8th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 8th Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry was an infantry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
in the Western Theater of the American Civil War
.
, and in 1864 was ordered south where they fought in Tennessee
, the Carolinas
and elsewhere.
It was mustered out on July 11, 1865.
fatalities.
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 Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
in the Western Theater of the American Civil War
Western Theater of the American Civil War
This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.-Theater of operations:...
.
Service
The 8th Minnesota was mustered into Federal service at Fort Snelling and St. Paul, Minnesota between June 2 and September 1, 1862. It first served guarding the frontier in the Dakota War of 1862Dakota War of 1862
The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, was an armed conflict between the United States and several bands of the eastern Sioux. It began on August 17, 1862, along the Minnesota River in southwest Minnesota...
, and in 1864 was ordered south where they fought in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, the Carolinas
The Carolinas
The Carolinas is a term used in the United States to refer collectively to the states of North and South Carolina. Together, the two states + have a population of 13,942,126. "Carolina" would be the fifth most populous state behind California, Texas, New York, and Florida...
and elsewhere.
It was mustered out on July 11, 1865.
Casualties
The 8th Minnesota Infantry suffered 1 officers and 26 enlisted men killed in action or who later died of their wounds, plus another 56 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 83fatalities.