Battery A, 1st New Jersey Artillery

United States Regiments & Batteries > New Jersey

“Hexamer’s Battery”

New Jersey Battery A lost 3 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 12 enlisted men to disease. It is honored by a series of markers at Antietam and a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
Organized at Hoboken, N.J.
August 12 Mustered in under Captain William (Wilhelm) Hexamer.
August 20 Left State for duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. attached to Kearney’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac
October Attached to Franklin’s Division, Army of the Potomac
1862
March Attached to Artillery, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 10-15 Advance on Manassas, Va.
April 7-11 Advance from Alexandria to Bristoe Station. Attached to Artillery, 1st Division, Department of the Rappahannock
April 17 Embarked for the Virginia Peninsula
April 19-May 4 Siege of Yorktown, Va. (on transports) attached to Artillery, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps
May 7-8 West Point
May 31-June 1 Battle of Seven Pines (or Fair Oaks)
June 25-July 1 Seven days before Richmond
June 27
Battles of Gaines’ Mill
June 30 Brackett’s and Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale
July 1
Malvern Hill
July – August At Harrison’s Landing
August 16-26 Movement to Manassas
August 26-September 2 Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia
August 27 Bull Run Bridge
September 1 Chantilly
September 6-22 Maryland Campaign
September 14
Crampton’s Pass (South Mountain)
September 16-17
Battle of Antietam

The battery was commanded throughout by Captain William (Wilhelm) Hexamer. It was armed at Antietam with six 10-pounder Parrott Rifles.

From the markers:

From a position about 60 yards south of this point the battery, between 2 and 3 p.m. engaged and silenced the Confederate Artillery around the Dunker Church.

From 3:30 p.m. until near sunset this Battery from a point about 80 yards north of this, engaged the enemy around the Piper Buildings.
September-October Duty in Maryland
October 30-November 19 Movement to Falmouth, Va.
December 12-15
Battle of Fredericksburg
1863
January-April Duty near Falmouth, Va.
January 20-24 “Mud March”
April 27-May 6 Chancellorsville Campaign
April 29-May 2 Operations at Franklin’s Crossing
May 3 Battle of Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg attached to Artillery Brigade, 6th Army Corps
May 3-4
Salem Heights
May 4 Banks’ Ford
June 11-July 24 Gettysburg Campaign; attached to 4th Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac
July 2-4
Battle of Gettysburg

The battery was commanded by Lieutenant Augustin N. Parsons. It brought to the field 116 men and was armed with six 10-pounder Parrott Rifles. The battery lost two men killed and seven wounded.

From the monument: 

Battery A, 1st New Jersey Artillery, from its position in reserve S.W. of Power’s Hill galloped into action at 3 p.m., July 3, 1863. Fired 120 rounds shrapnel at Pickett’s column, and then 80 rounds shell at a battery in left front. Position in action, 45 yards E. of this stone.
July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap
August-October Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan
October 9-22 Bristoe Campaign; attached to 3rd Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 26-December 2 Mine Run Campaign
November 27 Payne’s Farm
December Duty near Brandy Station, Va.
1864
March Attached to 1st Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve
May 3-June 15 Campaign from the Rapidan to the James. Attached to Artillery Brigade, 6th Army Corps
May 5-7
Battle of the Wilderness
May 8-21
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
May 23-26 North Anna River
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31 Totopotomoy
June 1-12 Cold Harbor (Temporarily with 18th Army Corps)
June 16-18 Before Petersburg; attached to Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac
June 16 Siege of Petersburg
June 22-23 Jerusalem Plank Road
July 9-26 At City Point
July 27-29 Demonstration north of the James
July 27-28 Deep Bottom
December, Attached to Artillery Brigade, 6th Army Corps
1865
March 25 Fort Fisher, Petersburg
March 28-
April 9		 Appomattox Campaign
April 2 Fall of Petersburg
April 6 Sailor’s Creek
April 7 High Bridge, Farmville
April 9
Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.
April 23-27 March to Danville
May 18-June 3 March to Richmond, thence to Washington, D.C.
June 8 Corps Review
June 22 Mustered out