The Georgia 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.
They were on duty at Savannah and the Georgia coast, until May 1863, when they were sent as a part of Gist's brigade, from South Carolina, to the reinforcement of General Joseph Johnston at Jackson, Mississippi. They were in battle at Jackson in May and July and participated in the march to the Big Black River, via Yazoo City, for the relief of Vicksburg.
After the evacuation of Jackson, they were transferred to the army of Tennessee in time to take part in the battle of Chickamauga. Adjutant Gray participated in the two days conflict and in the siege of Chattanooga and the battle of Missionary Ridge, the Atlanta campaign, including the battles of Rocky Face, Resaca, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek, Atlanta (July 22nd), Jonesboro, and the winter campaign in Tennessee, made memorable by the terrible experiences of the army at Franklin and Nashville and on the retreat.
The 8th Georgia Battalion contained 232 men and 183 arms in December, 1863, and was included in the surrender in North Carolina on April 26, 1865.