8th South Carolina Volunteer Infantry

The 8th S.C. Infantry was organised at Marion, SC during the spring of 1861. The regiment was mustered into service there April 13, 1861. Soon afterward, the regiment was sent to Florence and remained there only briefly before being moved to Virginia May 29, 1861. Upon its arrival there, the unit joined the Army of the Potomac. The unit was next reported in the Department of Northern Virginia and was subsequently absorbed by the Army of Northern Virginia where it served until the summer of 1863 (following Gettysburg). At that time, as part of General James Longstreet's Corps, the regiment moved to northern Georgia. There, the 8th served with the Army of Tennessee, then, the Department of East Tennessee. In the spring of 1864, the regiment rejoined the Army of Northern Virginia. In early 1865, the 8th South Carolina moved south, seeing service in the Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida and with the Army of Tennessee.

The unit began its fighting career at First Manassas under General Bonham before being assigned to General Joseph Kershaw's brigade. Below is a partial list of the 8th South Carolina's war service:

The Eighth South Infantry was organised at Marion, South Carolina, during the spring of 1861. The regiment was mustered into Confederate service there. More specific information has been found on six of the regiment's companies.

“A”, “E”, “F”, “M” men from Darlington County*

“I” men from Marion County

“K” nicknamed the Marion Guards; men from Marion County

Like almost all Civil War units the Eighth South Carolina Infantry was often known by an alternate designation derived from the name of its commanding officer. Unofficial names of this type used by or for the regiment are shown below.

Ellerbee B. Cash's Infantry

John W. Henagan's Infantry

Axalla J. Hoole's Infantry

Eli T. Stackhouse's Infantry

Donald McDonald McLeod’s Infantry

Thomas E. Lucas' Infantry

Duncan McIntyre's Infantry

Soon after being mustered into service the regiment was ordered to Florence, South Carolina. It remained there only briefly, moving to Virginia on May 29, 1861. Upon arriving in Virginia the unit joined the Army of the Potomac. The unit was next reported in the Department of Northern Virginia. Units in this command were subsequently absorbed by the Army of Northern Virginia. The regiment served with that Army until the summer of 1863. At that time, as part of Longstreet's Corps, the regiment moved to northern Georgia. There it served in the Army of Tennessee and, later, in the Department of East Tennessee, In the spring of 1864 the regiment returned to service in the Army of Northern Virginia. During the summer of 1864 the unit saw service in the Army of the Valley District. In December, 1864, the regiment rejoined the Army of Northern Virginia. In early 1865 the unit moved south, seeing service in the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida and in the Army of Tennessee.

*See Treasured Remembrances compiled by the John K. McIver Chapter U.D.C. (1911)

The 8th South Carolina's Last Wartime Death

from Broken Fortunes by Randolph W. Kirkland, Jr.

The last South Carolinan to die in the War within the final year of 1865 appears from this listing to be Sergeant R.H. Ward of Darlington District Company E, 8th South Carolina Volunteers. He died a prisoner of war at Camp Chase, Ohio on December 19, 1865. He had been captured at Winchester, Virginia on September 13, 1864.

Hannah Lide Coker

A Story of the Late War

Mrs Hannah Lide Coker of Hartsville gave three of her sons to service to South Carolina. Two of them, Willie and Charlie as she affectionately called them, served in the 8th South Carolina Regiment. This is her story from, of course, a mother's perspective.

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