8th Illinois Infantry Regiment

From: "Coles County in the Civil War" by Robert Sterling,
date unknown, pub. Eastern Illinois University.
Submitted by Ann Baughman


The 8th Illinois Infantry Regiment was organized at Springfield on April 25, 1861, and mustered in for three months service. Colonel Richard J. Oglesby of Decatur (future governor of Illinois) was in command. Company C of the 8th was recruited in Charleston and vicinity and every member of the company was from Coles County. The activities of the 8th three month's infantry can best be described by quoting from Jane Martin Johns:
Almost the entire term for which the 8th was enlisted was spent at or near Cairo doing guard duty. For three long months our boys stood guard and drilled and waited at Cairo. Their term of enlistment had expired. Their wives were at home doing men's work that their children might have bread to eat. They had enlisted to fight; to put down treason and rebellion; and they had drilled and stood guard. The over-powering enthusiasm with which they had rushed into the fray had died of inaction. They were disheartened and homesick and they were asked to re-enlist for three more years of the weary work."

The majority of the men re-enlisted for three years. During the remainder of the war they were to engage in the battles of Shiloh, Vicksburg, and Fort Donelson. The 8th received its baptism of fire at the battle of Belmont, Missouri on Nov. 7, 1816, under General Grant. All the Union troops engaged in this battle were from Illinois with the exception of one infantry regiment from Iowa. In this battle the 8th lost 54 killed and 188 wounded for a total sustained loss of 242 men. At Shiloh in April 1862, the 8th was under the command of Captain James Ashmore of Charleston. Its losses were 30 killed, 91 wounded and three missing for a total of 124 men. Captain Ashmore was wounded and had to leave the field. There are no figures as to the losses suffered by the 8th at Vicksburg but they apparently gave a good account of themselves. According to an account from a report of General John D. Stevenson:
The 8th Illinois Volunteers, gallantly led by Col. Sturgess, charged the advancing line of the enemy with its usual impetuosity and at the point of the bayonet dislodged them from a strong position from which they had poured a most destructive fire upon our lines."

In another report, again concerning the 8th at Vicksburg, the same General related:
Discovering immediately in advance of the 8th Illinois, 200 yards distant, that there was a commanding hill held by the rebels, which, if we could gain, would give us command of the ground, I ordered the 8th Illinois to enter a dense canebrake separating them from the hill I proposed to occupy. They promptly moved forward, by the flank of companies, and, after a spirited skirmish with the advance skirmishers, forced the enemy to retire, and occupied the field. At this point, Col. Post, in the face of the enemy, left his command, and came to me where I was, some 200 yards distant, and asked permission, on plea of fatigue, to turn over his command to his junior officer, which I instantly assented to do, and did not see him on the field again.?

The 8th took part in the siege of Mobil, in August 1864, and was the first Union regiment to enter the city. After spending some time guarding government property in Texas, the 8th was mustered out at Baton Rouge, Louisiana on May 4, 1866. It arrived in Springfield on May 13, and was honorably discharged after a service of five years duration.

(Submitted by Ann Baughman who adds: "James D. Jones, of Charleston, served in this Unit. Another fact is that the Ashmores of Coles Co. were also related to me but thru the Makemson family of Neosho Co., Ks.")

Company C of the 8th Illinois Infantry
Source: Illinois State Archives

Name

Rank

Residence

ADAMSON, OWEN PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
ADAMSON, WILLIAM G PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
ADKINS, JOHN W PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
ALFRED, ALPHONSO PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
AMES, JOHN F PVT BENNINGTON, MARSHALL CO, IL
ASHMORE, HEZEKIAH M PVT  
ASHMORE, JAMES M CPT  
ASHMORE, JAMES M CPT  
AUSTIN, WILLIAM H PVT  
AUSTIN, WILLIAM H PVT  
BADGELY, LEWIS PVT JEFFERSON CO, IL
BADGER, EDWARD A PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BAILEY, ALAMANZA C PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BAILEY, ALAMANZA C PVT  
BAILEY, ALMANZA C PVT  
BALCH, JOHN F PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BANE, GEORGE MUS CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BANE, OSCAR F PVT  
BANE, WILLIAM PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BARR, JAMES PVT  
BEAR, ROBERT PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BECKEMIER, FERDINAND PVT IL
BEESON, SIDNEY L PVT CHICAGO, COOK CO, IL
BENEDICT, WILLIAM H PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BENNETT, HARRY E PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BENNETT, HARVEY E PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BENNETT, RUFUS H PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BENSLEY, HARVEY PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BENSLEY, HARVEY PVT  
BERKLEY, JOHN F PVT  
BERKLEY, WILLIAM H PVT  
BLACK, JOHN Y PVT  
BOWLIN, HENRY B PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BOYD, ROBERT PVT  
BOYD, ROBERT PVT  
BOYED, GEORGE R PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BRADSHAW, JOHN W PVT FARMINGTON, COLES CO, IL
BRASELTON, WILLIAM A CPL  
BREWER, JONATHAN PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BROOKMAN, CHRISTOPHER PVT JEFFERSON CO, IL
BROWN, JAMES S 2LT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BROWN, JOHN O PVT  
BROWN, WILLIAM A PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BROWN, WILLIAM P PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BROWN, WILLIAM W PVT  
BRUNER, JOHN D PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
BUCKNER, JAMES PVT  
BURNS, JAMES PVT  
BURNS, THOMAS J PVT  
CADWALLADER, WILLIAM H PVT  
CADWALLADER, WILLIAM H PVT LASALLE, LASALLE CO, IL
CAMP, GEORGE PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
CAMP, JOHN M PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
CAMP, JOHN M PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
CAMP, WALTER B PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
CAMP, WILLIAM PVT MORGAN, COLES CO, IL
CAMPBELL, JAMES B CPL CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
CAMPBELL, JAMES B PVT  
CARR, EDWARD S PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
CARR, JOHN W PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
CASTLES, JOSEPH PVT MENDOTA, LASALLE CO, IL
CATLIN, CLINTON J PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
CAULCRAFT, WILLIAM PVT BENNINGTON, MARSHALL CO, IL
CAYLOR, JAMES H PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
CHAMBERS, CHARLES S SGT  
CLARK, ELI H PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
COBURN, HARRY B PVT  
COLLUM, WILLIAM A PVT  
COLSTON, JOHN A PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
COLWELL, BENJAMIN PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
COLWELL, JOHN PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
CONCANNON, MICHAEL PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
COPEL, HIRAM F PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
COPEL, SOLOMON SGT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
CORD, FRANCIS PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
COSSELL, JAMES A PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
COSSELL, WILLIAM PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
COULSON, JOHN A PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
COX, CHARLES M CPL CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
COX, FRANCIS PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
CROWDER, BURRELL PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
CURD, DANIEL CPL  
CURD, RICHARD S SGT  
CURD, THOMAS D PVT  
DAVIS, CURTIS L PVT  
DOTED, JOHN G PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
DOTY, JOHN G PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
DRAKE, JAMES W PVT BLOOMINGTON, MCLEAN CO, IL
EATON, STERLING PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
EATON, STERLING CPL  
EATON, STERLING 2LT  
EATON, STERLING 1LT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
EATON, STERLING PVT  
EDMOND, WELLINGTON PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
ELLINGTON, HENRY C PVT MARTINSVILLE, CLARK CO, IL
ELLINGTON, WILLIAM PVT  
EMERINE, JACOB PVT  
ENGLISH, JOHN PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
EPLEY, JOHN PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
ERVIN, FRANKLIN PVT  
ESKEW, JOHN M PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
FERGUSON, BRICE PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
FERGUSON, WILLIAM PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
FERGUSON, WILLIAM C PVT  
FERRISH, EDWARD R PVT  
FINCH, JAMES PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
FITZPATRICK, DENNIS PVT CHICAGO, COOK CO, IL
FORESTER, CHARLES PVT  
FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN H PVT  
FRANKLIN, WILLIAM E PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
FURGUSON, WILLIAM PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
GAYLORD, GEORGE PVT NEOGA, CUMBERLAND CO, IL
GOLDEN, JAMES P PVT LASALLE, LASALLE CO, IL
GOLLMIRE, WILLIAM PVT  
GOODNOUGH, JESSE PVT BENNINGTON, MARSHALL CO, IL
GOODRICH, EDWARD PVT  
GRANTZ, JOSEPH PVT  
GRAY, ALBERT E PVT  
GRIFFIN, MORRIS PVT OTTAWA, LASALLE CO, IL
GRIFFITH, JOHN W PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
HADEN, ROBERT A M PVT  
HAIZE, JOHN H PVT  
HAMILTON, WILLIAM H PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
HAMILTON, WILLIAM H PVT  
HAMMOND, JOHN F PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
HANKS, CHARLES F PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
HANKS, CHARLES F M CPL CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
HANKS, CHARLES F M MUS  
HARRY, WILLIAM E PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
HART, SAMUEL PVT JEFFERSON CO, IL
HAWKINS, ASEL J PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
HAYS, JOHN H PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
HAYS, JOHN H PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
HENDERSON, ENOS F PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
HENDERSON, ENOS F PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
HENDRICK, ROBERT COOK  
HEVEL, CHRISTOPHER PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
HILL, JAMES B 1LT  
HOMER, WILLIAM J CPL  
HOWELL, GEORGE PVT ASHMORE, COLES CO, IL
HULL, MOSES M PVT BELL PLAIN, IL
JEFFRIES, THOMAS C SGT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
JEFFRIES, THOMAS C CPL  
JEFFRIES, WILLIAM PVT  
JESSEL, JOSEPH A PVT  
JESTER, HENRY L PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
JESTER, WILLIAM PVT  
JOHNSON, SQUIRE H PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
JOHNSTON, JOHN COOK  
JOHNSTON, RICHARD PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
JOHNSTON, SQUIRE PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
JONES, ALEXANDER PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
JONES, WILLIAM A PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
JONES, WILLIAM T PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
KELLER, WILLIAM M PVT  
KELLER, WILLIAM M PVT  
KELLOGG, FRANCIS M PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
KELLOGG, FRANCIS M PVT  
KELLY, JAMES A CPL CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
KENNEDY, PATRICK PVT  
KENNEDY, THOMAS PVT BELL VIEW, MARSHALL CO, IL
KNIGHT, JOHN L PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
KNOLL, CHARLES A PVT LASALLE, LASALLE CO, IL
KYLANDER, JOHN PVT LA PRAIRIE, MARSHALL CO, IL
LACKROSS, JOHN PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
LAMB, PATRICK PVT LASALLE, LASALLE CO, IL
LAWSON, HENRY PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
LAWSON, HENRY PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
LAWSON, HENRY PVT  
LAZENBY, JOHN M PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
LAZENBY, JOHN M PVT  
LETTREL, THOMAS PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
LEWIS, HARMAN D CPL CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
LEWIS, HARMON D PVT  
LINDER, GEORGE W PVT  
LINDER, LEVI PVT  
LINDER, LEVI F PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
LINDER, LEVI F PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
LITTLE, WILLIAM PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
LITTLE, WILLIAM PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
LOGAN, CHARLES F PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
LYON, BENJAMIN F MUS CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
LYON, BENJAMIN F MUS  
MAGGART, JOHN PVT DOLSON, CLARK CO, IL
MARSHALL, WILLIAM S 1SGT  
MARTIN, HEZEKIAH B PVT AVON HALL, IL
MATHES, SAMUEL S PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
MCCARTY, JERRY PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
MCCARTY, JERRY PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
MCCARTY, JERRY PVT  
MCCLAREY, GORDEN S PVT BELL PLAIN, IL
MCCORMICK, RICE S PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
MCELHANY, SAMUEL PVT TEUTOPOLIS, EFFINGHAM CO, IL
MCKEE, WILLIAM PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
MCKINSTRY, IRA L PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
MCLAINE, ARCHIBALD PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
MCNAMARA, PATRICK PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
MILLER, JAMES J PVT  
MILLER, PETER PVT ALTON, MADISON CO, IL
MORRIS, JOHN PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
MORRIS, JOHN PVT  
MORRISON, JOHN W PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
MORRISON, JOHN W PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
MORTON, HENRY C PVT LINEUS, LINN CO, MO
MORTON, ROBERT L PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
MOTE, DAVID W PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
MYERS, WILLIAM PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
NEES, JOSEPH PVT  
NEES, WILLIAM PVT  
NOE, CHARLES R PVT  
NORFOLK, HARRISON PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
O'BRYEN, WILLIAM PVT  
OWENS, HARRISON PVT  
PARKER, WILLIAM PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
PATTERSON, ANCIL H PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
PEPPER, NELSON W PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
PEPPERS, NELSON W 2LT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
PEPPERS, NELSON W PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
PETERSON, ABRAHAM PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
PITT, SIDNEY S PVT  
PLANK, WILLIAM W PVT INDIAN GROVE, LIVINGSTON CO, IL
PLEW, ISAAC PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
PLEW, ISAAC D PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
POTTER, GEORGE PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
POTTER, JASPER PVT  
POUND, WILLIAM J G PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
RAILSBACK, JOHN F 2LT  
RAILSBACK, JOHN F 1LT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
RAILSBACK, JOHN F CPL  
RAILSBACK, JOHN F PVT  
RAY, GRANVILLE SGT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
REA, ROBERT PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
RECORDS, JOHN M CPL CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
RENNOLDS, WILLIAM H PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
REYNOLDS, WILLIAM H PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
ROBBERTS, ARATUS PVT  
ROBERTS, JOHN D PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
ROBERTS, SIMPSON C PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
ROSEBRAW, DAVID PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
ROUSEY, LAFAYETTE PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
RYAN, WILLIAM H PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
SALLEE, OLIVER PVT  
SAYER, DANIEL 2LT  
SAYERS, DANIEL CPT  
SAYERS, DANIEL 1LT  
SCANTON, DANIEL G PVT  
SCRANTON, CHARLES G PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
SCRANTON, CHARLES G PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
SEAMAN, JOHN D PVT LASALLE, LASALLE CO, IL
SEIMER, HARMAN PVT EFFINGHAM, EFFINGHAM CO, IL
SHANNON, HENRY PVT LASALLE, LASALLE CO, IL
SHANNON, HENRY PVT  
SHRIVER, WILLIAM F PVT  
SIMON, JOHN PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
SKELLY, WILLIAM A PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
SMITH, CHARLES PVT MAGNOLIA, IL
SMITH, WILLIAM PVT PERU, LASALLE CO, IL
SOUTHERLAND, JOHN PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
SPICER, HIRAM PVT  
STAFFORD, JAMES PVT  
STAFFORD, JAMES A PVT  
STEELEY, JAMES PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
STEELEY, WILLIAM PVT  
STEELY, WILLIAM PVT  
STEWART, WILLIAM C PVT  
STOLTZ, GEORGE PVT GILLESPIE, MACOUPIN CO, IL
SUMMER, JOHN PVT  
SUMMER, JOHN PVT  
SWINFORD, GEORGE PVT  
SWINFORD, GEORGE H PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
SWINFORD, JOHN PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
TEMPLE, LYNN M PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
THOMAS, JOHN D PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
THOMAS, JOHN D PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
TURNER, ABSALOM PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
TURNER, ABSOLOM PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
TURNER, COLBY F PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
TUTTLE, EDMOND B PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
ULRICH, HENRY PVT  
VALE, AKEN H PVT  
WADDACK, JAMES M SGT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
WADDICK, JAMES PVT  
WAGONER, CHARLES H PVT  
WAGONER, LEWIS PVT MOUND CITY, ALEXANDER CO, IL
WALKER, JOHN E PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
WATERMAN, JOHN PVT IL
WATERS, JOHN B PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
WATSON, JAMES T C 2LT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
WATSON, JAMES T C PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
WHALEN, AUGUSTUS P PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
WHALEN, AUGUSTUS P 1LT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
WHALEN, AUGUSTUS P 2LT  
WHALEN, AUGUSTUS P 1SGT  
WHELEN, AUGUSTUS P SGT  
WHITE, BENI PVT  
WINKLEBACK, MASON F PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
WINKLEBACK, MILTON C PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
WOODARD, ALBERT G PVT  
WOODMAN, JOHN L PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
WOODMAN, JOHN L PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
WOODWORTH, SETH L PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
WRIGHT, GEORGE PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
WRIGHT, GEORGE PVT CHARLESTON, COLES CO, IL
YOUNG, WILLIAM PVT  
ZIMMERMAN, DAVID A PVT  

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