Battery A First New Jersey Artillery

United States Regiments & Batteries > New Jersey

“Hexamer’s Battery”

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

1861
The battery was organized at Hoboken, New Jersy under the command of Captain William (Wilhelm) Hexamer. Hexamer was a native of Koblenz, Prussia, who had served as an aide to Franz Sigel in the failed 1848 German Revolution. Forced into exile, he emigrated to the United States and had settled in Hoboken, New Jersey and formed an artillery battery in the New Jersey militia, the Hudson County Artillery. Many of the men were German.When the war broke out Hexamer and the Governor of New Jersey offered his battery to the Federal government. But they were turned down, as the War Department at that time was not interested in militia artillery. After the disaster at First Bull Run they changed their minds, and the battery was accepted.
August 12 Battery A First New Jersey Artillery was mustered in.
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 Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 10-15 Advance on Manassas, Virginia
April 7-11 Advance from Alexandria to Bristoe Station. Attached to Artillery, 1st Division, Department of the Rappahannock
April 17

Peninsula Campaign

Embarked for the Virginia Peninsula
April 19-May 4

Siege of Yorktown, Virginia

On transports. Attached to Artillery, 1st Division, 6th 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

Battle 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

Battle of Chantilly
September 6-22

Maryland Campaign
September 14

Battle of South Mountain

The battery was engaged at Crampton’s Gap.

Hexamer’s battery is honored on the New Jersey Brigade monument directly in front of the War Correspondent’s Memorial Arch.
September 16-17
Battle of Antietam

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

Text from the two markers to the battery on the Antietam battlefield:

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

Captain William Hexamer was sick. the battery was temporarily commanded by First Lieutenant Augustine N. Parsons.
April 29-May 2 Operations at Franklin’s Crossing
May 3

Battle of Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg

Attached to the 6th Corps Artillery Brigade.
May 3-4

Salem Heights
May 4

Banks’ Ford
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign

Battery A First New Jersey Artillery was attached to the 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 at Gettysburg in front of the State of Pennsylvania memorial:

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. Captain Hexamer returned from sick leave to command the battery.
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 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
August 18 Captain William Hexamer mustered out at the end of his three year term of enlistment. Lieutenant Augustine N. Parsons was promoted to captain and took command of the battery.
December, Attached to the 6th Corps Artillery Brigade
1865
March 25

Fort Fisher, Petersburg
March 28-
April 9

Appomattox Campaign
April 2

Fall of Petersburg

From Captain Parson’s report:

“…About 10 p.m. of the 1st instant I opened fire upon the enemy’s picket-line-from Fort Howard with four guns, and from Fort Wadsworth with two guns-keeping up a slow fire until about 1 a.m. of the 2nd, firing fifty rounds from Fort Howard and seventy-five rounds from Fort Wadsworth. About the same time I received orders to send two guns to Fort Welch. I at once sent Lieutenant Bonin with one section, which reached Fort Welch before daylight on the morning of the 2nd. At 11 p.m. same day I received orders to turn in two guns, and report to the commanding officer of the Artillery Brigade at 6 a.m. on the 3rd, fully equipped for a campaign.”

From Official Records XLVI P1 #148:
Report of Captain Augustin N. Parsons, Btty A 1st NJ Lt Arty, April 1-3, 1865
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 Marched to Richmond, then to Washington, D.C.
June 8 Corps Review
June 22 Battery A ,First New Jersey Artillery mustered out