8th Regiment, United States Colored Heavy Artillery

Brief History
Organized as 1st Kentucky Heavy Artillery African Descent at Paducah, Kentucky, April 26-October 13, 1864. Designation changed to 7th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery. Changed to 8th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery, April 26, 1864. Mustered out February 10, 1866.

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.

8th U. S. Colored Artillery (Heavy): Company A - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky. Company B - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky. Company C - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky. Company D - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky. Company E - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky. Company F - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky. Company G - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky. Company H - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky. Company I - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky. Company K - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky. Company L - Many men mustered in from Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky.

Kentucky. Adjutant General, Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky, Vol. II, 1861-1866, (Frankfort, KY: Kentucky Yeoman Office, 1866),Troop Appendix Pg.136-149

National Archives Catalog

 * Regimental and Company Books of the 8th U.S. Colored Troops Heavy Artillery Regiment

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in 'Union Volunteers 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.


 * Union Volunteers in the Civil War describes many Union sources, specifically for the Union Volunteers, 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 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.


 * FamilySearch Wiki: Kentucky in the Civil War