Campaign, an American Civil War campaign * The Siege of Vicksburg, an American Civil War battle Vicksburg is also the name of ...

, Mississippi. - 24 June 1863 *Surrender of

- 4 July 1863 * Brownsville, Mississippi. - 14 October 1863 *

Meridian campaign The Meridian campaign or Meridian expedition took place from February 3 – March 6, 1864, from Vicksburg, Mississippi to Meridian, Mississippi, by the Union Army of the Tennessee, led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman. Sherman captured Mer ...

, Mississippi. - February 3 - March 6, 1864 * Fort Scurry, Louisiana. - 13 March 1864 *

Fort De Russey A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

, Louisiana. - 15 March 1864 * Henderson's Hill, Louisiana. - 21 March 1864 *

Grand Ecore Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor * Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist * Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper Places * Grand, Oklahoma * Grand, Vosges, village and comm ...

, Louisiana. - 2 April 1864 * Pleasant Hill, Louisiana. - 8–9 April 1864 * Natchitoches, Louisiana. - 20 April 1864 * Kane River, Louisiana. - 22 April 1864 * Clouterville and Crane Hill, Louisiana. - 23 April 1864 * Bayou Rapids, Louisiana. - 2 May 1864 * Bayou La Monre, Louisiana. - 3 May 1864 * Bayou Roberts, Louisiana. - 4–6 May 1864 * Moore's Plantation, Louisiana. - 8–12 May 1864 * Mansura, Louisiana. - 16 May 1864 * Battle of Maysville, Louisiana. - 17 May 1864 * Calhoun's Plantation, Louisiana. - 18 May 1864 * Bayou De Glaise, Louisiana. - 18 May 1864 *

Lake Chicot Lake Chicot ( ) is a lake adjacent to the Mississippi River. The lake is located on the east side of Lake Village, Arkansas in Chicot County. It is not only the largest oxbow lake in North America, but the largest natural lake in Arkansas, form ...

, Arkansas. - 6 June 1864 * Hurricane Creek, Mississippi. - 13 August 1864 *Pursuit of Price, Jackass Cavalry September - October 1864 *

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...

, Tennessee. - 15–16 December 1864 * The Mobile Campaign March - April 1865

Notable members

* Pvt Thomas J. Bowles – member of the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...

* Sgt Maj Augustus G. Weissert – 21st Commander-in-Chief of the

Grand Army of the Republic The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (U.S. Navy), and the Marines who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Decatur, Il ...

, 1892–1893 * Maj William P. Lyon – brevet

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

, Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, Chief Justice of the

Wisconsin Supreme Court The Wisconsin Supreme Court is the highest appellate court in Wisconsin. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction over original actions, appeals from lower courts, and regulation or administration of the practice of law in Wisconsin. Location The Wi ...

* Pvt George Washington Glover Jr., (1844-1915); the only son of

Mary Baker Eddy Mary Baker Eddy (July 16, 1821 – December 3, 1910) was an American religious leader and author who founded The Church of Christ, Scientist, in New England in 1879. She also founded ''The Christian Science Monitor'', a Pulitzer Prize-winning s ...

* Col John Wayles Jefferson, (1835-1892); presumed grandson of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings

References

External links

The Civil War Archive
*{{Internet Archive, 04237218.3392.emory.edu, The soldier bird: "Old Abe," the live war-eagle of Wisconsin, that served a three years' campaign in the Great Rebellion (1876)

Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union Army from Wisconsin 1861 establishments in Wisconsin