EIGHTH VIRGINIA INFANTRY

(Afterwards Seventh West Virginia Cavalry)

Organization

The Eighth Virginia Infantry (Union) was organized in the Kanawha Valley in the fall of 1861. Charleston was the headquarters. Enlistment was for three years. The Eighth was composed of volunteer companies from Boone, Clay, Fayette, Jackson, Kanawha, Raleigh, Wyoming, Putnam, Mason, Logan and Braxton Counties. These companies were formed to resist aggression from the portions of Virginia that had seceded. Most of the eligible men in these counties were confused and undecided on which side to join and received pressure from overzealous recruiters, both Union and Confederate. Enlistments ran high with approximately the same number joining each side. Some of the early enlistments were in the Peytona, Boone County area. Union records show enlistments there on September 2, 1861. It might be noted that this was only one day after the Boone Court House and public buildings were burned by Union troops of the First Kentucky Infantry. These troops remained in the Peytona area for about ten days protecting the Union recruiters and citizens from retaliation by outraged Confederate sympathizers.

Field and Staff Officers with date of commission

Colonel John H. Olney, March 1, 1863 (Brevetted Brig. Gen’l)

Lt. Col. Lucian Losier, November 27, 1861

Lt. Col. John H. Olney, October 2, 1862 (Promoted to Colonel)

Lt. Col. John J. Posley, March 1, 1863

Major John H. Oley, October 29, 1861 (Promoted to Lt. Col.)

Major John J. Posley, October 2, 1862 (Promoted to Lt. Col.)

Major Hedgeman Slack, March 1, 1863

Major William Gramm, June 20, 1864

Major Edgar P. Blundon, October 27, 1864

1st Lt. John J. Posley, December 21, 1861 (Promoted to Major)

1st Lt. Jacob M. Rife, October 2, 1862 (Promoted to Capt. Co. C)

1st Lt. Alonzo M. Wilson, October 17, 1863 (Promoted to Capt. Co. E)

----- William A. Walton (Transferred to the line)

1st Lt. George W. Brown, April 12, 1864 (Promoted to Capt. Co. A)

1st Lt. Daniel W. Posley, April 29, 1865

1st Lt. William C. Kimball, November 14, 1861

1st Lt. John W. Wingfield, June 20, 1864

1st Lt. John McCombs, December 14, 1864

Surgeon Charles A. Barlow (Resigned April 5, 1862)

Surgeon James Putney (Resigned September 19, 1862)

Surgeon Lucius L. Comstock

Ass’t. Surgeon James H. Rouse, May 23, 1862

Ass’t. Surgeon Louis V. Stanford, November 11, 1862

Chaplain Andrew W. Gregg, March 1, 1863

Company Officers and Date of Commission

Company A

Captain Richard H. Lee, December 3, 1861 (Dismissed)

Captain George W. Brown, April 29, 1865

1st Lt. James Abbott, December 3, 1861 (Resigned 5 May 1862)

1st Lt. Wm. A. Walton, March 19, 1863 (Promoted to Capt., Co. M)

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