8th Regiment, Connecticut Infantry

Brief History
The 8th Regiment Infantry was organized at Hartford, Connecticut and was mustered in September 21, 1861. This regiment was mustered out December 12, 1865.

For more information on the 8th Regiment, Connecticut Infantry and its history, see:


 * A Union Civil War Living History and Reenactors Group based in the greater Connecticut area. Eighth Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, (accessed 8 Mar 2011), by J.H. Vaill, Late Quartermaster - Sergeant Eighth Connecticut Volunteers.  For regimental history, click on the Original History Link on the left side bar.
 * The Civil War Archive section, 8th Regiment Infantry, (accessed 12 April 2012).

Companies in this Regiment
The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,674 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

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. This regiment was composed of men from all parts of Connecticut, but the majority of men in each unit resided in the following counties:

Company A

Company B was largely formed by men from Hartford County.

Company C

Company D

Company E

Company F

Company G was largely formed by men from New London County.

Company H

Company I

Company K

Company Rosters

 * Connecticut. Adjutant General's Office, Catalogue of Connecticut volunteer organizations, with additional enlistments and casualties to July 1, 1864, (Hartford, Connecticut : Case, Lockwood, 1864), page 313. Available Online at Internet Archive, (accessed 8 Mar 2011).  Also available at the FamilySearch Library,  or FS Library US/CAN Film 1550802.


 * Adjutant General's Office, Catalogue of Connecticut volunteer organizations : (infantry, cavalry, and artillery,) in the service of the United States, 1861-1865, with additional enlistments, casualties, &amp;c., &amp;c., and brief summaries, showing the operations and service of the several regiments and batteries, (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1991), page 359. Includes index. Online at Internet Archive, (accessed 8 Mar 2011).  Also available at the FamilySearch Library,  or

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 ‘Connecticut 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.


 * Connecticut in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Connecticut, 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.


 * Footnote.com, (accessed 2 Apr 2011). (A subscription website, but is available for use at the FamilySearch Library and some Family History Centers). It has digital Civil War soldier service records and brief regiment histories (located at the bottom of some of the muster rolls).


 * The Civil War in the East, (accessed 8 Mar 2011). Timeline of the 8th Connecticut Infantry Regiment


 * Yates, Walter J.,Souvenir of excursion to Antietam and dedication of monuments of the 8th, 11th, 14th and 16th regiments of Conn. volunteers, (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1991). Available at the FamilySearch Library,


 * The Stamford Historical Society, Inc., (accessed 8 Mar 2011). Roster