8th Vermont Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 8th Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Infantry was a three-year infantry regiment in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. It served in both major theaters, first in Louisiana
and then in Virginia
, from February 1862 to June 1865. It was a member of the XIX Corps
.
The regiment was mustered into Federal service on February 18, 1862, at Brattleboro, Vermont
. It was engaged in, or present at, the Occupation of New Orleans
, Raceland, Boutte Station, Bayou des Allemands, the Steamer "Cotton," Bisland, and Port Hudson, in the Department of the Gulf, and Opequon
, Fisher's Hill
, Cedar Creek
, and Newtown in the Shenandoah Valley campaign
.
, the 8th Vermont Infantry played a critical role in the fighting. In the early morning fog of 19 October 1864, confederates crossed Cedar Creek near Strasburg, Virginia
, and attacked Union forces in their camps. After routing the Union's VIII Corps
, the Confederate attack struck at the XIX Corps. While the XIX Corps fought back from entrenched position, a second Confederate Corps joined the battle flanking their trenches. In order to escape the trap Brigadier General William H. Emory
, commander of the XIX Corps, ordered the 2nd Brigade of his First Division to move forward, engage, and delay the two Confederate Corps.
At the time of the battle, the 2nd Brigade was composed of three under-strength units, the 12th Connecticut Infantry Regiment, the 160th New York Infantry Regiment, and the 8th Vermont Infantry Regiment. The Brigade was commanded by a Colonel Stephen Thomas
, who had previously commanded the 8th Vermont. As ordered, the Brigade advance several hundred yards beyond the Federal lines and engaged the vastly superior Confederate forces in brutal hand-to-hand combat. Their stubborn fight held up the Confederate attack for thirty minutes, allowing the rest of the XIX Corps to withdraw and join forces with the VI Corps
about a mile to their rear near Belle Grove Plantation
. As mounting casualties reduced the 2nd Brigade’s combat effectiveness, Colonel Thomas successfully withdrew his Brigade. The 8th Vermont Infantry being the last unit to pull back.
In his short engagement, the casualty rates were extremely high in all of the 2nd Brigade units, especially the 8th Vermont. Of 164 Vermont men, 110 were killed or wounded along with 13 of their 16 officers. Here is how the fighting was described by one Vermont veteran:
Suddenly a mass of rebels confronted the flags, and with hoarse shouts demanded their surrender. Defiant shouts went back. “Never!” “Never!” A rebel soldier then leveled his musket and shot Corporal Petre, who held the colors. He cried out: “Boys, leave me; take care of yourselves and the flag!” But in that vortex of hell men did not forget the colors; and as Petrie fell and crawled away to die, they were instantly seized and borne aloft by Corporal Perham, and were as quickly demanded again by a rebel who eagerly attempted to grasp them; but Sergeant Shores of the guard placed his musket at the man's breast and fired, instantly killing him. But now another flash, and a cruel bullet from the dead rebel's companion killed Corporal Perham, and the colors fell to the earth. Once more, amide terrific yells, the colors went up, this time held by Corporal Blanchard—and the carnage went on. (George H. Carpenter, 8th Vermont)
Despite the heavy fighting and the loss of three color bearers, the 8th Vermont Infantry did not give up their flag and withdrew in good order. Falling back slowly, they rejoin the rest of the XIX Corps around Belle Grove plantation. The 8th Vermont continues to fight all day, ultimately helping to turn the dawn route at Cedar Creek into a major Union victory.
In 1883, a monument of Vermont marble
was place at the site where the 8th Vermont made their stand. The monument was paid for by Herbert E. Hill, a Vermont business man who wanted to honor his state’s civil war heroes. The monument still exists. It is located in its original place on the battlefield about 150 yards east of the Valley Pike, now U.S. Route 11
between Middletown
and Strasburg, Virginia. While the monument is well maintained, it is located on private property so it is not easy to find.
The regiment mustered out of service on June 28, 1865.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It served in both major theaters, first in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and then in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, from February 1862 to June 1865. It was a member of the XIX Corps
XIX Corps (ACW)
XIX Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It spent most of its service in Louisiana and the Gulf, though several units fought in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley....
.
The regiment was mustered into Federal service on February 18, 1862, at Brattleboro, Vermont
Brattleboro, Vermont
Brattleboro, originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States, located in the southeast corner of the state, along the state line with New Hampshire. The population was 12,046 at the 2010 census...
. It was engaged in, or present at, the Occupation of New Orleans
Battle of New Orleans (Civil War)
The Capture of New Orleans during the American Civil War was an important event for the Union. Having fought past Forts Jackson and St. Philip, the Union was unopposed in its capture of the city itself, which was spared the destruction suffered by many other Southern cities...
, Raceland, Boutte Station, Bayou des Allemands, the Steamer "Cotton," Bisland, and Port Hudson, in the Department of the Gulf, and Opequon
Battle of Opequon
The Battle of Opequon, more commonly known as the Third Battle of Winchester, was fought in Winchester, Virginia, on September 19, 1864, during the Valley Campaigns of 1864 in the American Civil War....
, Fisher's Hill
Battle of Fisher's Hill
The Battle of Fisher's Hill was fought September 21–22, 1864, as part of the Valley Campaigns of 1864 during the American Civil War. Fisher's Hill is located near Strasburg, Virginia....
, Cedar Creek
Battle of Cedar Creek
The Battle of Cedar Creek, or Battle of Belle Grove, October 19, 1864, was one of the final, and most decisive, battles in the Valley Campaigns of 1864 during the American Civil War. The final Confederate invasion of the North, led by Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early, was effectively ended...
, and Newtown in the Shenandoah Valley campaign
Valley Campaigns of 1864
The Valley Campaigns of 1864 were American Civil War operations and battles that took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia from May to October 1864. Military historians divide this period into three separate campaigns, but it is useful to consider the three together and how they...
.
Battle of Cedar Creek
During the Battle of Cedar CreekBattle of Cedar Creek
The Battle of Cedar Creek, or Battle of Belle Grove, October 19, 1864, was one of the final, and most decisive, battles in the Valley Campaigns of 1864 during the American Civil War. The final Confederate invasion of the North, led by Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early, was effectively ended...
, the 8th Vermont Infantry played a critical role in the fighting. In the early morning fog of 19 October 1864, confederates crossed Cedar Creek near Strasburg, Virginia
Strasburg, Virginia
Strasburg is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States, which was founded in 1761 by Peter Stover. It is the largest town, population-wise, in the county and is known for its pottery, antiques, and Civil War history...
, and attacked Union forces in their camps. After routing the Union's VIII Corps
VIII Corps (ACW)
The VIII Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War.- Creation and early service :The corps was initially created out of various Union commands as part of the Middle Department in the Shenandoah Valley on July 12, 1862, and was placed under the command of Major General John...
, the Confederate attack struck at the XIX Corps. While the XIX Corps fought back from entrenched position, a second Confederate Corps joined the battle flanking their trenches. In order to escape the trap Brigadier General William H. Emory
William H. Emory
William Hemsley Emory was an United States Army officer and surveyor of Texas.-Early life and career:...
, commander of the XIX Corps, ordered the 2nd Brigade of his First Division to move forward, engage, and delay the two Confederate Corps.
At the time of the battle, the 2nd Brigade was composed of three under-strength units, the 12th Connecticut Infantry Regiment, the 160th New York Infantry Regiment, and the 8th Vermont Infantry Regiment. The Brigade was commanded by a Colonel Stephen Thomas
Stephen Thomas
Stephen Thomas , manufacturer, politician, jurist, and Union Army officer. He was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for gallantry.-Early life:...
, who had previously commanded the 8th Vermont. As ordered, the Brigade advance several hundred yards beyond the Federal lines and engaged the vastly superior Confederate forces in brutal hand-to-hand combat. Their stubborn fight held up the Confederate attack for thirty minutes, allowing the rest of the XIX Corps to withdraw and join forces with the VI Corps
VI Corps (ACW)
The VI Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Formation:The corps was organized as the Sixth Provisional Corps on May 18, 1862, by uniting Maj. Gen. William B. Franklin's Division, which had just arrived on the Virginia Peninsula, with Maj. Gen. William F. Smith's...
about a mile to their rear near Belle Grove Plantation
Belle Grove Plantation (Middletown, Virginia)
Belle Grove Plantation is a late-18th-century plantation and estate in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, USA. It is situated in Frederick County, about a mile southwest of Middletown....
. As mounting casualties reduced the 2nd Brigade’s combat effectiveness, Colonel Thomas successfully withdrew his Brigade. The 8th Vermont Infantry being the last unit to pull back.
Suddenly a mass of rebels confronted the flags, and with hoarse shouts demanded their surrender. Defiant shouts went back. “Never!” “Never!” A rebel soldier then leveled his musket and shot Corporal Petre, who held the colors. He cried out: “Boys, leave me; take care of yourselves and the flag!” But in that vortex of hell men did not forget the colors; and as Petrie fell and crawled away to die, they were instantly seized and borne aloft by Corporal Perham, and were as quickly demanded again by a rebel who eagerly attempted to grasp them; but Sergeant Shores of the guard placed his musket at the man's breast and fired, instantly killing him. But now another flash, and a cruel bullet from the dead rebel's companion killed Corporal Perham, and the colors fell to the earth. Once more, amide terrific yells, the colors went up, this time held by Corporal Blanchard—and the carnage went on. (George H. Carpenter, 8th Vermont)
Despite the heavy fighting and the loss of three color bearers, the 8th Vermont Infantry did not give up their flag and withdrew in good order. Falling back slowly, they rejoin the rest of the XIX Corps around Belle Grove plantation. The 8th Vermont continues to fight all day, ultimately helping to turn the dawn route at Cedar Creek into a major Union victory.
In 1883, a monument of Vermont marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
was place at the site where the 8th Vermont made their stand. The monument was paid for by Herbert E. Hill, a Vermont business man who wanted to honor his state’s civil war heroes. The monument still exists. It is located in its original place on the battlefield about 150 yards east of the Valley Pike, now U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 is a north–south United States highway extending 1,645 miles across the eastern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 90 in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in eastern New Orleans, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at the United...
between Middletown
Middletown, Virginia
Middletown is a town in Frederick County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,265 at the 2010 census.- History :Belle Grove Plantation, about a mile southwest of Middletown, was first settled in about 1750 and its historic Federal-style manor house was completed in 1797...
and Strasburg, Virginia. While the monument is well maintained, it is located on private property so it is not easy to find.
Casualties
Cedar Creek was the last active engagement in which the 8th Vermont Infantry Regiment participated. During the course of the war a total of 1,772 men served in the 8th Vermont Infantry. Of that number, the unit lost during its term of service: 104 men killed and mortally wounded, 8 died from accident, 20 died in Confederate prisons, and 213 died from disease; for a total loss of 345 men.The regiment mustered out of service on June 28, 1865.