8th Arkansas Infantry Regiment

8th Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
Flag of the 8th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
Active	July 13, 1861 – April 26, 1865
Country	Confederate States of America
Allegiance	Arkansas
Branch	Confederate States Army
Engagements	American Civil War Battle of Shiloh Siege of Corinth Kentucky Campaign Battle of Perryville Battle of Murfreesboro Tullahoma Campaign Battle of Liberty Gap Chickamauga Campaign Battle of Chickamauga Chattanooga Campaign Battle of Missionary Ridge Battle of Ringgold Gap Atlanta Campaign Battle of Rocky Face Ridge Battle of Resaca Battle of New Hope Church Battle of Kennesaw Mountain Battle of Pickett's Mill Battle of Peachtree Creek Battle of Atlanta Siege of Atlanta Battle of Jonesboro Franklin–Nashville Campaign Battle of Franklin Battle of Nashville Carolinas Campaign Battle of Bentonville
Disbanded	April 26, 1865

American Civil War

The 8th Arkansas Infantry (July 13, 1861 – April 26, 1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War from the state of Arkansas. It served throughout the war in the western theater, seeing action in the Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia campaigns. Following its depletion in numbers the regiment was consolidated several times with other Arkansas regiments, finally merging in 1865 into the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment.

The unit was enrolled in state service on July 13, 1861 at Camp Price near Jacksonport, Arkansas. The unit was inducted into Confederate Service on September 10, 1861. The unit was originally composed of units from the following counties:

The original regimental officers of the 8th Arkansas were:

The regiment was armed with weapons which the state confiscated when the Federal Arsenal at Little Rock was seized by Arkanssas State Militia troops in February 1861. Disposition of the weapons found in the Arsenal is somewhat sketchy, but from various records it can be surmised that the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Arkansas Infantry Regiments, mustered in June, 1861, were issued M1816/M1822 .69 caliber flintlocks. They retained these weapons until April, 1862 when they were able to exchange them for better weapons scavenged from the battlefield at Shiloh.

The 8th Arkansas saw no action in the coming months, only taking part in a small raid into Missouri with General Hardee's Command. By October 1861, the regiment, along with the rest of General Hardee's division had been sent to Columbus, Kentucky to become the Army of Central Kentucky. After the losses of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in February 1862, Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston withdrew his forces into western Tennessee, northern Mississippi, and Alabama to reorganize. and then retreated through western Tennessee to northern Mississippi. On March 29, 1862, the Army of Central Kentucky was merged into the Army of Mississippi in preparation for the Battle of Shiloh.