8th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserve

Brief History
It was organized as the 3rd Battalion, North Carolina Senior Reserves, with three companies at Goldsboro on 31 May 1864. It was increased to a regiment and designated as the 78th Infantry Regiment (8th Senior Reserves) in early 1865.

"Units of the Confederate States Army" by Joseph H. Crute, Jr. contains no history for this unit.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 876 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. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

Captain Henry Broadhurst's Company - many men from Duplin County

Captain William H Bryan's Company - many men from Sampson County

Captain David Callihan's Company - many men from Bladen County and Columbus County

Captain John Daniel's Company - many men from Johnston County

Captain James M Garner's Company - many men from Wayne County

Captain Benjamin J Jacob's Company - many men from New Hanover County

Captain W J Kelly's Company - many men from Cumberland County

Captain Nathaniel McLean's Company - many men from Robeson County and Richmond County

Captain Isaac William's Company - many men fromHarnett County.

Captain Neill McNeill's Company - many men fromHarnett County, Cumberland County, Richmond County, Robeson County, Bladen County, Columbus County, New Hanover County, and Brunswick County.

Information about the companies and their rosters are in Manarin and Jordan, North Carolina Troops 1861-1865: a 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 ‘North Carolina 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.


 * North Carolina in the Civil War describes many sources, specifically for North Carolina, 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.