The 8th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was a

volunteer Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency ...

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 ...

. The 8th Wisconsin's military mascot was

Old Abe Old Abe (May 27, 1861 – March 26, 1881) was a bald eagle who 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 ...

, a bald eagle that accompanied the regiment into battle.

Service

The 8th Wisconsin was raised at

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is the List of municipalities in Wisconsin by population, second-most populous city in the state, with a population of 269,840 at the 2020 Uni ...

, 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, Alabama, Marengo County, in west-central Alabama. The population was 7,162 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city lies at the confluence of the Black Warrior River and Tombigbee ...

Battles

The 8th Wisconsin Infantry along with their mascot

The War Eagle 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. * Point Pleasant, Missouri - 20 March 1862 * Farmington, Mississippi. - 9 May 1862 *

Corinth Corinth ( ; , ) is a municipality in Corinthia in Greece. The successor to the ancient Corinth, ancient city of Corinth, it is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Sin ...

, 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: Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson South, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson oil field in Durham, ...

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

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

, Louisiana. - 15 June 1863 * Vicksburg, Mississippi. - 24 June 1863 *Surrender of Vicksburg- 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 ...

, Mississippi. - February 3 - March 6, 1864 * Fort Scurry, Louisiana. - 13 March 1864 * Fort DeRussy, Louisiana. - 15 March 1864 * Henderson's Hill, Louisiana. - 21 March 1864 * Grand Ecore, 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 Mansoura (; ' , rural: ) is a city in Egypt located on the eastern bank of the Damietta branch of the Nile river. The city is the capital of the Dakahlia Governorate and has a population of 621,953 as of 2021. Etymology ''Mansoura'' in Arabic ...

, 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 can refer to: * Lake Chicot, Arkansas 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 the largest oxbow lake in North America, as w ...

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

Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

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

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.Civil war Archive
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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 ...

Robert C. Murphy (July 11, 1861January 10, 1863) was dismissed after failing to properly safeguard supplies on two separate occasions. * Colonel George W. Robbins (December 20, 1862September 1, 1863) was previously lieutenant colonel of the regiment. He was wounded at the Second Battle of Corinth * Colonel John W. Jefferson (September 1, 1863October 11, 1864) was a grandson of U.S. President

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...

and

Sally Hemings Sarah "Sally" Hemings ( 1773 – 1835) was a Black people, black woman Slavery in the United States, enslaved to the third President of the United States Thomas Jefferson, inherited among many others from his father-in-law, John Wayles. Hemi ...

. He began the war as major of the regiment and was promoted to lieutenant colonel before becoming officially promoted to colonel on June 7, 1864. He was wounded twice and mustered out at the end of his three years of service. * Colonel William B. Britton (October 11, 1864September 5, 1865) began the war as captain of Co. G, and was then promoted to major and lieutenant colonel. He was officially promoted to colonel on March 8, 1865. Wounded at the Battle of Nashville, he mustered out with the regiment. After the war he served in 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. The Assembly is controlled by the Republican ...

Notable members

* Thomas J. Bowles was a private in Co. D in 1864 and 1865. After the war he served in the

. * Augustus G. Weissert was enlisted in Co. K and was promoted to

sergeant major Sergeant major is a senior Non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned Military rank, rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. History In 16th century Spain, the ("sergeant major") was a general officer. He commanded an army's ...

of the regiment. After the war he became the 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 (United States Navy, U.S. Navy), and the United States Marine Corps, Marines who served in the American Ci ...

(1892–1893). * William P. Lyon was captain of Co. K for the first year, and was then promoted to colonel of the 13th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. He received an honorary brevet to brigadier general and after the war became the 12th

Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly The Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly is the Speaker (politics), presiding officer of the Wisconsin Wisconsin State Assembly, State Assembly, the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Article IV of the Constitution of Wisconsin, ratifi ...

and the 7th Chief Justice of the

Wisconsin Supreme Court The Wisconsin Supreme Court is the Supreme court, highest and final court of appeals in the state judicial system of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. In addition to hearing appeals of lower Wisconsin court decisions, the Wisconsin Supreme Court also ...

. * George Washington Glover Jr., the only son of

Mary Baker Eddy Mary Baker Eddy (née Baker; July 16, 1821 – December 3, 1910) was an American religious leader and author, who in 1879 founded The Church of Christ, Scientist, the ''Mother Church'' of the Christian Science movement. She also founded ''The C ...

, was a private in Co. I through nearly the entire war. He was wounded at Corinth. * Ezra T. Sprague was adjutant of the regiment for nearly three years. Prior to joining the 8th Wisconsin, he was enlisted in Co. K of the 1st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. Afterward, he was colonel of the 42nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. He received an honorary brevet to brigadier general and later served as a Wisconsin circuit judge.

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)

"Old Abe, the Battle Eagle"
Words by Electa S. Kellogg, 1865, music by T. Martin Towne. 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