United States Regiments & Batteries > New Jersey


The First New Jersey Infantry Regiment lost 9 officers and 144 Enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 90 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. The regiment is honored on the New Jersey Brigade Monument at Gettysburg, a monument at Crampton’s Gap on South Mountain and a monument and a marker at Antietam.

1861
May 21 The First New Jersey Infantry Regiment was o rganized at Camp Olden, Trenton, N.J., and mustered in for three years service under Colonel William R. Montgomery, Lieutenant Colonel Robert McAllister and Major David Hatfield
June 28 Left State for Washington, D. C.; Attached to 2nd Brigade, Runyon’s Reserve Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia
July 16-21

Advance on Manassas, Va.

July 21

Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)

The regiment was in reserve and suffered no casualties.

August Attached to Kearney’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac; Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.
September 1 Captain Alfred T. A. Torbert of the 5th United States Infantry was enrolled as colonel
October Attached to Kearney’s Brigade, Franklin’s Division, Army of the Potomac
October 15 Little River Turnpike (Company A)
1862
March Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st  Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 8-15 Advance on Manassas, Va.
April 7-11 Advance from Alexandria to Bristoe Station attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock
April 17

Peninsula Campaign

Embarked for the Virginia Peninsula

April 19-May 4

Siege of Yorktown (on transports)

May 7-8 West Point. Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps
June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond

June 27

Battles of Gaines Mill

Captain Epraim Brewster was killed, Major Hatfield was mortally wounded and Captain John Mount was wounded

June 30

Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale

Lieutenant Colonel McAllister was transferred to 11th New Jersey Infantry as colonel

July 1

Malvern Hill

July 2-August 16

Duty at Harrison’s Landing

Lieutenant Robert Boggs died of typhoid fever

August 12 Adjutant William Henry was promoted to major
August 16-26 Moved to Fortress Monroe, then to Manassas, Va.
August 26-September 2

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia

August 27 Bull Run Bridge, Manassas
August 30

Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas)

Colonel Torbert took command of the brigade after Brigadier General George Taylor was wounded. Lieutenant Colonel Mark W. Collet took over command of the regiment.

August 30-31 Cover Pope’s retreat to Centreville
September 6-22

Maryland Campaign

September 14

Battle of South Mountain

From the monument at Crampton’s Gap: 

Late in the afternoon the Brigade advanced from the fields north and west of Burkittsville, charged up the mountain, carried this point, and followed the enemy to the west foot of the mountain. Loss in the Brigade 40 killed, 134 wounded

September 16-17

Battle of Antietam

The brigade continued to be commanded by its senior colonel, Alfred T. A. Torbert of the First New Jersey. Lieutenant Colonel Mark W. Collet commanded the regiment.

From the monument to the New Jersey Brigade: 

The Brigade arrived upon the field from Crampton’s Pass about noon, and was formed for a charge upon the Confederate line just North of the Dunkard Church. The order for the charge was countermanded, and the brigade took position across this road, in support of the 6rh Corps Artillery, the right of the brigade in woods North of the road, the left in the open field South, where it remained, under artillery fire, until the morning of the 19th.

From the marker:

This stone marks the right of the brigade, when a little after noon it was formed to charge the woods North of the Dunkard Church. The order was countermanded and the brigade moved a short distance to the left to support the Corps Artillery, soon after which Hexamer’s Battery engaged and silenced the Confederate Artillery at Dunkard Church.

September-October Duty at Sharpsburg
October 16 Company K transferred to the 1st New Jersey Battery
October 29-November 19 Movement to Falmouth, Va.
November 29 Colonel Torbert was promoted to brigadier general. Lieutenant Colonel Mark Collett of the 3rd New Jersey Infantry Regiment transferred in and was promoted to colonel, Major Henry was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Enos Fouratt of Company F to major
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 (Second Fredericksburg)

Colonel Collett was killed

May 3-4

Salem Heights

May 4

Banks’ Ford

June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign

July 2-4

Battle of Gettysburg

The First New Jersey Infantry Regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel William Henry. It brought 292 men to the field and suffered no casualties.

From the brigade monument:

First Brigade New Jersey Volunteers. Brig. Gen. Alfred T.A. Torbert, 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 15th Regiments Infantry 1st Brigade, 1st Div., 6th Corps. July 2, in reserve, July 3 and 4 detached from the corps, held this position.

July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va.
July 5 Fairfield, Pa.,
July 6 Williamsport
July 10-13 At and near Funkstown
July 11 Hagerstown
July In camp near Warrenton, Va.
July 29 Major Fouratt resigned. Captain Alexander Way of Company G promoted to major
September 15 At Culpeper
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign

November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 7

Rappahannock Station

November 26-December 2

Mine Run Campaign

December Duty at Brandy Station
1864
March 11 Lieutenant Colonel Henry was promoted to colonel
May 3-June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James

May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

Lieutenants Charles Seagraves and Carley Swan were killed

May 8-21

Spotsylvania Court House

May 12

Assault on the Salient, “Bloody Angle”

Captain Jacob Wyckoff and Lieutenant Benjamin L. Moffree were killed, Captain Richard Foster was mortally wounded and Captain Bailey Brown was wounded, losing his arm

May 23-26

North Anna River

May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31

Totopotomoy

June 1-12

Battle of Cold Harbor

June 17-18 First Assault on Petersburg.
June 19

Siege of Petersburg begins

Non-Veterans left front. Veterans and Recruits were attached to other regiments of the Brigade.

June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road.

Non-Veterans were mustered out at Trenton, N.J.

July 9-11 Moved to Washington, D.C.
July 11-12

Repulse of Early’s attack on Fort Stevens and Northern Defenses of Washington

July 14-23 Pursuit of Early to Snicker’s Gap
August 7-November 28

Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign

August 14-15 Strasburg
August 15 Cedar Creek
August 17 Winchester
August 21-22 Charlestown
September 19

Third Battle of Winchester

September 22

Battle of Fisher’s Hill

October 19

Battle of Cedar Creek

October-December Duty in the Shenandoah Valley
December Veterans and Recruits organized as 1st New Jersey Veteran Battalion. Moved to Washington, D.C. then to Petersburg
1865
February 5-7

Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run

March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign

April 2
Assault on and fall of Petersburg

Lieutenant Lewis Thompson was mortally wounded

April 3-9 Pursuit of Lee
April 9

Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.

April 23-27 March to Danville
May 18 Moved to Richmond
May 18-June 3 To Washington, D.C.
June 8 Corps Review
June 29 The First New Jersey Infantry Regiment mustered out at Hall’s Hill, Va. under Colonel Henry