Fifth New Jersey Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > New Jersey > Fifth New Jersey Infantry Regiment

The Fifth New Jersey Infantry Regiment lost 12 officers and 126 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 85 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
The regiment was organized at Camp Olden, Trenton, New Jersey.
August 22 The Fifth New Jersey Infantry Regiment mustered in under the command of Colonel Samuel H. Starr.
August 29 Left New Jersey for Washington, D.C. Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C. attached to Casey’s Provisional Division, Army of the Potomac
October Attached to 3rd Brigade, Hooker’s Division, Army of the Potomac
November 3-11 Expedition to Lower Maryland
November At Meridian Hill
November Colonel Starr commanded the brigade as senior colonel.
December Near Budd’s Ferry, Md.
1862
March 10 Seizure of Cockpit Point
March 13 Brigade designated as 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Potomac, still under command of Colonel Starr.
April 5-8

Peninsula Campaign

Moved to the Virginia Peninsula
April 10-May 5

Siege of Yorktown
May 5

Battle of Williamsburg

Colonel Starr was wounded.
May 31-June 1

Battle of Fair Oaks or Seven Pines

Captain Ashbel W. Angel of Company A was wounded.
June Duty near Seven Pines
June 25-JuIy 1

Seven days before Richmond
June 25
Action at Oak Grove, near Seven Pines
June 29

Savage Station
June 30

Glendale
July 1

Malvern Hill
July-August At Harrison’s Landing
August 15-26 Movement to Centreville
August 26-September 2

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia
August 27 Action at Bristoe Station or Kettle Run
August 29

Battle of Groveton
August 30

Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas)
September 1

Battle of Chantilly
September-October Duty in the Defenses of Washington near Alexandria
October 20 Colonel Starr resigned, “no longer able to serve in the volunteers with satisfaction to myself or without humiliation.” He returned to the Regulars in the 6th United States Cavalry with the rank of major.

Colonel William J. Sewell took command of the regiment. He would go on to become a State and U.S. Senator.
October 21 Captain Angel of Company A was promoted to major
November 1-28 Movement to Falmouth, Va.
November 28-December 11 Duty at Falmouth
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg
1863
January-April At Falmouth
January 20-24 “Mud March”
February 5-7 Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign
May 1-5

Battle of Chancellorsville

Major Angel was wounded. Colonel William J.  Sewell was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign
July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The Fifth New Jersey Infantry Regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Colonel William J. Sewell, who was wounded on July 2nd. Captain Henry H. Woolsey took command for the rest of the battle even though he was slightly wounded on July 2nd.

The 5th brought 221 men to the field and lost 13 killed, 65 wounded and 16 missing.

From the monument at Gettysburg:

The regiment first held the skirmish line 400 yards to the front and left of this spot, and afterwards took position in the line of battle here.
July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap
July 23

Wapping Heights, Manassas Gap, Virginia.
August-September Duty near Warrenton
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign
October 15 McLean’s Ford
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 7

Kelly’s Ford
November 26-December 2

Mine Run Campaign
November 27

Payne’s Farm
December Duty near Brandy Station
1864
February 5-7 Demonstration on the Rapidan
March Atached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Corps
May 3-June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James
May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness
May 8-21

Spotsylvania Court House
May 12

Assault on the Salient “Bloody Angle,”
May 19

Harris Farm, Fredericksburg Road
May 23-26

North Anna River
May 23-24 Ox Ford
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31

Totopotomoy
June 1-12

Cold Harbor
June 16-18

First Assault on Petersburg
June 16-18

Siege of Petersburg
June 22-23 Jerusalem Plank Road
June 24 In trenches before Petersburg
July 2 Colonel Sewell resigned. Colonel Ashbel W. Angel took command of the regiment.
July 12-26 In Reserve Camp
July 27-29 Demonstration north of the James
July 27-28

Deep Bottom
August 13-20 Demonstration north of the James
August 14-18

Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom
August 25

Ream’s Station
September 7 Non-Veterans mustered out at Trenton, New Jersey, under the command of Colonel Angel.
September 10

Fort Sedgwick
September 10 to October 1 Duty in trenches before Petersburg in lines from Fort Morton to Fort Alexander Hays
October 1

Poplar Springs Church
October 2-5 Yellow House
October 27-28

Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run
November 5 Fort Morton
November 6 The Fifth New Jersey Infantry Regiment was consolidated with 7th New Jersey Infantry