Services Performed by the Invalid Corps – 8th Regiment

These posts are part of a larger series highlighting the contributions and accomplishments of the Invalid Corps/Veteran Reserve Corps during the Civil War. This post only captures some of the activities of individual regiments. Clearly, this is an area ripe for additional research.

8th Regiment

Organized at Chicago, Ill., October 10, 1863, by consolidation of the 20th, 22nd, 23rd, 31st, 63rd, 78th, 81st, 83rd, 92nd and 96th Companies, 1st Battalion. Mustered out by detachments July 1 to November 20, 1865.

From November 1, 1864, to June 15, 1865, guarded rebel prisoners at Camp Douglas, Chicago. Daily number of prisoners varied from 9,000 to 11,800; number escaped, 8. Between 1,000 and 2,000 prisoners forwarded for exchange. Recruits forwarded, 1,954; stragglers and deserters, 308; bounty jumpers, 10; substitutes, 4; convalescents, 5; political prisoners, 10; total, 2,291; escapes, 6. Over 100 bushwhackers from Southern Illinois, who had come to Chicago to aid the projected rising of the prisoners, were captured by this regiment and other troops of the Veteran Reserve Corps.

This would be the regiment and Camp under the command of Benjamin Sweet. You can read his story and find out a lot more about the evens taking place in Chicago here – Benjamin Sweet: Hero or Monster at https://invalidcorpsfilm.nrbrown.com/2017/09/04/invalid-corps-officer-benjamin-sweet-hero-or-monster/

Reference:

The War of the Rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate Armies – https://archive.org/details/warrebellionaco17offigoog/page/n574