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HISTORY OF THE EIGHTH VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER
INFANTRY
By: Dave Purschwitz, Regimental Historian
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Early in May 1861, Eppa Hunton was commissioned
by His Excellency, John Letcher, Governor of Virginia, colonel of the 8th
Regiment, and ordered to Leesburg to organize it. He entered at once on this
duty, and appropriated what was then the fair grounds just north of the town of
Leesburg as his camp. The 8th Regiment would eventually be composed of ten
companies; six from Loudoun, two from Fauquier, one from Fairfax and one from
Prince William. All members were more or less green in the organization of a
regiment, but it was soon apparent that the 8th regiment - rank and file was
composed of the very best material in the state. Colonel Hunton was warmly
supported by all the officers and soon had a regiment of splendid soldiers,
commanded by intelligent and gallant officers of the line.
The main duty of the regiment (aided by Capt. Shreve's
Company of cavalry and Capt. Rogers' battery) was to guard the Potomac, up to
the first battle of Manassas. This was the bloody baptism of the regiment. Its
behavior was conspicuous for gallantry, and was especially mentioned and
complimented by Gen. Beauregard in his report of that glorious battle. This was
the 21st of July, '61. Two days after, it was ordered back to Leesburg to guard
this grand old county from the ravages of the enemy. Soon after they were
reinforced by three Mississippi regiments and several companies of cavalry -
all under command of Gen. Evans.
They were then ordered to Goose Creek Bridge to meet a
body of the enemy advancing up the pike. It was apparent that this was a
reconnoitering party and did not mean an attack. In the meantime the enemy in
strong force under Gen. Baker was crossing at Harrison's Island to Ball's
Bluff, opposite to and about three miles from Leesburg. Hunton was ordered to
leave one company to guard the bridge and go at once to meet the enemy at
Ball's Bluff. The enemy's force across the river was reported to be about eight
thousand strong.
On the Confederate side were the 13th, 17th and 18th
Mississippi and the 8th Virginia, some cavalry and two batteries of artillery.
The artillery was not engaged and little fighting was done by the cavalry, so
the fight fell largely on the 8th and the three Mississippi Regiments. The 8th
had 400 men engaged and the total number with the Mississippians was about
1,700.
The 18th Mississippi was ambushed in the beginning of the
fight and driven back with very heavy loss. The 8th took position in the edge
of a wood. The enemy was posted across a small piece of open land also in a
body of woods, with several pieces of artillery in the open field near the
enemy's line. The enemy charged several times, but each charge was gallantly
repulsed by the 8th regiment. The fight lasted several hours. Union Commander,
Col. Edward Baker fell mortally wounded, possibly shot by Sgt. Clinton Hatcher.
The Eighth's ammunition was about exhausted and several efforts to secure more
were ineffectual. Hunton determined to charge the enemy and by dividing up the
cartridges, each man had one round. The charge, mainly with the bayonet, was as
gallant as any made in the war. The 8th was a little later on reinforced by the
17th Mississippi. The enemy was completely routed and thoroughly demoralized.
They were driven from the field and down the bluff to the banks of the Potomac.
Darkness stopped the fight.
After the fighting had ceased and the enemy were thought
to have retired across the river, Lieut. Chas. Berkeley was put in command of a
picket of seventeen men of the 8th Va. to picket the battlefield and E.V. White
(Scout for Hunton) was requested to remain with him. The Mississippi regiments
had been sent back to their camps and the remainder of the 8th sent to Fort
Evans. Lieut. Berkeley and White were succouring the wounded when they
discovered some 1,500 Yankees under the bluff between the bank of the river and
who were crossing back to the island by two large boats and two smaller ones.
White was dispatched to the 8th for men to capture this force. Forty-eight
volunteers and three officers were conducted down to the Bluff with orders at a
given signal to fire their guns in the air, while the main body, led by White,
would descend and mix with the enemy below and call on them to surrender. This
was accordingly carried out. The number of prisoners taken on this occasion was
about 400 and was effected entirely by White, and the officers and men of the
8th Virginia regiment.
710 prisoners, all their artillery, and a large supply of
arms and ammunition were captured, with but little loss to the 8th. The
enemy's loss was 1,300 killed, wounded and drowned, and 710 captured, as
reported. For the force engaged on each side, this was the most complete
victory of the war. We had not more than 1,700 muskets in the fight. A
Baltimore paper placed the Federal loss in killed, wounded and captured, at
2,250. They lost more men than we had muskets, a result unexampled in
war. A flank movement by the Little River Turnpike was apprehended, and
Hunton was ordered to retreat to Sycolin creek. No pen can describe the
feelings of the men of the gallant 8th, mostly citizens of Loudoun, as they
marched through Leesburg and abandoned it to the enemy. Hunton felt dishonored,
and was sure there was no need for this hasty retreat, but orders had to be
obeyed. Fortunately, the enemy was too badly whipped to take advantage of their
retreat, and Leesburg was at that time spared from the ravages of the foe.
The gallant conduct of the 8th, and the complete victory
at Ball's Bluff, gave the regiment a splendid reputation which was increased in
every battle it was in during the war. Soon after this fight the regiment was
ordered to join the main army at Centreville, that it might be brigaded with
other Virginia regiments. A public reception was given to the Eighth when they
reached that place, and they were recognized everywhere as the heroes of Ball's
Bluff. Hunton said he should never forget the wonder excited at Centreville by
their wagon train. It consisted of twenty-five wagons. When this train reached
Centreville it drew out a large portion of Gen. Johnson's army. No one would
believe it belonged to just one regiment. The next day one-half of it was taken
away. As the want of transportation became greater during the progress of the
war, their transportation was still further reduced till they, who started with
25 wagons, were reduced to one, to carry the cooking utensils of the whole
regiment. It is impossible in a short address to follow the 8th Regiment
through the whole war, and to describe its conduct in all the battles in which
it served. The 8th fought at Seven Pines, 2nd Manassas, South Mountain,
Antietam, Fredericksburg, Williamsburg, Gaines' Mill, Frazier's Farm, Malvern
Hill, Gettysburg, Howlett House, Gravelly Run and Sailor's Creek. These were
their principal battles, but there were a great many smaller ones. One of the
hardest of the Seven Days' fight was Gaines' Mill. Mechanicsville was fought
the day before and resulted in a victory for the Confederate arms, but with
heavy loss. The enemy took up a very strong position at Gaines' Mill. They had
three fortified lines. The first was in a ravine about five feet deep, about a
hundred yards in rear of the first line was another, posted behind temporary
breast-works, and still another line hundred yards in the rear protected by
temporary cover. These two last lines were on the hillside so that all three
lines could fire on the advancing Confederate line. Brockenbrough's
brigade had charged this position and was repulsed. Pryor's brigade was put in
and driven back.
Then Pickett's brigade, consisting of the 8th, 18th, 19th,
28th and 56th Virginia Regiments, was ordered to charge this formidable
position. They charged down a steep hill and were exposed to the terrible fire
of three well protected lines of the enemy. There was never a more gallant
charge than this, Gettysburg excepted. They carried all three lines in
beautiful and splendid style, taking a large part of the artillery behind third
line. At this point they were joined by a portion of Jackson's forces, who had
come in obliquely on their left and then they met a charge of cavalry, which
soon scattered. Their charge at Gaines' Mill was the admiration of all who saw
it, but was attended with a severe loss while charging down the hill, exposed
to the continuous fire from the hostile lines. This charge was alluded to
because Pickett's brigade and the 8th Virginia never behaved with more
gallantry.
At Gettysburg, the 8th took position behind the artillery
with 205 men in its ranks. It had been greatly reduced by its brilliant
participation in the preceding battles of the war. Five men were killed in the
artillery duel, and when the order to charge was given, two hundred heroes of
the 8th regiment went into the charge, the most brilliant and heroic in the annals
of the war. Hunton was wounded at the red barn, a little more than half-way in
the charge. Gen. Garnett, the 8th's Brigade Commander, was killed cheering his
men on. General Armistead, mortally wounded, expired one and a half days after
the charge and General Kemper, though badly wounded, would survive. The men,
rank and file, fell by the thousands.
But the heroes of Pickett's Division charged on and onward
with almost resistless fury; until they had driven the enemy from its first
line behind a stone fence. By this time nearly all had been killed or wounded,
and the enemy seeing how small their numbers were, rallied, and with fresh
troops, killed, wounded or captured the small remnant of this heroic band. The
flag of the 8th lay on the ground, lost along with its final bearer, no one
able to retrieve it. The 16th Vermont picked it up as a prize of war. Thus
ended the most brilliant charge of that or any other war. Of the two hundred
men, as brave as ever carried musket, who went into that charge, only ten
returned unhurt. One hundred ninety lost in killed, wounded and captured. This
was July 3. 1863, and was the high tide of the war. Hunton was promoted to
Brigadier General from Gettysburg to take Garnett's old Brigade. Taken from
immediate command of the regiment, the dear old 8th was still a part of his
brigade and remained with him until war's end. The regiment with the rest of
the Brigade was ordered to Chaffin's Farm to rest and recruit. They joined the
main army at Hanover Junction in the spring of 1864 and participated in the
memorable battles of that campaign, the most masterly ever conducted by Gen.
Lee or any other Military Chieftain.
In these fights the Federal losses were greater than Gen.
Lee's whole army. These losses were immediately supplied. Gen. Lee's could not
be. Grant changed his base from the North to the South side of the James River.
Beauregard had to abandon his fortified line below the Howlett House and hasten
to the defense of Petersburg. This line embraced Drewry's Bluff, and extended
down the James towards its junction with the Appomattox. It was vital to the
defense of Richmond. General Lee ordered Pickett's Division to hasten to the
defense of this important line.
Hunton's Brigade was third in line when this march began. They
had become familiar with all the cross roads and by-paths of the intervening
country. For this reason Hunton was ordered to detach the Brigade from the rest
of the Division, and make a forced march to save the abandoned line. No troops,
not even the foot cavalry of the immortal Jackson, ever made better time. The
enemy had occupied Beauregard's line and turned it against them. Hunton was
ordered to march down the Petersburg pike till he struck the enemy, and retook
the line. The 8th was sent forward as a skirmish line and soon struck the
enemy. The Brigade was ordered to left face and charge. What a magnificent
charge it was. They drove the enemy into and beyond the abandoned line, which
was re-established and greatly strengthened. The other Brigades of the
Division, also after a brilliant charge, took position in this line on their
right and left.
This heroic conduct delighted their dear old commander,
General Lee, and drew from him the only undignified order he ever issued. He
said, after complimenting the officers and soldiers of Pickett's Division, he
believed "Pickett's men would take anything they were put against. Major
Drewry witnessed this charge, and said when Hunton gave the order, "Left
face, charge," he never saw anything so splendid and beautiful. He said
everyone in the brigade, from its commander to the last private, seemed to know
exactly what to do and did it in a manner unequaled in the history of the
war." From this time on, it became apparent that the fortunes of the
Confederacy were on the wane. Victory had generally followed their banner
under Lee, but their resources of men and supplies were growing less every day,
while the enemy's was increased. There was the same gallantry of the men,
but their little army could not fight the whole world. To illustrate this
gallantry, Pickett with the rest of his division was fighting Sheridan at Five
Forks, and advancing on Dinwiddie Courthouse, Lee ordered Hunton's brigade
(then reduced to less than 1,500 muskets), with two other brigades, fully as
small, to form on the road leading from his main line to Five Forks. They had
hardly formed when a full division of Warren's corps marched down upon them.
These three little brigades, attacked that division and in the most gallant
style drove it back more than a mile and a half to Gravelly Run. Hunton was
ordered next day to reinforce Pickett, who had been routed, driven from Five
Forks, with his command badly demoralized and scattered. Hunton was not able to
find General Pickett, and was joined by two other brigades, all under command
of Gen. Bushrod Johnson. Under him they commenced their mournful retreat.
Hunton's Brigade brought up the rear with Gen. Fitz Lee's cavalry behind them.
This was a heart-sickening retreat. They all knew the end
was not far off, and still the battle-scarred veterans of the 8th, were ready
to do all in their power, and to die for the dear cause they loved so well. At
one point on this retreat they had to cross a bridge over a deep stream. The
duty was assigned Hunton of guarding this bridge until the rest - infantry and
cavalry - had crossed. When it came their turn to cross, they were fighting the
enemy in strong force on three sides. They had flankers to the right and left
and skirmishers in rear. But they crossed in safety and continued to bring up
the rear till they united with the rest of Pickett's Division. Their rations
failed entirely so the brigade was halted at a corn house by the roadside and
ears of corn distributed as rations.
On the 6th of April, 1865, as the enemy attacked Huger's
artillery of Pickett's Division, Hunton's Brigade counter attacked and retook
the artillery. The brigade was deployed in line of battle, attenuated to the
last degree. With Terry's brigade on the right, Corse and Stewart on the left each
effort to approach Sailor's Creek and continue the retreat was met by a gallant
charge from Custer's cavalry, and while they were thus prevented from
retreating, the Federal infantry was surrounding them. When surrounded, and not
till then, Hunton, after slinging his sword into some brush, surrendered along
with the remaining heroes of his brigade. Some companies of the 8th had been
sent to Terry to extend his line, many of them escaped capture. Thus ended the
8th Virginia's part in the war.
Three days later on, the 9th of April, 1865, General Lee
surrendered his army to Grant at Appomattox Court House amid the tears and
groans of a dying nation. Eleven men of the Eighth Virginia were granted
paroles at Appomattox Court House. Of these eleven men only two were volunteers
from 1861.
Page 2
Battle History
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