HISTORICAL NOTES:
The 8th Independent Battery Wisconsin Light Artillery was organized at Racine and mustered in January 8, 1862.
The 8th Independent Battery initially recruited 161 officers and men. An additional 102 men were recruited as replacements, for a total of 263 men.
The battery suffered 1 officer and 1 enlisted man killed in action or died of wounds and 26 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 28 fatalities.
OFFICERS:
Captain Stephen J. Carpenter
Captain Henry E. Stiles
ASSIGNMENTS:
Ordered to St. Louis, Mo., March 18, and duty at Benton Barracks until April 4. Moved to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, April 4, and attached to Dept. of Kansas to June, 1862. Artillery, 4th Division, Army of Mississippi, to August, 1862. Artillery, 2nd Division, Army of Mississippi, to September, 1862. 32nd Brigade, 9th Division, Army of the Ohio, September, 1862. 32nd Brigade, 9th Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Right Wing 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to January, 1863. Artillery, 1st Division, 20th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October, 1863. 2nd Division, Artillery Reserve, Dept. of the Cumberland, to April, 1864. Post of Murfreesboro, Tenn., Dept. of the Cumberland, to July, 1864. 1st Brigade, Defenses of Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, Dept. of the Cumberland, to March, 1865. 1st Brigade, 1st Sub-District, District of Middle Tennessee, Dept. of the Cumberland, to August, 1865.
SERVICE:
March to Fort Scott with Lane's Southwestern Expedition April, 1862, thence to Fort Riley, Kansas, and return to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Moved to Columbus, Ky., May 10-June 4. Moved to Humboldt, Tenn., and guard duty on Mobile& Ohio Railroad until July. Movement to Corinth, Miss., thence to Iuka, Miss., July 9-August 14. Expedition from Jacinto to Bay Springs and skirmish August 4-7. Battle of Iuka, Miss, September 19 (Centre Section). Battle of Corinth, Miss., October 3-4 (Centre Section). Battery ordered to Nashville, Tenn., August 29-September 3. March to Nashville, Tenn., in pursuit of Bragg September 6-26. Pursuit of Bragg to Crab Orchard, Ky., October 2-16. Battle of Perryville October 8. Stanford, Ky., October 14. March to Bowling Green, Ky., thence to Nashville, Tenn., October 16-November 12. Tyree Springs November 7. Duty at Nashville until December 26. Action near Brentwood December 9. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26-30. Nolensville December 26-27. Battle of Stone's River December 30-31, 1862, and January 1-3, 1863. Duty at Murfreesboro until June. Reconnaissance from Salem to Versailles March 9-14. Operations on Edgefield Pike June 4. Middle Tennessee (or Tullahoma) Campaign June 23-July 7. Liberty Gap June 24-27. Occupation of Middle Tennessee until August 16. Passage of the Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga (Ga.) Campaign August 16-September 22. Battle of Chickamauga September 19-20. Siege of Chattanooga September 24-November 23. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Lookout Mountain November 24. Moved to Nashville, Tenn., December 5, and duty there until March, 1864. Moved to Murfreesboro, Tenn., and garrison duty there until August, 1865. Mustered out August 10, 1865.
BATTLES:
Battle of Iuka
Battle of Corinth
Battle of Perryville
Battle of Stone's River
Battle of Chickamauga
Siege of Chattanooga
ROSTERS:
The composite rosters of this unit contain the names of 604 men. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Vol. 2. Davenport, IA: Eastern Digital Resources, 2003.
Love, William D. Wisconsin in the War of the Rebellion. Chicago: Church and Goodman, 1866. E537L79. Davenport, IA: Eastern Digital Resources, 2011.
Quiner, E.B. The Military History of Wisconsin. Chicago: Clarke, 1866. E537Q75.
Davenport, IA: Eastern Digital Resources, 2011.
Rigdon, John C. Wisconsin Civil War Soldiers Index. Davenport, IA: Eastern Digital Resources, 2011.
HISTORICAL NOTES: