8th Infantry Battalion was organized with six companies during the early spring of 1862 at Savannah, Georgia. Some of the men were from Adairsville and Thornburgh, and Gordon County. For a time the unit served in the Department of South Carolina, Georiga, and Florida, then it was assigned to Gist's Brigade, Army of Tennessee. After the operations in North Mississippi, it fought with the army from Chickamauga to Nashville and ended the war in North Carolina. This battalion contained 232 men and 183 arms in December, 1863, and was included in the surrender on April 26, 1865. The field officers were Lieutenant Colonels Asahel Littlefield, Leroy Napier, Jr., J.T. Reid, and Zachariah L. Watters; and Majors John W. Gray, B.F. Hunt, and Edward F. Morgan.
Soldier Name
Company Rank In Rank Out
Smith, A. C.
Co B Private Private
Smith, A. E.
Co A Private Private [Adairsville Volunteers]
Smith, Alexander H.
Co B Private Private
Smith, B. F.
Co A Private Private [Adairsville Volunteers]
Smith, Benjamin L.
Co B Private Private
Smith, G. H.
Co A Private Private [Adairsville Volunteers]
Smith, G. W.
Co A Private Private [Adairsville Volunteers]
Smith, George
Co A Private Private [Adairsville Volunteers]
Smith, Joel J.
Co E Private Private [Freeman Volunteers]
Smith, Nathaniel H.
Co B Private Private
Smith, S. P.
Co G Sergeant Private
Smith, William C.
Co E Private Private [Freeman Volunteers]
Makes it easy to find when you're told where to look.
Name: B. F. Smith
Side: Confederate
Regiment State/Origin: Georgia
Regiment Name: 8 Batt'n. Georgia Infantry.
Regiment Name Expanded: 8th Battalion, Georgia Infantry
COMPANY: A
Rank In: Private
Rank In Expanded: Private
Rank Out: Private
Rank Out Expanded: Private
Film Number: M226 roll 56
Okay, you said he was 49 in 1861....the closest I find is:
1860 United States Federal Census
about B F Smith
Name: B F Smith
Age in 1860: 43
Birth Year: abt 1817
Birthplace: Georgia
Home in 1860: Georgia Militia District 1072, Polk, Georgia
Gender: Male
Post Office: Van Wert
Household Members: Name Age
B F Smith 43 m Farmer
Mary B Smith 39 f Domestic
James M Smith 19 m farmer
Joseph E Smith 14 m
Sarah J Smith 12 f
Jeffry D Smith 9 m
Mary E Smith 7 f
Nancy M Smith 6 f
Georgia C Smith 3 f
Berry F Smith 1 m
1880 United States Federal Census
Name: B. F. Smith
Home in 1880: Stilsboro, Bartow, Georgia
Age: 66
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1814
Birthplace: Georgia
Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head)
Spouse's Name: Mary B.
Father's birthplace: North Carolina
Mother's birthplace: North Carolina
Occupation: Farmer
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Household Members: Name Age
B. F. Smith 66 Farmer
Mary B. Smith 61 Keeping house b. SC
That's the only one that comes close, although the DOB is off by about 2 years.
JR