Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-06-30
the Wisconsin State Journal.
From the Wisconsin State Journal.
The Eighth Regiment at Home.
A SKETCH OF ITS HISTORY.
Its Varied & Gallant Services,
ITS RECEPTION AT MADISON.

A dispatch was received here Monday
evening that the Eighth Regiment was at
Chicago, 240 strong and would leave the next
morning for home.
The glorious services of this regiment, its
long marches and gallant fighting, on widely
people of the State, through the letters of
correspondents, the reports of officers the
history published by serg't briggs, and the
songs of poets, to need recounting at length
in our columns, but we will give brief
sketch of it's history.
The Eighth was organized at Camp Ran
dali on the 4th of September, 1861, under
the superinte ndence Of Col. R. G. MURPHY,
with G.. W. ROBBINS as Lieut. Colonel, and J.
W. JEFFERSON as Major, and the muster into
the United States service completed on the
18th. 1t left the State with 973 men, on the
18th of October, the fine appearance of the
men, and the live eagle carried beside their
colors, attracting great attention and high
praise on the route.
1t reached st. Louis on the l4th. The
next day it started south on the Iron Noun
tain railroad, and on the goth CALAMITY assis-
ted in routing 1000 rebels under jeff. Thomp.
son, at Fredericktown, losing one man. On
the 10th of November, after march of $50
miles, it returned to Pilot Knob, where it re-
manned till the 25th, when it joined the lth
at Sulphur Springs remaining there till the
18th Of January, 1852, when it was ordered
to Cairo, remaining there till the 4th of
March, when it was ordered to join Gen.
POPE. 1t reached the vicinity of New Ma
drid on the 10th. Thence it was ordered to
Point Pleasant, % miles further down the
river, remaining on duty there till the 7th of
April, when it crossed the Mississippi with
the remainder Of Gen. PLUMBERS command,
| and assisted in capturing the rebel force at
Island No. 10.
Moving up the Tennessee river, it went in
to camp four miles above Pittsburg Landing,
near Hamburg. Moving thence to Farming
ton on the 1st of May, on the 9th it distin-
guished itself in the battle of Pennington,
for its conduct in which it was highly com.
| plimented by the General in command On
the 2Sth it took part in repelling the last
desperate effort to raise the seige of Corinth,
driving the rebels from its front in wild dis.
| order.
After the evacuation of Corinth the Eighth
took part in the pursuit of the enemy, and on
the I'd of June encamped at Boonville, rs
miles south, where it captured a quantity OF
stores and remained some days. During the
next three months and a half it was occupied
in various guard duty and sundry expeditions
against the rebels in northern Mississippi and
Alabama. On the 10th of September it took
part in the battle of Iuka, suffering, however
but slightly, and on the Sd of October was
engaged in the severe battle of Corinth, los.
ing II killed, 80 wounded and Is missing
After pursuing the retreating enemy some
40 miles, the regiment was ordered back to
| Corinth and went into camp.
From the I'd of November to the 18th OF
March, 1868, they were engaged in various
fatiguing marches and arduous labors in
northern Mississippi and southern Tennessee.
In the meantime Col. MURPHY was in January
dismissed from the service for his surrender
of Holly Springs, thereby defeating General
GRANTS plans for movement into the heart
of Mississippi and ROBBINS was promoted to
| Colonel.