The 8th Illinois Infantry Regiment was an

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

that served in the Union Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Service

Initial 3-month service

The infantry regiment was organized at

Springfield, Illinois Springfield is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Illinois. Its population was 114,394 at the 2020 United States census, which makes it the state's List of cities in Illinois, seventh-most populous cit ...

, and mustered in on April 25, 1861, for a three-month service. The regiment was transferred to

Cairo, Illinois Cairo ( , sometimes ) is the southernmost city in the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat of Alexander County, Illinois, Alexander County. A river city, Cairo has the lowest elevation of any location in Illinois and is the only Illinoi ...

, for duty until July 1861. Companies' "B" and "C" formed part of an expedition from Cairo to Little River on June 22 and 23rd. By the time the regiment was mustered out on July 25, 1861, they had lost three to disease.

3-year enlistments

The regiment was reorganized with 3-year enlistees at

, 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 an ...

, 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 Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the American Civil War fought on April 6–7, 1862. The fighting took place in southwestern Tennessee, which was part of the war's Western Theater of the ...

, 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 H ...

, the

Vicksburg Campaign The Vicksburg campaigns were 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 ...

, 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 the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It had a population of 227,470 at the 2020 United States census, making it List of municipalities in Louisiana, Louisiana's second-m ...

. Among the notables that served in the regiment was the regimental commander, Colonel Richard J. Oglesby who later served three terms as

Illinois Governor The governor of Illinois is the head of government of Illinois, and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by p ...

, and Major

Hermann Lieb Hermann Lieb (also known as Herman Lieb;Eicher p.348 May 23, 1826 – March 5, 1908) was a Swiss immigrant to the United States who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He is best remembered as the commander of the Union fo ...

, 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 ...

Affiliations, battle honors, detailed service, and casualties

Organizational affiliation

The three-month 8th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment was organized at

Springfield, IL Springfield is the capital city of the U.S. state of Illinois. Its population was 114,394 at the 2020 United States census, which makes it the state's seventh-most populous city, the second-most populous outside of the Chicago metropolitan a ...

and served in the

Department of the Missouri The Department of the Missouri was a command echelon of the United States Army in the 19th century and a sub division of the Military Division of the Missouri that functioned through the Indian Wars. History Background Following the successful ...

. The three-year 8th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment was organized at

Cairo, IL Cairo ( , sometimes ) is the southernmost city in the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat of Alexander County. A river city, Cairo has the lowest elevation of any location in Illinois and is the only Illinois city to be surrounded by ...

and served with the following organizations: * District of Cairo to October, 1861 * 1st Brigade, 1st Division, District of Cairo, to February, 1862 * 1st Brigade, 1st Division,

District of West Tennessee The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. A 2005 study of the army states that it "was present at most of the great battles that became turning points of the wa ...

, and

Army of the Tennessee The Army of the Tennessee was a Union Army, Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. A 2005 study of the army states that it "was present at most of the great battles that became turning points ...

(AoT), to July, 1862 * 1st Brigade, 1st Division, District of Jackson,

Department of the Tennessee The Army of the Tennessee was a Union Army, Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. A 2005 study of the army states that it "was present at most of the great battles that became turning points ...

(DoT), to September, 1862 * 4th Brigade, 1st Division, District of Jackson, to November, 1862 * 4th Brigade, 3rd Division, Right Wing, XIII Corps (Old), DoT, to December, 1862 * 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XVII Corps, AoT, to April, 1864 * Maltby's Brigade, District of Vicksburg, MS, to August, 1864 * 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, XIX Corps, Department of the Gulf, to December, 1864 * 2nd Brigade, Reserve Division, Military Division "West Mississippi (MDWM), to February, 1865 * 2nd Brigade, 1st Division Reserve Corps, MDWM, February, 1865 * 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, XIII Corps (New), MDWM, to June, 1865 * Department of Louisiana to May, 1866

Battles

The 7th Illinois fought in the following battles: *

Battle of Thompson's Station The Battle of Thompson's Station took place during the American Civil War on March 5, 1863, in Williamson County, Tennessee. In a period of relative inactivity following the Battle of Stones River, a reinforced Union Army, Union infantry brigad ...

Battle of Port Gibson The Battle of Port Gibson (May 1, 1863) was fought between a Union Army commanded by Major General Ulysses S. Grant and a reinforced Confederate States Army division led by Major General John S. Bowen. Though the outnumbered Confederate soldiers f ...

Battle of Raymond The Battle of Raymond was fought on May 12, 1863, near Raymond, Mississippi, during the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. Initial Union (American Civil War), Union attempts to capture the strategically important Mississippi River ...

Battle of Champion Hill The Battle of Champion Hill (aka Champion's Hill) of May 16, 1863, was the pivotal battle in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War (1861–1865). Union Army commander Major General Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennes ...

Siege of Vicksburg The siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863) was the final major military action in the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Major General Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed th ...

Detailed service

The regiment's detailed service and locations are as follows:

1861

* Duty at Cairo, IL, till July - ''3 mos. regt.'' * Expedition from Cairo to Little River June 22–23 (Cos. "B" and "C") - ''3 mos. regt.'' * Mustered out July 25, 1861, expiration of term - ''3 mos. regt.'' * Moved to Cairo, IL, till October, 1861 - ''3 yr. regt. from here'' * Moved to Bird's Point, MO, and duty there till February 1862 * Expedition against Thompson's forces November 2–12 * Expeditions toward Columbus, KY, January 13–20, 1862.

1862

* Advance on Fort Henry, Tenn., February 2–6 * Investment and capture of Fort Donelson, TN, February 12–16 * Moved to Pittsburg Landing, TN, March 6–13 * Battle of Shiloh April 6–7 * Advance on and siege of Corinth, MS, April 29-May 30 * Moved to Bethel June 4–6 * Thence to Jackson June 15 * Duty there and guard duty at Toone's and Medon Stations till October * Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign October 31, 1862, to January 10, 1863 * Ordered to Lagrange November, 1862 * Reconnoissance from Lagrange November 8–9

1863

* March to Grand Junction January 4–9, * To Memphis, Tenn., January 12–19 * Moved to Lake Providence, LA, February 22 * Duty there till April * Moved to Milliken's Bend, LA, April 12 * Movement on Bruinsburg and turning Grand Gulf April 25–30 * Battles of Thompson's Hill, Port Gibson, May 1 * South Fork Bayou Pierrie May 2 * Raymond May 12. Jackson, MS, May 14 * Champion's Hill May 16 * Siege of Vicksburg, MS, May 18-July 4 * Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22 * Surrender of Vicksburg July 4 * Garrison duty at Vicksburg till July, 1864 * Stevenson's Expedition from Vicksburg to Monroe, LA, August 20-September 2 * Expedition to Canton, October 14–20 * Bogue Chitto Creek October 17

1864

* Meridian Campaign February 3-March 5 * Regiment Veteranize March 24 * Expedition to Pearl River, MS, July 2–10 * Jackson July 7 * Expedition to Morganza, LA, July 29-September 3 * Moved to mouth of White River September 3–8 * Duty there till October 18 * Movement to Memphis, TN, and return October 18–30 * Moved to Duvall's Bluff November 9 * Thence to Memphis, Tenn., November 28 * March to Moscow and return December 29–31

1865

* Moved to New Orleans, LA, January 1–4 * Campaign against Mobile and its defences February to April * Siege of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely March 26-April 8 * Assault and capture of Fort Blakely April 9 * Occupation of Mobile April 12 * Duty at Mobile till May 27 * Moved to New Orleans, LA, thence to Shreveport May 27-June 9 * Moved to Marshall, Texas, and duty there till September * At Alexandria, La., till April, 1866 ----1866

* Mustered out at Baton Rouge May 4 * Discharged at Springfield, IL, May 13, 1866.

Total strength and casualties

The regiment 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 (armed forces), 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 colon ...

Richard J. Oglesby - promoted to brigadier general 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

Citations

Sources

* * * *

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

Service

Initial 3-month service

3-year enlistments

Affiliations, battle honors, detailed service, and casualties

Organizational affiliation

Battles

Detailed service

1861

1862

1863

1864

1865

Total strength and casualties

Commanders

See also

References

Citations

Sources

External links