8th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union)

Brief History
The 8th Kentucky Infantry was organized at Estill Springs, Kentucky under Colonel S.M. Barnes, and was mustered into the United States service on the 15th day of January, 1862 at Lebanon, Kentucky. The regiment was raised chiefly in the mountain counties of Kentucky and was composed of men who were unflinching bravery and patriotism. No muster out rolls were provided.

The 8th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry was organized at Estill Springs and Lebanon, Kentucky, October, 1861. The regiment was at Bridgeport, Alabama, until January, 1865. It mustered out February, 1865. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 4th Kentucky Mounted Infantry.

For more information on the history of this article, see:


 * The Civil War Archive section, 8th Regiment Infantry, (accessed 29 June 2012).
 * The Wikipedia article, 8th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, (accessed 29 June 2012).

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.

Company A - Many men mustered in from Camp Dick Robinson, Garrard County, Kentucky. Company B - Many men mustered in from Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky. Company C - Many men mustered in from Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky. Company D - Many men mustered in from Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky. Company E - Many men mustered in from Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky. Company F - Many men mustered in from Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky. Company G - Many men mustered in from Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky. Company H - Many men mustered in from Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky. Company I - Many men mustered in from Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky.

The records for this Regiment's Companies are from the book, Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky, Vol. 1-1861-1866

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,505 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.


 * Duke, Basil Wilson. History of Morgan's Cavalry. (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1983), also on World Catand (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1990),


 * Fletcher, Virginia Billingsley. 'More Kecks of Claiborne County, Tennessee : William, Henry, and Matthew Kerk, son of John Keck Sr. and Anna Ousley : and Jacob Sowder, soldier at Valley Forge, and his descendants thru Adam Sowder, who married Anna Dunn.' (Fort Lauderdale, Florida : V.B. Fletcher, c1992),.


 * Wright, T.J. History of the Eighth Regiment Kentucky Vol. Inf. During Its Three Years Campaigns: Embracing Organization, Marches, Skirmishes, and Battles of the Command, with Much of the History of the Old Reliable Third Brigade, Commanded by Hon. Stanley Matthews, and Containing Many Interesting and Amusing Incidents of Army Life. St. Joseph, Mo.: St. Joseph Steam Print Co., 1880. Digital version at Internet Archive; and ([S.I.]: W. N. Gremilion, c1986), and History of the Eighth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment : during its three years campaigns. (Ravenna, Kentucky : Estill County Historical and Genealogical Society (KY), 1996),