The Eighth Star New Market Artillery
A Brief
History of the Battery
Originally enlisted as the 8th Star Artillery, in honor of Virginia being the 8th state to secede, the 8th Star New Market Artillery came into existance under the leadership of Captain William H. Rice. Men were recruited from the area of New Market, Shenandoah County and the two surrounding counties of Page and Rockingham.
Proving effective in battle, and losing their captain to a severe wound in 1861, the battery continued noteworthy service under the leadership of Lt. Edward Gaynor and later Captain Robert S. Rice when the order for disbanding came in October 1862. The company, in fact, did not lose its "soul" of existance when it was merged with the Danville Artillery. In fact, by the end, the former officer staff of the New Market Battery proved to play a vital role after Captain George Wooding's mortal wounding at Fredericksburg. With the issuing of paroles at Appomattox, the Eighth Star New Market men held a higher percentage of artillerists left with the battery which still carried the Danville name.
For more detailed information on
this company, and the men who fought in it, I recommend the
Danville, Eighth Star New Market and Dixie Artillery
by Robert H. Moore, II
Available from
The Virginia Regimental Histories Series
Or Can be Obtained through:
Return to the Virginia Artillery in the Civil War Home Page
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These pages authored and maintained by Robert H. Moore, II.
©1998 All rights reserved.
Robert Moore, II and
Jeffrey C. Weaver;
H. E. Howard, Inc.
Rt. 2 Box 496H
Appomattox, Virginia 24522
Page established: 10/30/97
Last revised: 02/27/98