The 8th Illinois 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 mar ...

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 conscript ...

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 of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

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 ...

Service

Initial 3 month service

The infantry regiment was organized at Springfield, Illinois and mustered in on April 25th, 1861 for a three-month service. The regiment was transferred to Cairo, Illinois, for duty until July, 1861. Companies "B" and "C" formed part of an expedition from Cairo to Little River on June 22nd and 23rd. By the time the regiment was mustered out on July 25th, 1861, they had lost three to disease.Dyer (1959), Volume 3 p. 1,046.

3 year enlistments

The regiment was reorganized with 3-year enlistees at Cairo, Illinois, on July 25, 1861. The 8th Illinois saw action at the

Battle of Fort Henry The Battle of Fort Henry was fought on February 6, 1862, in Stewart County, Tennessee, during the American Civil War. It was the first important victory for the Union and Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in the Western Theater. On February 4 a ...

, the

Battle of Fort Donelson The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11–16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The Union capture of the Confederate fort near the Tennessee–Kentucky border opened the Cumberland River, an important ave ...

, the Battle of Shiloh, the

Siege of Corinth The siege of Corinth (also known as the first Battle of Corinth) was an American Civil War engagement lasting from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. A collection of Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry ...

, the

Vicksburg Campaign The Vicksburg campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi Ri ...

, and the

Mobile Campaign A mobile campaign is a campaign, usually marketing, advertising, or public relations-related, through which organizations contact their audience through SMS (text messaging). This form of campaigning allows organizations to reach out and establish ...

. The regiment was mustered out of service on May 4, 1866, at

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, it is the parish seat of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana's most populous parish—the equivalent of counties ...

. Among the notables that served in the regiment was Major Hermann Lieb, who later commanded the Union forces at the

Battle of Milliken's Bend The Battle of Milliken's Bend was fought on June 7, 1863, as part of the Vicksburg Campaign during the American Civil War. Major General (United States), Major General Ulysses S. Grant of the Union Army had placed the strategic Mississippi Rive ...

Total strength and casualties

The battery suffered 6 officers and 160 enlisted men killed in action or died of wounds and 155 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 321 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 o ...

Richard J. Oglesby - promoted to

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 ...

April 1, 1862 * Colonel Frank L. Rhoades - resigned October 7, 1862 * Colonel John P. Post - resigned September 28, 1863 * Colonel Josiah A. Sheetz - mustered out with the regimenthttp://www.rootsweb.com/~ilcivilw/f&s/008-fs.htm Illinois in the Civil war website after Illinois Adjutant General's muster rolls

References

Bibliography

* Dyer, Frederick H. (1959). ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion''. New York and London. Thomas Yoseloff, Publisher. .

External links

The Civil War Archive
{{DEFAULTSORT:008 Illinois Infantry Regiment Units and formations of the Union Army from Illinois 1861 establishments in Illinois Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1866 1866 disestablishments in Illinois