8th Kentucky Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 8th Kentucky Infantry Regiment was an infantry
regiment
that served in the Confederate States Army
during the American Civil War
.
, since Kentucky had officially declared its neutrality in the war. Henry Cornelius Burnett
, a former member of the United States House of Representatives
, helped organize the regiment and was commissioned its colonel
, but he never took active command.
The regiment was captured at the fall of Fort Donelson
in February 1862. Of 312 men engaged in the battle, 99 were killed or wounded. Colonel Burnett had joined the regiment prior to the battle — again not commanding — but escaped capture by leaving on a river boat with Brigadier General John B. Floyd
's command. Burnett then resigned from the army to serve full time as a Confederate senator for Kentucky. After being exchanged in September 1862, the regiment was attached first to Brig. Gen. Lloyd Tilghman
's Brigade, then to Brig. Gen. Abraham Buford
's Brigade in the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana.
The regiment fought under Generals Earl Van Dorn
and John C. Pemberton
during the Vicksburg Campaign
. Prior to the surrender of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, Colonel Hylan Benton Lyon and 250 men of the 8th Kentucky managed to escape. Lyon led them to Jackson, Mississippi
, where they joined the Confederate forces stationed there.
In spring 1864, the 8th Kentucky was converted to mounted infantry and fought the remainder of the war as dragoons. It served under Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest
for much of that time.
The 8th Kentucky Regiment surrendered on May 4, 1865 at Columbus, Mississippi
, nearly a month after Robert E. Lee
's surrender at Appomattox Court House
in Virginia
. It was paroled and the men allowed to make their way home on their own.
- Fought on 15 February 1862 at Fort Donelson, TN
- Fought on 16 February 1862 at Fort Donelson, TN
- Fought on 6 April 1862 at Shiloh, TN (those who escaped capture at Fort Donelson)
- Fought on 1 December 1862
- Fought on 2 December 1862 at Tallahatchie River
- Fought on 4 December 1862
- Fought on 5 December 1862 at Coffeeville, MS
- Fought on 16 May 1863 at Baker's Creek, MS
- Fought on 4 July 1863 at Vicksburg, MS
- Fought on 10 July 1863 at Jackson, MS
- Fought on 11 July 1863 at Jackson, MS
- Fought on 15 July 1863 at Harrisburg, MS
- Fought on 17 July 1863 at Jackson, MS
- Fought on 22 December 1863
- Fought on 15 February 1864 at Canton, MS
- Fought on 25 March 1864 at Paducah, KY
- Fought on 1 April 1864
- Fought on 18 April 1864 at Paducah, KY
- Fought on 20 April 1864 in Kentucky
- Fought on 10 June 1864 at Tishomingo Creek, MS
- Fought on 11 June 1864 at Tishomingo Creek, MS
- Fought on 20 June 1864 at Kenesaw Mountain, GA
- Fought on 14 July 1864 at Harrisburg, MS
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
that served in the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Service
The 8th Kentucky Infantry Regiment was organized in September 1861, at Camp Boone in Montgomery County, TennesseeMontgomery County, Tennessee
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The county seat is Clarksville. The population was 172,331 at the 2010 census. It is one of the four counties included in the Clarksville, TN–KY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, since Kentucky had officially declared its neutrality in the war. Henry Cornelius Burnett
Henry Cornelius Burnett
Henry Cornelius Burnett was a U.S. Representative from the state of Kentucky and a Confederate States Senator. A lawyer by profession, Burnett had held only one public office—circuit court clerk—before being elected to Congress. He represented Kentucky's 1st congressional district during the...
, a former member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, helped organize the regiment and was commissioned its colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
, but he never took active command.
The regiment was captured at the fall of Fort Donelson
Battle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11 to February 16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The capture of the fort by Union forces opened the Cumberland River as an avenue for the invasion of the South. The success elevated Brig. Gen. Ulysses S...
in February 1862. Of 312 men engaged in the battle, 99 were killed or wounded. Colonel Burnett had joined the regiment prior to the battle — again not commanding — but escaped capture by leaving on a river boat with Brigadier General John B. Floyd
John B. Floyd
John Buchanan Floyd was the 31st Governor of Virginia, U.S. Secretary of War, and the Confederate general in the American Civil War who lost the crucial Battle of Fort Donelson.-Early life:...
's command. Burnett then resigned from the army to serve full time as a Confederate senator for Kentucky. After being exchanged in September 1862, the regiment was attached first to Brig. Gen. Lloyd Tilghman
Lloyd Tilghman
Lloyd Tilghman was a railroad construction engineer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War, killed at the Battle of Champion Hill...
's Brigade, then to Brig. Gen. Abraham Buford
Abraham Buford II
Brigadier General Abraham "Abe" Buford II was a soldier and Thoroughbred horse breeder. Born in Woodford County, Kentucky, his origins were a Huguenot family named Beaufort who fled persecution in France and settled in England before emigrating to America in 1635.Abraham Buford was the son of...
's Brigade in the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana.
The regiment fought under Generals Earl Van Dorn
Earl Van Dorn
Earl Van Dorn was a career United States Army officer, fighting with distinction during the Mexican-American War and against several tribes of Native Americans...
and John C. Pemberton
John C. Pemberton
John Clifford Pemberton , was a career United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole Wars and with distinction during the Mexican–American War. He also served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War, noted for his defeat and surrender in the critical Siege of Vicksburg in...
during the Vicksburg Campaign
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 River. The Union Army of the Tennessee under Maj. Gen....
. Prior to the surrender of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, Colonel Hylan Benton Lyon and 250 men of the 8th Kentucky managed to escape. Lyon led them to Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, where they joined the Confederate forces stationed there.
In spring 1864, the 8th Kentucky was converted to mounted infantry and fought the remainder of the war as dragoons. It served under Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He is remembered both as a self-educated, innovative cavalry leader during the war and as a leading southern advocate in the postwar years...
for much of that time.
The 8th Kentucky Regiment surrendered on May 4, 1865 at Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States that lies above the Tombigbee River. It is approximately northeast of Jackson, north of Meridian, south of Tupelo, northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and west of Birmingham, Alabama. The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census...
, nearly a month after Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
's surrender at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. It was paroled and the men allowed to make their way home on their own.
Battles and skirmishes of the 8th Kentucky Infantry Regiment
- Fought on 13 February 1862 at Fort Donelson, TN- Fought on 15 February 1862 at Fort Donelson, TN
- Fought on 16 February 1862 at Fort Donelson, TN
- Fought on 6 April 1862 at Shiloh, TN (those who escaped capture at Fort Donelson)
- Fought on 1 December 1862
- Fought on 2 December 1862 at Tallahatchie River
- Fought on 4 December 1862
- Fought on 5 December 1862 at Coffeeville, MS
- Fought on 16 May 1863 at Baker's Creek, MS
- Fought on 4 July 1863 at Vicksburg, MS
- Fought on 10 July 1863 at Jackson, MS
- Fought on 11 July 1863 at Jackson, MS
- Fought on 15 July 1863 at Harrisburg, MS
- Fought on 17 July 1863 at Jackson, MS
- Fought on 22 December 1863
- Fought on 15 February 1864 at Canton, MS
- Fought on 25 March 1864 at Paducah, KY
- Fought on 1 April 1864
- Fought on 18 April 1864 at Paducah, KY
- Fought on 20 April 1864 in Kentucky
- Fought on 10 June 1864 at Tishomingo Creek, MS
- Fought on 11 June 1864 at Tishomingo Creek, MS
- Fought on 20 June 1864 at Kenesaw Mountain, GA
- Fought on 14 July 1864 at Harrisburg, MS
Commanders
- Colonel Henry Cornelius Burnett - commissioned, but never commanded
- Colonel Hylan Benton LyonHylan B. LyonHylan Benton Lyon was a career officer in the United States Army until the start of the American Civil War, when he resigned rather than fight against the South...
- Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant Colonel (United States)In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
A. R. Shacklett - MajorMajor (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
Jabez Bingham - Major R. W. Henry
See also
- List of Kentucky Civil War Confederate units
- Kentucky in the Civil WarKentucky in the Civil WarKentucky was a border state of key importance in the American Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln recognized the importance of the Commonwealth when he declared "I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky." In a September 1861 letter to Orville Browning, Lincoln wrote "I think to lose...