Existing comment:
8th Virginia Infantry
The 8th Virginia Infantry was a local unit made up of six companies from Loudoun, two from Fauquier, and one each from Fairfax and Prince William counties. Commanded by Colonel Eppa Hunton, the Regiment arrived on the field about 12:30 p.m. initially deploying west of the ridge near the Jackson house. With the withdrawal of the 15th Massachusetts from that area, the 8th Virginia moved cautiously forward and deployed on the battlefield.
Shortly thereafter, the right wing of the unit clashed with two companies of the 1st California Regiment advancing up the slope to the right of this location. A hard skirmish was fought on that slope around 3:00 p.m. The California companies took heavy casualties and fell back. Meanwhile, a misunderstood withdrawal order by Lt. Col. Charles B. Tebbs of the 8th caused some of the men to break and run. Colonel Hunton managed to restore order to the 8th Virginia by withdrawing the regiment a few hundred yards toward the Jackson house. The 8th got back into the fight, conducting a bayonet charge around 5:00 p.m. which overran the Federal mountain howitzers. |