HISTORICAL NOTES:

The 8th Infantry Regiment completed its organization at Lake City, Florida, during the summer of 1862. Its members were raised in the counties of Walton, Washington, Jackson, Santa Rosa, Escambia, Leon, and Gadsden. The unit was soon ordered to Virginia with a force of 950 men, and brigaded under Generals Pryor, E.A. Perry, and Finegan. It was prominent in numerous battles from Second Manassas to Cold Harbor , endured the hardships of the Petersburg trenches south of the James River, and fought in various conflicts around Appomattox . The regiment reported 7 killed, 37 wounded, and 44 missing at Fredericksburg , had 11 killed and 28 wounded at Chancellorsville , and lost fifty-nine percent of the 176 engaged at Gettysburg . Only 4 officers and 28 men surrendered with the Army of Northern Virginia.

Soon after the Chickahominy campaign the Fifth and Eighth Florida regiments of infantry arrived in Virginia and were assigned to Pryor's brigade, otherwise composed of the Second Florida, Twelfth Virginia and Fourteenth Alabama.

The Eighth regiment, under command of Col. R. F. Floyd, included the companies commanded by Captains Worth of Hillsboro, Tucker of Madison, B. A. Bobo of Madison; William Baya of St. John's, R. A. Waller of Gadsden, Stewart of Orange, F. Simmons of Nassau, David Lang of Suwannee, Pons of Duval, T. E. Clarke of Jackson; Dr. Richard P. Daniel was surgeon.

The Second, Fifth and Eighth regiments fought together first in the great battle of Second Manassas August 30, 1862, where, as General Pryor reported, "the Fifth and Eighth Florida regiments, though never under fire before, exhibited the cool and collected courage of veterans." Crossing the Potomac near Leesburg early in September, the brigade marched through Frederick City, over South mountain into Pleasant valley, and participated in the investment and capture of the Federal forces a! Harper's Ferry. Hurrying then to the field of Sharps-burg, they shared the service of R. H. Anderson's division in the battle of September 17th. In this engagement Colonel Hateley and Lieutenant-Colonel Lamar, of the Fifth, were severely wounded.

Colonels Richard F. Floyd and David Lang
Lieutenant Colonels William Baya and John M. Pons
Majors Thomas E. Clarke and William J. Turner

BATTLES:

Thoroughfare Gap, VA - Aug. 28, 1862
Second Manassas, VA - Aug. 30, 1862
Antietam - Sep. 6, 1862
Fredericksburg
Chancellorsville
Gettysburg - Jul. 1-3, 1863
Bristoe Station
Overland Campaign
Petersburg
Appomattox - Apr. 9, 1865

ROSTERS:

Company B - Young Guards
Company E
Company I - Young Guards

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Researching This Unit? Here's What's Available.
Florida General Research
Dickison, Col. J. J. Confederate Military History - Florida Volume	EBOOK $12.95 Paperback $35.00	CD-ROM $15.00
Rigdon, John C.: The Civil War in Florida		CD-ROM $35.00
Rigdon, John C.: Florida Civil War Soldiers Index		CD-ROM $15.00
8th Regiment, Florida Infantry
Rigdon, John C. Historical Sketch and Roster of the 8th Regiment, Florida Infantry 172 pgs.	EBOOK $12.95 Paperback $19.95	CD-ROM $15.00