Overview
The 8th Ohio Infantry (1 Month Service) was a militia regiment organized in Cincinnati, Ohio, during the emergency caused by the Confederate invasion of Kentucky in August and September 1862. This unit served as part of the Ohio volunteer militia, mobilized to defend Cincinnati and the surrounding region against the threat posed by Confederate forces under General Kirby Smith. The regiment was mustered for a one-month term and performed both field and provost guard duties during its brief period of service.
This unit is distinct from the 8th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service).
Organization & Service
The 8th Ohio Infantry (1 Month Service) was organized in early September 1862 in response to the Confederate advance toward Cincinnati. The regiment was formed alongside the 6th and 11th Ohio Infantry (1 Month Service) regiments, following the declaration of martial law in Cincinnati by Major General Lew Wallace on September 2, 1862. The unit was composed primarily of local militia and volunteers, with Bernhard Eith serving as Colonel, Michael Hartman as Lieutenant Colonel, and Ernst Zimmerman as Major.
On September 10, 1862, the regiment crossed the Ohio River into Kentucky and took up defensive positions near Fort Mitchell, as ordered by Major General H. G. Wright, commander of the Department of the Ohio. The 8th Ohio Infantry remained in line of battle on September 12, anticipating a Confederate attack that did not materialize. The Confederate forces withdrew during the night, and by the following morning, the threat to Cincinnati had subsided. The regiment returned to Cincinnati on September 13 and performed provost guard duty until October 4, 1862, when it was discharged from service. An official muster in and out of U.S. service was conducted retroactively in November 1866, with service dates recognized from September 3 to October 3, 1862.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
- Defense of Cincinnati, September 1862
- Operations near Fort Mitchell, Kentucky
- Provost guard duty in Cincinnati
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 8th Ohio Infantry (1 Month Service) are not reported in available primary sources. The regiment’s service was largely limited to defensive operations and provost duty, with no recorded combat losses.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Bernhard Eith
- Lieutenant Colonel Michael Hartman
- Major Ernst Zimmerman
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 8th Ohio Infantry (1 Month Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and additional service details for those who served during the September–October 1862 emergency mobilization.
To view the complete roster, visit the 8th Ohio Infantry (1 Month Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XVI
- Ohio Roster Commission, “Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion”
- Dyer, Frederick H., “A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion”
- Federal Publishing Company, “The Union Army,” Vol. 2 (1908)