The  Minstrel Boys

Erin-go-Bragh!

Recreating the role of the Irish in the American Civil War 1861-65

History of the 8^th Alabama Volunteers

The Emerald Guard were originally part of the pre-war Alabama Volunteer Corps. 104 of the 109 members were Irish born. With the formation of the Corps’ various companies into Regiments they became Coy I of the 8th Alabama, the first Alabama command to enlist "for the war". The 8th first posting was to Yorktown, Virginia, as part of Gen. Magruder’s small force opposing a large Federal army which was advancing slowly up the peninsula towards Richmond.  Apart from a few minor skirmishes, the regiment first tasted action at the Battle of Williamsburg in  May 1862, a sporadic confused battle that followed the Confederate withdrawal from Yorktown.

The first action in which the 8th was to suffer significant casualties was at Seven Pines three weeks later. The new commander Gen. Johnson launched a surprise attack on the Union army only to be beaten back with loss, the 8th losing some  144 casualties.

The Seven Days

Following Seven Pines the Confederate Army was reorganised under a new leader Robert E Lee. The 8th became part of Wilcox’s Brigade along with four other Alabama Regiments the 9th, ,10th, 11th, and 14th and was assigned to Gen. Longstreet’s Division. On the 27th of June they assaulted the strong Union positions at Gaine’s Mill, taking the earthworks at bayonet point and driving the Federals back to the Chickahomy river. This incredible feat of bravery cost the regiment dear, of the 350 men who started the battle, half lay dead and wounded. Three days later the 8th again attacked the Federal position at Frayser’s Farm. It was here that the 8th lost their colour in heavy fighting with the 11th Pennsylvannia Reserves (their sister regiment the 11^th Ala. lost their colour also). As night fell, the 8th was left with only 90 men left standing. Losses had been grievous, but Richmond was saved. It should be noted that the famous federal Irish Brigade also fought here.

 

The Army of Northern Virginia 

After receiving re-enforcements the 8th marched north towards the Potomac river as part of the newly formed Army of Northern Virginia. At 2nd Manassas they were held in reserve but still lost 60 casualties to the destructive fire of the Union artillery.   At Sharpsburg, the 8th were stationed in the centre of the Confederate line at Pipers Farm to the rear of the Sunken Road. It was here that they, with the rest of  Wilcox’s brigade were caught up in the rout from the Sunken Road . Regrouping in the cover of an orchard, the 8th counterattacked, driving back the federals, which included the Irish brigade. When night mercifully brought the bloody battle to an end, of the 120 men who had started the battle, 78 were either killed or wounded. 

June 1863, on the road to Gettysburg, and members of the Emerald Guard stop to rest beside a farmhouse deep in the heart of the Pennsylvania countryside.

The 8th lost more than half its number at the  famous battle on the  1st-3rd July 1863.

Attacked by an entire Union corps, Wilcox’s brigade not only held the line, but counterattacked, inflicting nearly 1,000 casualties on the federals and driving them back.

 

Gettysburg

The 8th went through hell itself at the great battle in July 1863.  On the 2nd the 8th were involved in the struggle for Cemetery Ridge. Driving back those federal units that had moved forward, the Alabamans realised that they were too few in number to attack the Ridge itself with any hope of success. Without support and under heavy artillery fire they withdrew to the safety of Seminary Ridge. On the 3rd, Wilcox’s brigade attacked in support of Picket’s Division. As Picket’s men fell back in the face of a horrendous volume of fire, the 8th and their sister regiments faced enormous numbers of federals alone. Under a heavy cannonade, they fell back. The next day the army retreated south. Out of the 420 officers and men who fought in the battle, the 8th had lost 260.

 

The 1864 Campaign

Gettysburg spelt the end for hopes of a Confederate victory. The war, however, was to drag on for another two years. The spring of 1864 saw the 8th engaged in continuous heavy fighting as Gen. Grant attempted to wear down Lee’s army through sheer weight of numbers. At the Wilderness, Spotsylvania and Cold Harbor many brave men in the regiment fell. At Petersburg they fought to retake the crater blown in the Confederate defences by a huge mine, slaughtering the Federal troops who were trapped inside.

 

The End

The bravery of the Army of North Virginia wasn’t enough to win out against the material and manpower resources of the north. Both Petersburg and Richmond fell and by April 1865  Lee’s exhausted army was surrounded at Appomattox Courthouse and forced to surrender.  When the announcement was made, many in the 8th wept bitterly. The regiment’s flag was torn to shreds and the pieces handed out to the troops to keep as a memento. Of the 1,377 men who joined the 8th Alabama during the course of the war, 300 had been killed or mortally wounded, over 170 died of disease, and 236 were discharged or transferred.

 

 

Salem Church

In May 1863 the Alabamans  greatly distinguish themselves at Salem Church. Along with the rest of Wilcox's brigade they held a position in the rear of Lee’s army which had just engaged the Federals at Chancellorsville. The Union army burst through the weak Confederate positions at Fredericksburg and moved to cut off Lee’s army from Virginia.

The Sunken Road (known after the battle as the ‘Bloody Lane’) at Sharpsburg September 1862. Although caught up in the Confederate rout from the Road,  the 8th managed to rally. Their counterattack, along with other units, prevented a Federal breakthrough in the centre.