8th Regiment Missouri Volunteer Cavalry
Encyclopedia
8th Regiment Missouri Volunteer Cavalry (August 6, 1862 - July 20, 1865) was a Union Army
regiment
during the American Civil War
. The regiment is best remembered for having committed what has become known as the Huntsville Massacre
.
The regiment was first organized starting on August 6th through September 15th, 1862, in Springfield, Missouri
. They were immediately attached to the Army of the Frontier
, and dispatched to Arkansas
under the command of Lieutenant Colonel
Elias Briggs Baldwin
, where they took part in the Battle of Prairie Grove
. Following this they were ordered to occupy the town of Huntsville, Arkansas
.
On January 10, 1863, nine southern men who had been detained for some days for reasons unknown were ordered executed by Lt. Col. Baldwin, for reasons that still today are unclear. Eight of the men would be killed, with the ninth being left as dead, but surviving. At the time of the incident most of the regiment had moved on toward the Mississippi River
with only a small detachment remaining in Huntsville. Baldwin would later be arrested for the murders and transported back to Springfield for trial
, but due to witnesses being displaced or otherwise unable to make the trip to Springfield, and the members of the regiment who were present during the event being on active duty elsewhere, Baldwin was released with the charges dropped, and dismissed from the army. It would be the only punishment ever carried out in response to the murders.
By the time Baldwin was arrested, the 8th Regiment was on the move in pursuit of Confederate Major General
Sterling Price
. The regiment would take part in numerous expeditions in and around Arkansas, and took part in the capture of Little Rock
in September, 1863. They remained in Little Rock until March, 1864, when they were sent to Duvall's Bluff, Arkansas. They spent the remainder of the war securing Arkansas, during which time they engaged Confederate forces and Guerrilla bands in several minor skirmishes, but with no major actions. They mustered out of service on July 20th, 1865.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The regiment is best remembered for having committed what has become known as the Huntsville Massacre
Huntsville Massacre
The Huntsville Massacre was an event that occurred during the American Civil War one mile northeast of Huntsville, Arkansas, in which nine men believed to be Confederate sympathizers were shot by Union soldiers...
.
The regiment was first organized starting on August 6th through September 15th, 1862, in Springfield, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
. They were immediately attached to the Army of the Frontier
Army of the Frontier
The Army of the Frontier was a Union army that served in the Trans-Mississippi Theater during the Civil War. It fought in several minor engagements in Arkansas, Indian Territory, and Kansas...
, and dispatched to Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
under the command of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Elias Briggs Baldwin
Elias Briggs Baldwin
Elias Briggs Baldwin was a Union Army lieutenant colonel, later Provost Marshal, and pioneer of Labette County, Kansas. He is best remembered for his part in the Huntsville Massacre that occurred on January 10, 1863, near Huntsville, Arkansas.-Biography:Baldwin was born in Dutchess County, New...
, where they took part in the Battle of Prairie Grove
Battle of Prairie Grove
The Battle of Prairie Grove was a battle of the American Civil War fought on 7 December 1862, that resulted in a tactical stalemate but essentially secured northwest Arkansas for the Union.-Strategic situation: Union:...
. Following this they were ordered to occupy the town of Huntsville, Arkansas
Huntsville, Arkansas
Huntsville is a city in mountainous Madison County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 2,046 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Madison County. During the American Civil War it was the site of what became known as the Huntsville Massacre...
.
On January 10, 1863, nine southern men who had been detained for some days for reasons unknown were ordered executed by Lt. Col. Baldwin, for reasons that still today are unclear. Eight of the men would be killed, with the ninth being left as dead, but surviving. At the time of the incident most of the regiment had moved on toward the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
with only a small detachment remaining in Huntsville. Baldwin would later be arrested for the murders and transported back to Springfield for trial
Trial
A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
, but due to witnesses being displaced or otherwise unable to make the trip to Springfield, and the members of the regiment who were present during the event being on active duty elsewhere, Baldwin was released with the charges dropped, and dismissed from the army. It would be the only punishment ever carried out in response to the murders.
By the time Baldwin was arrested, the 8th Regiment was on the move in pursuit of Confederate Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Sterling Price
Sterling Price
Sterling Price was a lawyer, planter, and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, who served as the 11th Governor of the state from 1853 to 1857. He also served as a United States Army brigadier general during the Mexican-American War, and a Confederate Army major general in the American Civil...
. The regiment would take part in numerous expeditions in and around Arkansas, and took part in the capture of Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
in September, 1863. They remained in Little Rock until March, 1864, when they were sent to Duvall's Bluff, Arkansas. They spent the remainder of the war securing Arkansas, during which time they engaged Confederate forces and Guerrilla bands in several minor skirmishes, but with no major actions. They mustered out of service on July 20th, 1865.
External links
- http://home.usmo.com/~momollus/MOREG/C021.htm 8th Missouri Volunteer Regiment
- http://www.huntsville364.org/Huntsville%20Massacre.html Huntsville Massacre
- http://history-sites.com/mb/cw/arcwmb/index.cgi?noframes;read=13760 Huntsville Massacre Memorial
- http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=3795 Huntsville Massacre, Arkansas Encyclopedia
- http://www.rootsweb.com/~armadiso/huntsville-massacre/huntsville-massacre.htm Huntsville Massacre Dedication