HISTORICAL NOTES:
The 8th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry was organized in the summer and fall of 1862 and was mustered in by companies. It mustered out on July 11, 1865 at Raleigh, Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Regiment lost during service 1 Officer and 26 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 56 Enlisted men by disease. Total 83.
OFFICERS:
Colonel Minor T. Thomas – August 24, 1862, to July 11, 1865, promoted to brevet brigadier general in February 1865.
Lieutenant Colonel Henry T. Rodgers – often commanded regiment throughout the last year of the war when Colonel Thomas acted as its brigade commander.
ASSIGNMENTS:
St. Paul and Fort Snelling June 2 to September 1, 1862. On frontier duty at various points in Minnesota August, 1862, to May, 1864. At Anoka, Princeton, Monticello, Kingston, Manannah, Paynesville, Fort Ripley, Sauk Centre, Pomme de Terre, Alexandria and Fort Abercrombie guarding Sioux frontier. Concentrated at Paynesville May 24, 1864. Mounted and march to Fort Ridgly May 24-28. Sibley's Expedition against hostile Indians west of the Missouri River June 5-October 15, 1864. Battle of Tah Kah a Kuty or Killdeer Mountain July 28. Two Hills, Bad Lands, Little Missouri River, August 8. Moved to Murfreesboro, Tenn., October 26-November 7, 1864. Attached to Defenses of Nashville & Northwestern Railroad, Dept. of the Cumberland, to January, 1865. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 23rd Army Corps, Dept. of the Ohio, to February, 1865, and Dept. of North Carolina to July, 1865.
SERVICE:
Siege of Murfreesboro, Tenn., December 5-12. Wilkinson's Pike, near Murfreesboro, December 7. Moved to Clifton, Tenn., and join 23rd Army Corps. Moved from Clifton, Tenn., to Washington, D.C., January 17-29, 1865, and duty there until February 21. Moved to Fort Fisher, N. C., thence to Morehead City and New Berne, N. C., February 21-26. Advance on Kinston and Goldsboro March 1-21. Battle of Wise's Forks March 6-9. Kinston March 14. Occupation of Goldsboro March 21. Advance on Raleigh April 10-14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. Duty at Raleigh, Greensboro and Charlotte, N. C., until July. Mustered out July 11, 1865.
ROSTERS:
The composite rosters of this unit contains the names of 1421 men.
Company A - many men from Anoka County and Hennepin County
Company B - many men from Rice County
Company C - many men from Washington County
Company D - many men from Fillmore County and Olmsted County
Company E - many men from Wright County
Company F - many men from Dakota County and Goodhue County
Company G - many men from Wabasha County
Company H - many men from Goodhue County andRamsey County
Company I - many men from Scott County
Company K - many men from Ramsey County, Dakota County, and Hennepin County
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Vol. 2. Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources 1998. E491D992. A concise summary of each regiment's service.
Fridley, Russell, editor. Charles E. Flandrau and the Defense of New Ulm. New Ulm, MN: Brown County Historical Society, 1962. 62 p. F6l4N4F7.
Jennison, Samuel P. "The Illusions of a Soldier." In Glimpses of the Nation's Struggle (MOLLUS, MN, Vol. 1). St. Paul, MN: St. Paul Book & Stationary Co, 1887. pp. 369-80 (7 photocopied pages). E464M5.1991v26.
Jorgenson, Wayne. Minnesota in the Civil War: A Photographic Legacy. Military Images
(May/Jun 2008): p. 29. Per.
Minnesota. Board of Commissioners on Publication of History of Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars. Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars. Vol. 1. Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources 1998. Unit history and roster.
Wakefield, Larry. "Volunteer's Tour of Duty." [Henry McConnell] Military History (Apr l989): pp. 42-49 (8 photocopied pages). Per.
REFERENCES:
HISTORICAL NOTES: