8th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry

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Brief History

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.

• Wikipedia, (accessed 9 Dec 2010) article on the 8th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
  

• The Civil War Archives. (accessed 9 Dec 2010) A brief history of the 8th Regiment Infantry.
  

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin

Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

The following counties of origin are taken from the Adjutant General's Report, found on the Internet Archives web site. The rosters show the men who served in each regiment, their residences, dates of enlistment and mustering out, and other remarks. Also see the Dalby Database, a site from Minnesota, searchable by men, counties, regiments and companies.

Company A - many men from Anoka County and Hennepin County - Roster, page 368.

Company B - many men from Rice County - Roster, page 372.

Company C - many men from Washington County - Roster, page 376.

Company D - many men from Fillmore County and Olmsted County - Roster, page 380.

Company E - many men from Wright County - Roster, page 384.

Company F - many men from Dakota County and Goodhue County - Roster, page 388.

Company G - many men from Wabasha County - Roster, page 392.

Company H - many men from Goodhue County andRamsey County - Roster, page 396.

Company I - many men from Scott County - Roster, page 400.

Company K - many men from Ramsey County, Dakota County, and Hennepin County - Roster, page 403.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,421 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

• Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘Minnesota in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).
  

• National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.
  

• Minnesota in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Minnesota, and how to find them. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.
  

• United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.
  

• Rootsweb. (accessed 9 Dec 2010) 8th Regiment history and a roster of the men from Wabasha county.
  

• The Civil War Index. (accessed 9 Dec 2010) Website with detailed Minnesota regimental histories.
  

• MilitaryHistoryOnline, (accessed 9 December 2010) has submissions by people about their ancestors who served in the Civil War.

• Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion Compiled and Arranged from Official Records of the Federal and Confederate Armies : [Minnesota]. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1993). FHL Collection. FHL US/CAN Fiche 6084700. Other libraries with this book.
  

• Minnesota. Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars 1861-1865. (St. Paul, Minn: Electrotyped and printed for the State by the Pioneer Press Company, 1890).FHL Collection. FHL US/CAN Book 977.6 H2bc. Other libraries with this book. Click on the FHL Collection link to view this book online. It contains detailed histories and rosters of each Minnesota Military Unit.
  

• Minnesota in the Civil War: An Illustrated History, Kenneth Carley, Richard Moe (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2000).  Book of battle histories, photographs, short biographies and a roster of the different regiments with their officers, beginning on page 204. Google book (Not all pages are shown). Other libraries with this book.
  

• United States. War Department. Record and Pension Office. Compiled Records Showing Service of Military Units in Volunteer Union Organizations. (Washington, District of Columbia : The National Archives, c1964).FHL Collection FHL US/CAN Film 1488543. Other libraries with this microfilm. View online at Internet Archives.
  

Family History Library (FHL); now called, FamilySearch Library (FSL)