• Authorized on January 11, 1776 in the Virginia State Troops as the 8th Virginia Regiment.
• Organized between February 9- April 4, 1776 at Suffolk Court House to consist of 10 companies from Frederick, Dunmore, Berkley, Augusta, Hampshire, Fincastle, and Culpepper Counties.
• Adopted on May 25, 1776 into the Continental Army and assigned to the Southern Department.
• Relieved on January 21, 1777 from the Southern Department and assigned to the Main Army.
• Assigned on May 11, 1777 to the 4th Virginia Brigade, an element of the Main Army.
• 4th Virginia Brigade redesignated on July 22, 1778 as the 3rd Virginia Brigade.
• Reorganized on November 1, 1777 to consist of 8 companies.
• Consolidated on May 12, 1779 with the 4th Virginia Regiment.

Lineage taken from "The Continental Army" by Robert K Wright

• Chesapeake Bay
• Charlestown 1775-1778
• Northern New Jersey
• Defense of Philadelphia
• Philadelphia - Monmouth

The 8th Virginia Regiment was raised on January 11, 1776 at Suffolk Court House, Virginia for service with the Continental Army under the command of Peter Muhlenberg. The regiment would see action at the Battle of Brandywine, the Battle of Germantown and the Battle of Monmouth. The regiment was merged into the 4th Virginia Regiment on May 12, 1779.

The 8th Virginia was also sometimes known as the "German Regiment", not to be confused with Colonel Nicholas Haussegger's regiment, also sometimes known as the "German Regiment" (or "German Battalion").