8th Vermont Infantry The 8th Regiment , Vermont Volunteer Infantry was a three - year infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War . It served in both major theaters , first in Louisiana and then in Virginia , from February 1862 to June 1865 . It was a member of the XIX Corps . The regiment was mustered into Federal service on February 18 , 1862 , at Brattleboro , Vermont . It was engaged in , or present at , the Occupation of New Orleans , Raceland , Boutte Station , Bayou des Allemands , the Steamer " Cotton , " Bisland , and Port Hudson , in the Department of the Gulf , and Opequon , Fisher ' s Hill , Cedar Creek , and Newtown in the Shenandoah Valley campaign . New Orleans . After the Union captured New Orleans , it enlisted a number of German - Americans who had been Louisiana citizens . In October 1862 , 130 men from the 8th were captured along with seven German - Americans . The Confederates determined that these Germans had been enlisted in the Confederate Army and were therefore traitors . They were forced to dig their own graves , then were shot . The remainder of the prisoners were well - treated and eventually paroled . Port Hudson . It moved with the XIX Corps to take Port Hudson , Louisiana in April 1863 . In the battle which followed on May 27 , it lost 12 men , including the Brigade Commander , and had 76 wounded . Battle of Cedar Creek . During the Battle of Cedar Creek , the 8th Vermont Infantry played a critical role in the fighting . In the early morning fog of 19 October 1864 , confederates crossed Cedar Creek near Strasburg , Virginia , and attacked Union forces in their camps . After routing the Union ' s VIII Corps , the Confederate attack struck at the XIX Corps . While the XIX Corps fought back from entrenched position , a second Confederate Corps joined the battle flanking their trenches . In order to escape the trap Brigadier General William H . Emory , commander of the XIX Corps , ordered the 2nd Brigade of his First Division to move forward , engage , and delay the two Confederate Corps . At the time of the battle , the 2nd Brigade was composed of three under - strength units , the 12th Connecticut Infantry , the 160th New York Infantry , and the 8th Vermont Infantry . The brigade was commanded by a Colonel Stephen Thomas , who had previously commanded the 8th Vermont . As ordered , the brigade advanced several hundred yards beyond the Federal lines and engaged the vastly superior Confederate forces in brutal hand - to - hand combat . Their stubborn fight held up the Confederate attack for thirty minutes , allowing the rest of the XIX Corps to withdraw and join forces with the VI Corps about a mile to their rear near Belle Grove Plantation . As mounting casualties reduced the 2nd Brigade ’ s combat effectiveness , Col . Thomas successfully withdrew his brigade , the 8th Vermont Infantry being the last unit to withdraw . In this short engagement , the casualty rates were extremely high in all of the 2nd Brigade units , especially the 8th Vermont . Of 164 Vermont men , 110 were killed or wounded along with 13 of their 16 officers . The fight was described by one Vermont veteran : " Suddenly a mass of rebels confronted the flags , and with hoarse shouts demanded their surrender . Defiant shouts went back . “ Never ! ” “ Never ! ” A rebel soldier then leveled his musket and shot Corporal Petre , who held the colors . He cried out : “ Boys , leave me ; take care of yourselves and the flag ! ” But in that vortex of hell men did not forget the colors ; and as Petrie fell and crawled away to die , they were instantly seized and borne aloft by Corporal Perham , and were as quickly demanded again by a rebel who eagerly attempted to grasp them ; but Sergeant Shores of the guard placed his musket at the man ' s breast and fired , instantly killing him . But now another flash , and a cruel bullet from the dead rebel ' s companion killed Corporal Perham , and the colors fell to the earth . Once more , amide terrific yells , the colors went up , this time held by Corporal Blanchard — and the carnage went on . " ( George H . Carpenter , 8th Vermont ) Despite the heavy fighting and the loss of three color bearer s , the 8th Vermont Infantry did not give up their flag and withdrew in good order . Falling back slowly , they rejoin the rest of the XIX Corps around Belle Grove plantation . The 8th Vermont continued to fight all day , ultimately helping to turn the dawn route at Cedar Creek into a major Union victory . In 1883 , a monument of Vermont marble was placed at the site where the 8th Vermont made their stand . The monument was paid for by Herbert E . Hill , a Vermont businessman who wanted to honor his state ’ s Civil War heroes . The monument is located in its original place on the battlefield about 150 yards east of the Valley Pike , now U . S . Route 11 between Middletown and Strasburg , Virginia . The monument was well maintained under recent private ownership . In 2012 , the property was acquired by Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park , which provides visitor access , though currently only through ranger - led programs . Casualties . Cedar Creek was the last active engagement in which the 8th Vermont Infantry Regiment participated . During the course of the war a total of 1 , 772 men served in the 8th Vermont Infantry . Of that number , the unit lost during its term of service : 104 men killed and mortally wounded , 8 died from accident , 20 died in Confederate prisons , and 213 died from disease ; for a total loss of 345 men . The regiment mustered out of service on June 28 , 1865 .