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


The Twelfth New Jersey Infantry Regiment lost 9 officers and 168 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 99 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument and marker at Gettysburg and a monument on the Wilderness battlefield.

1862
The regiment was organized at Camp Stockton, at Woodbury, New Jersey, under the command of Colonel Robert C. Johnson and Lieutenant Colonel John Howard Willets.
September 4 The Twelfth New Jersey Infantry Regiment mustered in
September 7 Left New Jersey for Baltimore, Maryland. Attached to Defenses of Baltimore, Maryland, 8th Corps, Middle Dept.
September 8 Guard duty at Ellicott’s Mills, Maryland.
December 10 Moved to Washington, D.C.
December 13-17 Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac
December 20 At Falmouth, Virginia.
1863
February 27 Colonel Robert Johnson was discharged for disability due to a fall from his horse. Lieutenant Colonel John Willets was promoted to colonel.
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign

May 1-5

Battle of Chancellorsville

Colonel John Willets was wounded in his arm and face, and eventually was discharged for disability.

June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign

July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The Twelfth New Jersey Infantry Regiment was commanded by Major John T. Hill. It brought 532 men to the field, losing 23 killed, 83 wounded and 9 missing.

From the monument to the 12th New Jersey north of the Angle:

In memory of the men of the Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Infantry Volunteers who upon this field July 2 & 3, 1863, and who elsewhere died under the flag this monument is dedicated by their surviving comrades as an example to future generations.

Buck & Ball, Calibre. 69.

Two charges were made by this regiment on Bliss’s Barn. July 2d & 3d 1863, capturing it.

Lost on this field; killed, 2 officers, 20 men; wounded, 4 officers, 80 men; missing 9, total 115.”

From the marker by the Bliss farm:

Erected by the State of New Jersey, 1888, in honor of the 12th Regiment of volunteers, a detachment of which in the afternoon of July 2nd, 1863, charged the Bliss house and barn here capturing the enemy’s skirmish reserve of 7 officers and 85 men stationed therein. On the morning of July 3, another detachment of the regiment charged, capturing the buildings, one officer and one man, and driving back the skirmish reserve. The regiment lost in their charges 60 officers and men.

July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap
August-September Duty along the Orange & Alexandria Railroad
September 13-17 Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan
September-October Picket duty on the Rapidan
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign

October 14

Auburn and Bristoe

November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 26-December 2

Mine Run Campaign

November 28-30

Mine Run

December At Stevensburg
1864
February 6-7 Demonstration on the Rapidan and Morton’s Ford
March Attached to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Corps
May 3-June 15 Campaign from the Rapidan to the James
May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

There is a monument to the 12th New Jersey Infantry Regiment at the corner of Brock Road and Orange Plank Road on the battlefield.

May 8-21
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
May 8

Laurel Hill

May 10

Po River

May 12

Assault on the Salient, “Bloody Angle”

May 23-26

North Anna River

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

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

October 27-28

Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run

1865
February 5-7

Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run

February John Willian was promoted to colonel.
March 25 Watkins House
March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign

March 30-31

Boydton and White Oak Roads

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, D.C.
July 15 The Twelfth New Jersey Infantry Regiment mustered out at Washington, D.C.