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8th USCT Infantry

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Muster In: Organized at Camp William Penn, Philadelphia, Pa., September 22 to December 4, 1863.1
Muster Out: Mustered out November 10, 1865.2

Commander(s):
Colonel Samuel C. Armstrong (of the 9th USCT)
Commander Image

Major Abijah S. Pell
Commander Image

Major Edelmiro Mayer (of the 45th USCT)
Commander Image

Captain Frank F. Newland
Commander Image

Commander 5
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not present at the Siege of Petersburg.3

Second Offensive Order of Battle:

Third Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not present at the Siege of Petersburg.6

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle:

Colored Brigade | X Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (August 13-24, 1864)7

First Brigade | Third Division | X Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (August 25-31, 1864)8,9

  • Commander: Major Edelmiro Mayer (of the 45th USCT)(August 31, 1864)10
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Moved to Deep Bottom, Va., August 4-12.11

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle:

First Brigade | Third Division | X Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (prior to October 13, 1864)12,13

Second Brigade | Third Division | X Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (definitely October 13, 1864 and later)14

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | X Corps | Army of the James | Union Army15,16

  • Commander: Captain Frank F. Newland (October 31, 1864)17
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle:

Second Brigade | Third Division | X Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (November 1-December 3, 1864)18

Second Brigade | Second Division | XXV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (December 3-31, 1864)19

  • Commander: Colonel Samuel C. Armstrong (of the 9th USCT)(December 31, 1864)20
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: On December 3, 1864, the X Corps and XVIII Corps of the Army of the James were reorganized into the XXIV Corps and the XXV Corps.

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Second Division | XXV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army21,22

  • Commander:
    • Colonel Samuel C. Armstrong (January 31, 1865)23
    • Major Abijah S. Pell (February 28, 1865)24
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Second Division | XXV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army25,26

  • Commander: Colonel Samuel C. Armstrong (March 31, 1865)27
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles28:

  • Moved to Deep Bottom, Va., August 4-12.
  • Action at Deep Bottom August 12.
  • Duty at Deep Bottom and in trenches before Petersburg until September 27.
  • Battle of Chaffin’s Farm, New Market Heights, September 28-30.
  • Fort Harrison September 29.
  • Darbytown Road October 13.
  • Battle of Fair Oaks October 27-28.
  • In trenches before Richmond until March 27, 1865.
  • Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9.
  • Hatcher’s Run March 29-31.
  • Fall of Petersburg April 2.
  • Pursuit of Lee April 3-9.
  • Appomattox Court House April 9.
  • Surrender of Lee and his army.
  • Moved to Petersburg April 11, and duty there until May 24.

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    2. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    3. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    4. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 8th United States Colored Troops Entry, Page 90; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
    5. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    6. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    7.  The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 120: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)”: This brigade became the First Brigade of Birney’s Third (Colored) Division, Tenth Corps at some point in late August 1864, after Second Deep Bottom.
    8.  The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 620: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864”
    9.  The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 109: “Itinerary of the Army of the Potomac and Army of the James”: “August 25.-Brigadier General William Birney assumed command of the Third Division, Tenth Army Corps…”
    10. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 620: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864”
    11. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    12. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1303.
    13. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 134: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)”: The Official Records casualty returns for Chaffin’s Farm still refer to this brigade as the unattached “Colored Brigade”, Tenth Corps, Army of the James.
    14. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 147: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)”
    15. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 465: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)”
    16. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 150: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Fair Oaks and Darbytown Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864”
    17. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 465: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)”
    18. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    19. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1126: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864)
    20. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1126: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864)
    21. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 337: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865)
    22. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 750: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865)
    23. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 337: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865)
    24. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 750: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865)
    25. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 580: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865)
    26. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 596: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865”
    27. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 580: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865)
    28. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
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