Acton Memorial Library
Civil War Archives

The 8th Regt. Mass. Vol. Mil., "Minute Men," was called to Boston by Special Order No. 14, issued on the afternoon of April 15, 1861, by the Adjutant General of Massachusetts. Having only eight companies, one company was added from the 7th Regt., a Salem unit, and one from Pittsfield, taken from the 1st Battalion of Infantry. Leaving the State April 18, it proceeded to Annapolis, Md., on its way to the national capital. At Annapolis two companies were placed on the frigate CONSTITUTION, guarding her until she was safely removed to the harbor of New York. Another company was detached to do guard duty at Fort McHenry near Baltimore, Md. The remainder of the regiment, after repairing the road-bed from Annapolis to Annapolis Junction and restoring the rolling stock of the railroad, proceeded to Washington, arriving April 26. Not until April 30 were the men mustered into the service of the United States. On May 11 the regiment was ordered into camp at the Relay House, Md. Here Col. Munroe resigned on account of age and ill health, and was succeeded by Col. Edward W. Hinks, an officer destined to attain high rank before the war was done. On July 2d the entire regiment was ordered to Baltimore, Md., the left wing arriving in the morning and the right wing in the evening of the following day. On July 29 it was ordered to Boston, Mass., and here on August 1, 1861, it was mustered out of the service.

Eighth Regiment, Nine Months

Under the call of August 4, 1862, for 300,000 militia to serve nine months, 19,080 being assigned to the quota of Massachusetts, the 8th Regt. again volunteered for duty, thus helping to obviate the necessity of resorting to the draft. Its rendezvous was Camp Lander, Wenham, Mass., where it was recruited up to war strength. Most of its companies were mustered in between September 15 and October 1, but Company H was not ready for muster until October 30. On November 25, 1862, the regiment left the State for North Carolina, where it was assigned to the 2d Brigade of General Foster's Division, encamping on the Fair Grounds at Newbern. On the 9th of December the regiment was detached to do guard duty at Newbern while the rest of the brigade went on the Goldsboro expedition. Early in December two companies were detached from the regiment to do guard duty at Roanoke Island, and two months later two more companies were sent to the same place. Meanwhile two companies were assigned to duty at Fort Totten, one of the defenses of Newbern. The four remaining companies were in the expedition to relieve Washington, N. C., proceeding as far as Blount's Creek, where they were engaged with slight loss April 9.

In July, 1864, the 8th Regt. began its third term of service, its companies being mustered into the service on various dates between the 13th and 21st of the month for one hundred days. Some of the nine months companies do not appear in the regiment as then organized, their places being filled by companies from the westerly part of the State. The regiment rendezvoused at Camp Meigs, Readville, Mass., proceeding from there to Baltimore, Md. In the vicinity of this city most of the service of the regiment was performed. Portions of the regiment did guard duty in Baltimore. Four companies were stationed at Camp Bradford, the draft rendezvous of Maryland and Delaware. One detachment guarded the line of the Northern Central railroad. The headquarters of the regiment were at Cockeysville about 15 miles north of Baltimore. Returning to Massachusetts early in November, 1864, on the 10th of the month the regiment was mustered out of the United States service for the last time.