Home / Civil War Genealogy / Illinois / 8th Illinois Cavalry
8th Illinois Cavalry
Company Unknown
George T.B. Thompson - Private
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Contact Name: Chris Thompson
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Date Added: 3/30/2004

Company B
William Mace - Corporal
Widow's pension Feb 11, 1863
minor's pension Aug 22, 1866
Contact Name: Merrilee Morrison-Cotter
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Date Added: 3/18/2013

Company B
Aaron Walace ParkhurstRank Unknown
b:April 9, 1843, Bradford county, Pa. d:June 13, 1933 Newton Harvey county, Kansas, buried Greenwood cemetery mausoleum, Newton. On August 37, 1861 enlisted in the 8th Illinois Cavalry, Co. B. where he served for three years and was honorably discharged Sept. 28, 1864.
Contact Name: Julian Wall
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Date Added: 6/5/2010

Company C
William Albright Emal - Private
Born 12-22-1836 Center Co. Pennsylvania--Farmed near Fairhaven, Carroll Co. Illinois. Enlisted at Morrison, Whiteside County, Illinois. Served in Company C of the 8th Illinois Cavalry with Bufford at Gettysburg. Discharged June 21, 1865 in Washington, D.C. Returned to Fairhaven then move to Iowa Co., Iowa in 1869, Moved to Kearny Co. Nebraska in 1892 where he lived until his death in 1925. I am William Albright Emal's great, great grandson. Any information readers can supply regarding his service and life after service will be greatly appreciated.
Contact Name: Fredric W. Watson
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Date Added: 2/13/2006

Company D
William F BaltsRank Unknown
William served in the 8th IL Cav during the Civil War. He enlisted on Aug. 24, 1861 and served first in Co. D and was later transferred to Co. M. He was discharged July 17, 1865 and this apparently when the spelling of his last name was changed to Balts from Baltz.
Contact Name: Terry R. Todd
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Contact Homepage: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/t/o/d/Terry-R-Todd/index.html
Date Added: 6/2/2013

Company E
Morgan Hughes - Corporal
Morgan Hughes enlisted in Company E of the Eighth Illinois Cavalry on September 18Th, 1861 in Saint Charles, Illinois at Camp Kane. Camp Kane is present day Langhum Park. Towards the end of his original three (3) year enlistment he reenlisted as a veteran, he more than likely would have received a bounty for doing so. This bounty may have been around $300, a very large amount for the time. The official records show him mustering out of service on July 17Th, 1865 as a bugler in Chicago, Illinois.

Records show him as being the bugler of Company E at the battle of Gettysburg, which would have placed him at Whistler's Ridge. The battle was started by Lt. Marcellus Jones of Company E, who fired the first shot from Levi Shaffer's carbine and gave the command to open fire to the rest of the boys of Company E. As bugler Morgan would have been the company's main means of communication. Some records indicate Morgan was standing next to or near Lt. Jones when he fired the first shot of the battle.

The Illinois 8th Cavalry was attached to General Buford's Corps. They were the first union troops to enter Gettysburg, and the first to fire on the confederate forces early on July 1, 1863. Buford's Corps held off the confederate troops until reinforcements arrived on the evening of the 1st.

Morgan's obituary appeared in the Aurora Beacon News on Wednesday, November 1, 1916

Death Summons Morgan Hughes

Prominent Civil War Veteran and Grand Army Officer Passes away Late Yesterday

Was for 22 Years Officer of the Day for Post 20 G.A.R. -Funeral Friday Afternoon

Morgan Hughes, aged 73 years, veteran of the civil war, and one of the best known men of Aurora, died yesterday afternoon at 1 o'clock at his home. 438 North Avenue, after a lingering illness of nearly three years.

Mr. Hughes was born at Schuylkill Haven, Pa., July 25, 1843, and came to Illinois in 1856, first settling on a farm near Naperville. Later, at the close of the civil war, in 1866, through which he had served, he moved into this city. He enlisted at the outbreak of the war at age of 19 years and served four years in Company E, Eighth Illinois Cavalry as Bugler. He was past commander of G.A.R. post no. 20, of Aurora and was always active in the social and other activities of that organization from the time it was formed. He was Officer of the Day of the post for 22 years. For many years he had charge of a squad of the old veterans which visited the different schools each Decoration Day. He had been connected with the Western United Gas & Electric Co. for the past 25 years in the capacity of salesman.

Mr. Hughes leaves to mourn his death, his wife Lavinia; three children, Frank A. Hughes, Omaha, Neb., Bert Hughes, Detroit, Mich., and Mrs. George Shields of Aurora; three brothers, Joseph, Bushrod and Martin, all of Naperville; two sisters, Mrs. Sarah Enck and Mrs. Hartzell of Naperville; four grandchildren, Agatha and Virginia Adams, Corp. Russell G. Hughes who is at the border at the present time, and Aldine Hughes of Detroit.

The funeral Services will be held from the Grand Army hall Friday afternoon at 3 o'clock. Full military Grand Army burial services will be held under the charge of Comrade Cronk. The Rev. R.H. Claxon of the First Baptist church will officiate. Short services at the home, 438 North Avenue will precede the services at the G.A.R. hall, and will be strictly private, for family only. Interment will be in Montgomery Cemetery.
Contact Name: Mike Johnston
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Date Added: 11/25/2011

Company H
Peter Maas - Private
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Contact Name: Tom Jones
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Date Added: 4/8/2010

Company K
Elon John Farnsworth - Captain
On June 28,1863 promoted from Captain to Brigadier General of Volunteers along with Wesley Merrit and George Custer.
General Farnsworth was killed in action at Gettysburg July 3, 1863 leading what is known as 'Farnsworth's Charge'.
Contact Name: R A McDonald
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Date Added: 7/30/2008

Company K
George C Hupp - 1st Lieutenant
George Hupp was injured at the battle of Brandy Station and was in a Maryland hospital during the coming battle north of Gettysburg.
Contact Name: John Hupp
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Date Added: 5/28/2002

Company M
Simeon Arthur Herring - Private
In his war records he is listed as 5'6' dark hair, blue eyes. He was mustered into service on Feb 24, 1864 and mustered out on July 17, 1865 at Benton Banks, Missouri. He is listed as living in Howard, Illinois at time of service.
Contact Name: Lon McKnight
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Date Added: 11/1/2005

Company M
William Bruce Waite - Private
Enlisted 15 September 1861, discharged 14 October, 1864 McClellan Army Hospital, Philadelphia, lived Chester, PA, died 25 April, 1894. Listed residence as Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. 1860 Census has W.Z. Waite in Belleville, Dare County, Wisconsin. Born 1838 by cemetery record, 1840 by Census, 1842 by discharge record. Carpenter and ship builder.
Contact Name: Thomas Rightmyer
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Date Added: 5/18/2011

Company M
John Williams - Private
John came to the U.S. from Wales in 1840 at 20 years old. He volunteered his service to his new country at the age of 41. Lost his left arm on the first day at Gettysburg. Family lore says that he was the first one wounded at that battle.
Contact Name: Steve Corey
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Date Added: 12/14/2009

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