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  • 8th Kansas Infantry, Killed in Action - Battle of Chickamauga / Sold

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    8th Kansas Infantry - Infantry Number: IDE 106 / Sold

    Killed in Action - Battle of Chickamauga

    1862 dated three volume set of Casey’s Infantry Tactics identified in brown period ink to Captain Edgar P. Trego, Co. “H“ of the 8th Kansas Infantry who was killed September 19,th 1863 on the battlefield of Chickamauga.  Trego County, Kansas is named in his honor.  


     Edgar T. Trego

    Residence Pre-Emp IL;

    Enlisted as a Captain (date unknown).

    On 1/30/1862 he was commissioned into "H" Co. KS 8th Infantry

    He was Killed on 9/19/1863 at Chickamauga, GA

    (Trego County, KS named in this soldier's honor.  GAR Post #166, Rulo, NE named for this soldier)

     

    Eighth Infantry KANSAS (3-YEARS)

    Eighth Infantry. -- Cols., Henry W. Wessells, Robert H. Graham, John A. Martin; Lieut.-Cols., John A. Martin, James L. Abernathy Edward F. Schneider James M. Graham, John Conover  Majs. Edward F. Schneider, fames M. Graham, John Conover, Henry C. Austin.

    This regiment, like most of the first Kansas organizations, was originally intended for service in the state and along the border, and, as was also true of many of the early regiments formed, it was at first a mixed organization, intended to have eight companies of infantry and two of cavalry.

    The first six companies were mustered into the U. S. service in Sept., 1861, for three years, two more companies were added in October, and the regimental headquarters were established at Lawrence.  During Dec., 1861 and Jan., 1862, two more incomplete companies joined the regiment as Cos. I and K.

    On Feb. 7, 1862, Col. Wessells was ordered to rejoin his regiment in the regular army, and on the 28th, by order of Gen. Hunter, commanding the department, the regiment was thoroughly reorganized and consolidated with a battalion raised for service in New Mexico, and Col. Graham of the latter was assigned to the command.

    As finally reorganized the regiment had a total strength of 862 officers and men.  Late in May, 1862, with other regiments, under command of Gen. Robert B. Mitchell, it was ordered to Corinth, Miss., and a battalion of five companies left the state for that point May 27.  After some delays at Columbus, Ky., Union City, Trenton and Humboldt, Tenn., it finally arrived at Corinth July 3 and was temporarily attached to Col. Fuller's brigade, Gen. Jeff. C. Davis' division, Army of the Mississippi.  On Feb. 22, 1863, Cos. A, C, D and F. and March 29, Co. G. composing the battalion which had been left behind in Kansas, reported at Nashville and the regiment was there united for the first time since its organization.

    Meanwhile Co. G had been stationed at Fort Laramie, and the other companies had seen considerable service along the border of Kansas and in Missouri, fighting with Coffey, Cockrell, Quantrill and other guerrilla leaders.

    The battalion at Corinth left that point July 22, 1862, for Jacinto, where it was attached to the 1st brigade, 9th division, Army of the Mississippi, Gen Davis commanding the division, and Gen. Mitchell the brigade.  Col. Graham had been taken sick at St. Louis, and never rejoined his command, being succeeded by Lieut.-Col. Martin.

    The military historian of the regiment, in summarizing its services for the adjutant-general's report, says: "During its term of service the 8th traveled 10,750 miles.  It participated in 15 battles and 18 skirmishes.  It lost in battle, 3 commissioned officers and 62 enlisted men killed; 13 officers and 259 enlisted men wounded; and 1 officer and 20 enlisted men missing; or a total of 64 killed, 272 wounded, and 21 missing."

    In the above losses there are not included 5 men killed and 17 wounded in slight skirmishes or by guerrillas while foraging and scouting.  Hence, the aggregate loss of the regiment was 379, killed, wounded and missing.  Three officers and 92 men died of disease, and the total loss by death was 212.

    The heaviest loss sustained by the regiment was at Chickamauga, where out of a total of 406 engaged it lost 243 officers and men killed, wounded and missing, or 65 per cent. of those present.  Says the same military historian: "The gleam of its bayonets was seen from Fort Laramie, Neb., to the Rio Grande; its banners fluttered in the sunlight from Kansas to North Carolina, the crack of its rifles startled the echoes in the valley of the Platte and along the hillsides of the Tennessee and Chattahoochee, and the tramp of its soldiers resounded in the dusty highways of twelve different states.

    It hunted guerrillas in Missouri, combatted Longstreet's Virginia veterans at Chickamauga, stormed the blazing heights of Missionary Ridge, fought a continuous battle from Kennesaw Mountain to Atlanta and broke through Hood's lines at the battle which annihilated the rebel army of the West.

    At Nashville it did duty in white gloves and at Knoxville it was shirtless, shoeless, hatless and in rags.  It knew how to garrison a post or charge a line of intrenchments.  At Fort Leavenworth it vied with the oldest and best trained soldiers of the regular army in the perfection of its discipline and drill, and in Georgia it lived on the country with Sherman's bummers."

    The regiment was the last of the Kansas troops to be discharged, being finally mustered out at Fort Leavenworth Jan. 9, 1866, when it mustered a total of 196 officers and men.


    Inventory Number: IDE 106 / Sold