The 8th Alabama Infantry Regiment mustered 1,377 men during the Civil War, of whom 300 were killed or mortally wounded and 170 died of disease.

1861

May

Organized at Montgomery

June 10

Sent to Richmond under Colonel John Anthony Winston, and accepted into service as the first Confederate command enlisted for the duration of the war.

October 3

Assigned to Fifth brigade, Army of the Peninsula, Colonel Winston commanding post at Yorktown

1862

January 1

Assigned to Second Division, General McLaws commanding, General Magruder's Department

March 20

Lt. Colonel John Wesley Frazer killed. Captain Young L. Royston of Company A was promoted to major.

March 29

Reported as "1,000 strong"

Spring

Assigned to General Roger Pryor's Brigade.

May 5 - 6

Battle of Williamsburg

The regiment lost 100 casualties. Lt. Colonel Thomas Evans Irby was killed, and Major Royston was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

May 31- June 1

Battle of Seven Pines

Captains Patrick C. Loughry and Leonard F. Summers, Lieutenant Joshua Kennedy and 29 other men were killed, Major Hillary Abner Herbert and 79 other men were wounded, and 32 were missing or captured including Major Herbert

June 10

Colonel Winston resigns. Lt. Colonel Young Lea Royston promoted to colonel.

June 26

Battle of Mechanicsville

Attached to Wilcox's Brigade

June 27

Battle of Gaines' Mill
Captains Thomas Phelan and G. W. Hannon, Lieutenants C. M. Maynard, W. H. Lane, and Augustus Jansen and 26 other men were killed, Lieutenants M. Hugh, and McGrath and 130 other men were wounded, 10 mortally; 47% of the 350 men engaged

June 30

Battle of Frasier's Farm (Glendale)

The regiment lost 16 men killed, and Colonel Royston, Captain Crawford E. Blackwood and Adjutant Daniel Jones 54 were wounded, half the 180 men engaged. The colors were captured by the 4th Pennsylvaina Reserves Regiment, but survived and, according to the Alabama State Archives, are in the collection of the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond.

August 30

Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run)

Held in reserve, but suffered 60 casualties

September 14-15

Siege and surrender of Harpers Ferry

September 17

Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)

The regiment lost 67 men, including Lt. Colonel Hillary Abner Herbert and Captains Duke Nall and A. H. Ravesies, who were wounded

December 13

Battle of Fredericksburg

Suffered 1 wounded

1863

May 3 - 4

Battle of Salem Church (Bank's Ford)

Captain Robert A. McCrary and 6 other men were killed and Colonel Royston and 44 other men wounded. Colonel Royston was wounded at the first volley, and disabled from field command for the rest of the war.

June 1

Wilcox's Brigade of Anderson's Division transferred to the new Third Army Corps under Lieutenant General A.P. Hill.

July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

Captain C. P. B. Branegan and 39 other men were killed, Captains Anthony Kohler and Lewis A. Livingston and 144 other men were wounded and 80 men missing out of 420 engaged. Captain Livingston was captured and died in captivity.

1862

January 10

Captain M. G. McWilliams dies in service

May 5 - 7

Battle of the Wilderness

Lt. Colonel Herbert wounded and Major Duke Nall motally wounded and Captains Thomas Heard and John McGrath wounded

May 8 - 12

Battle of Spottsylvania Court House

Captain John McGrath again wounded

May 31 - June 4

Battle of Cold Harbor

July 30

Battles around Petersburg

Lt. Colonel John P. Emrich, Captain Henry McHugh is killed and Captains William R. Knox, William W. Mordecai, George T. L. Robison and Adjutant Morgan S. Cleveland are wounded

August 26

Battle of Ream's Station

November 2

Colonel Royston retires; Lt. Colonel Herbert takes over as colonel.

1865

February 5 - 7

Battle of Hatcher's Run

April 1 - 9

Retreat to Appomattox

April 9

Surrendered 16 officers and 153 men at Appomattox, but only after defiantly tearing their battleflag to pieces, which were shared as mementos

James Castello