Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 7.djvu/98

Rh Vol. XVI, Part 1–(962) Mentioned in Col. John T. Wilder's (Seventeenth Indiana infantry) report, siege of Munfordville, Ky., September 14-17, 1862.

The Eighth Alabama infantry regiment deserves special mention. It was the first Confederate regiment to be enlisted for the war. Its first service was at Yorktown. It fought in the battle of Williamsburg, May 5th, and at Fair Oaks, May 31 and June 1, 1862, in both of which engagements it took an important part and its losses were very severe. It was then transferred to the brigade of Gen. Cadmus M. Wilcox and was greatly distinguished at Mechanicsville, June 26th. Two days later it was prominent in the assault upon the enemy at Gaines’ Mill and on June 30th was again in the midst of the conflict at Frayser's Farm. It was present, though not severely engaged, at Manassas and Harper's Ferry, and was in the thickest of the fight at Antietam, September 17th. It fought with its usual bravery at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863; the Wilderness, May 5, 6, and 7, 1864; Spottsylvania, May 8th to 18th; Salem Church, Cold Harbor, June 1 to 12, 1864. It formed a portion of the troops engaged at the Weldon railroad, June 22 and 23, 1864; was distinguished at the capture of the Crater, July 30th, and was also warmly engaged in the battle on the plank road below Petersburg.

Upon its organization, its colonel was John A. Winston, who was succeeded by Young L. Royston, and he by Hilary A. Herbert, who commanded in many hard-fought battles, being severely wounded at Sharpsburg and the Wilderness. Colonel Herbert has since achieved eminence at the bar of Alabama and in legislative halls, having served 16 years in the Congress of the United States, and as secretary of the navy under Cleveland’s second administration. Other field officers were Lieutenant-Colonel Frazier, Thomas E. Irby, killed at the Wilderness, John P. Emrich, wounded at Petersburg and at Gaines'