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


The Eighth New Jersey Infantry Regiment lost 9 officers and 167 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 officer and 109 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.
September 14 The Eighth New Jersey Infantry Regiment  mustered in under the command of Colonel Adolphus J. Johnson.
October 1 Left State for Washington, D.C. Attached to Casey’s Provisional Brigade, Division of the Potomac at Meridian Hill.
November 3-11 Expedition to lower Maryland
December 6 Duty at Budd’s Ferry, Maryland attached to 3rd Brigade, Hooker’s Division, Army of the Potomac
1862
March Attached to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Potomac
April 5-8

Peninsula Campaign

Moved to the Virginia Peninsula

April 10-May 4

Siege of Yorktown, Virginia

May 5

Battle of Williamsburg

May 31-June 1

Battle of Fair Oaks (or Seven Pines)

June 2-25 Duty near Seven Pines
June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond

June 25

Action at Oak Grove, near Seven Pines

June 29

Battle of 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

November 1 Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C.
November 1-28 Movement to Falmouth, Virginia
November 28-December 11 Duty near Falmouth, Virginia
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
March 19 Colonel Johnson Resigned
April 1 John Ramsey was promoted to colonel.
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign

May 1-5

Battle of Chancellorsville

June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign

July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The Eighth New Jersey Infantry Regiment was commanded by Colonel John Ramsey until he was wounded on July 2nd. Captain John Langton then took command.

From the monument in the Wheatfield:

8th New Jersey Volunteers, Col. John Ramsay. Engaged here July 2nd, 1863, being detached from the Brigade. Supported batteries on Cemetery Ridge July 3. Took into action 170. Killed 7. Wounded 7 officers, 31 men. Missing 2. Total 47.

July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va.
July 23
Wapping Heights, Va.
August Duty near Warrenton, Va.
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 6-7 Demonstration on the Rapidan
March Attached to 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 2nd Corps
May 3-June 15 Campaign from the Rapidan to the James attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Corps
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, or 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

Before Petersburg

June 16-18

Siege of Petersburg begins

June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road

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 10

Fort Sedgwick

September 29-
October 2

Poplar Springs Church

October 2-5 Yellow House
October 27-28

Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run

December 7-12

Warren’s Raid on Weldon Railroad

1865
February 5-7

Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run

The regiment was commanded by Major Hartford and lost 11 enlisted men killed and 2 officers and 35 enlisted men wounded.

March 25 Watkins’ House
March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign

March 30-31

Boydton and White Oak Roads

March 31 Crow’s House
April 2

Fall of Petersburg

April 3-9 Pursuit of Lee
April 6

Sailor’s Creek

April 7

High Bridge, Farmville

April 9

Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.

May 2-12 March to Washington. D.C.
May 23 Grand Review
June Duty at Washington
July 17 The Eighth New Jersey Infantry Regiment mustered out under the command of Colonel Ramsey.