8th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union)

Kentucky

Kentucky Military

Kentucky in the Civil War

8th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union)

Brief History

Formation of the 8th Kentucky Cavalry was authorized July 23, 1862, by the authority of Edwin M. Stanton, U.S. Secretary of War.

Colonel James Murell Shackelford was chosen commander, after which time, camps of recruiting & instruction were established at Henderson, Russellville and Lebanon, Kentucky. The whole regiment numbering 1,248 was organized within the space of three weeks comprised of union men from the surrounding counties.

On September 6, 1862, the 2nd Battalion (Co's A, D, G, K) was mustered in at Russellville, Kentucky by Captain T. E. Noell. On September 8th, 1862, the 3rd Battalion (Co's C, F, I, M) was also muster at Russellville, Kentucky by Captain T. E. Noell. Lastly, On September 13, 1862, the 1st Battalion (Co's B, E, H, L) was mustered in at Henderson, Kentucky by Captain V. N. Smith, U.S. Mustering Officer.

The 3rd Battalion & alongside Company B were mustered out of service September 17, 1863, at Lebanon, Kentucky. The 1st & 2nd Battalions, excepting Company B, were mustered out of service September 23, 1863, at Russellville, Kentucky.

Organization

Commanding Officers

• Colonel James Murell Shackelford (Organization-January 2, 1863)
• Colonel Benjamin H. Bristow (January 2, 1863-September 23, 1863)

Command Structure

• 1st Battalion, Maj James H Holloway

1. Co B. Capt. Issac Singleton
2. Co E. Capt. John A. Arthur
3. Co H. Capt. Samuel Allen
4. Co L. Capt. Elishia Owens

• 2nd Battalion, Lt. Col Benjamin H Bristow

1. Co A. Capt. George W. Mccullough
2. Co D. Capt. Samuel F. Johnson
3. Co G. Capt. James M Morrow
4. Co K. Capt. James H. Hudspeth

• 3rd Battalion, Maj James W Weatherford

1. Co C. Capt. Charles M Whipp
2. Co F. Capt. James B. Carson
3. Co I. Capt. John Dever
4. Co M. Capt. John D Belden

Command Changes

Capt. James B. Carson, Co. F resigned January 19, 1863. Replaced by Captain William F. Hunter

Capt. Elishia Owens, Co. L, Killed February 28, 1862. Replaced by Captain Robert V. Gunter

Operations

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,851 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 ‘Kentucky 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.
  

• Kentucky in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Kentucky, 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.