8th Battalion, Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)

Brief History
8th Infantry Battalion [also designated the 1st and also called 2nd Battalion] was organized at Little Rock, Arkansas, in March, 1862. On July 9, 1863, it was captured in the fight at Port Hudson. After being exchanged, the men claimed their organization but were united with the 18th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Carroll's-Daly's-Crockett's).

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 (also known as Clark Rifles) — many men from Clark County - Roster

Company B (also known as Chicot Rebels) — many men from Chicot County - Roster

Old Company B (also known as Peyton Rifles) - transferred to the 25th Regiment Arkansas Infantry as Company F in May 1862.

Company C (also known as Black River Rifles) — many men from Lawrence County - Roster

Company D (also known as Greene County Roughs) — many men from Greene County - Roster

Company E (also known as Wood's Rifles) — many men from Craighead County - Roster

Company F (also known as Ashley Light Infantry) — many men from Ashley County - Roster

Company G (also known as Lawrence Dead-Shots) — many men from Lawrence County - Roster

The above information about the companies, their nicknames, and their counties came from the web site, 8th Arkansas Infantry Battalion, CSA, by Bryan R. Howerton, part of the Edward G. Gerdes Arkansas Civil War site (accessed 8 October 2011).

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 207 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 or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in 'Arkansas 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.


 * Arkansas in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Tennessee, 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.