Tag: 8th New York State Militia

Wikipedia says: The regiment was formed on October 9, 1809 as the 4th Regiment, New York State Artillery, organized from existing companies. Their name, “Washington Greys”, comes from the fact that this unit acted as escort to General George Washington at his first inauguration as president in New York City. It was redesignated on June 13, 1812 as the 3rd Regiment, New York State Artillery.The unit was brought into federal service for the War of 1812 in 1812, and again in 1814. In 1847, it was redesignated as the 8th Regiment, New York State Militia (NYSM).

The unit served three periods of federal service in the American Civil War. As the 8th NYSM, the unit was organized in April, 1861 for 90 days’ service, leaving New York state for Washington, DC on the 20th and mustering in to federal service on the 26th. It served in the defenses of Washington, DC until July. The unit was part of Porter’s 1st Brigade, Hunter’s 2nd Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia at the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861. The 8th returned to New York City, mustering out there on August 2, 1861. Following redesignation as the 8th Regiment, New York National Guard, the unit was mustered in again on May 29, 1862, for 90 days’ service. It served in the defenses of Washington, DC, as part of the garrison of that city, and was mustered out of service on September 9, 1862. It was called up for a third time in June, 1863, for 30 days’ service in response to Robert E. Lee’s invasion of Pennsylvania in June of that year. It served in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as part of the garrison of that city and 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of the Susquehanna, and was mustered out of service on July 23, 1863.

The 8th also had an artillery battery known as “Varian’s 1st Troop Washington Grays”. This battery mustered into federal service on April 19, 1861 and left New York for Annapolis, Maryland. On May 18 moved near a lighthouse at Smith’s Point on Chesapeake Bay. Outpost duty in Northern Virginia through June 17. Attached to Keyes’ Brigade, Tyler’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia, to July. Mustered out July 20, 1861, the day before the First Battle of Bull Run. The unit’s guns served in the battle with Blenkers’ Brigade, Miles’ Division as “Brookwood’s New York Battery” under Captain Charles Brookwood, manned by detachments from the 8th Militia and 29th New York Volunteer Infantry. The battery was federalized again with the remainder of the regiment in June–July, 1863 as above.

In August 1861 the detachments of the 8th NYSM and 29th NY Vols. that had served the 1st Troop’s guns were reorganized as the 2nd New York Independent Battery, Light Artillery (Blenker’s Battery). The unit served in Washington, DC until April 1862, operating in the Shenandoah Valley to August 1862, fighting in the Battle of Cross Keys and Second Battle of Bull Run. In early May 1863 the unit was in the Battle of Chancellorsville. After transferring three-year men to Battery I, 1st New York Light Artillery, the unit mustered out on June 13, 1863.