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


The Second New Jersey Infantry Regiment lost 7 officers and 89 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 67 enlisted men to disease. It is honored on the New Jersey Brigade Monument at Gettysburg, a monument at Crampton’s Gap on South Mountain and a monument at Antietam.

1861
May 18 The regiment was organized at Camp Olden, Trenton, N.J. for three years service
May 26 The Second New Jersey Infantry Regiment mustered in under Colonel George W. McLean, Lieutenant Colonel Isaac M. Tucker and Major Samuel L. Buck
June 27 Left New Jersey for Washington, D.C. with a full complement of 38 officers and 1,006 enlisted men. Attached to 2nd Brigade, Runyon’s Reserve Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia
July 16-21 Advance on Manassas, Virginia
July 21

Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)

The Regiment was in reserve and suffered no casualties.

August Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. attached to Kearney’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac
October Attached to Kearney’s Brigade, Franklin’s Division, Army of the Potomac
December 31 Colonel McLean resigned. Lieutenant Colonel Tucker was promoted to colonel
1862
January 20 Major Buck was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Henry O. Ryerson of Company B to major
March Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 8-15 Advance on Manassas
April 1 Advance from Alexandria to Bristoe Station attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Department of the Rappahannock
April 17

Peninsula Campaign

Embarked for the Virginia Peninsula

April 19-May 4

Siege of Yorktown, Virginia

Remained on transports.

May 7-8 West Point; attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Corps, Army of the Potomac
June 4 Captain Aaron Young of Company F died of typhoid fever at Belleville, New Jersey
June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond

June 27

Battle of Gaines Mill and Garnett’s Farm

Colonel Tucker and Captain Charles Danforth were killed

June 28

Golding’s Farm

June 30

Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale

July 1

Malvern Hill

Lieutenant Colonel Buck was promoted to colonel, Major Ryerson to lieutenant colonel and Captain James Duffy of Company C to major

July – August At Harrison’s Landing
June 16-26 Movement to Fortress Monroe and Manassas, Va.
August 26-September 2

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia

August 27

Action at Bull Run Bridge, Manassas

Lieutenant Isaac Plume was killed

August 30

Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas)

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

Major Duffy was transferred to 3rd New Jersey Infantry Regiment as colonel. Captain Charles Wiebecke of Company E was promoted to major.

September 16-17

Battle of Antietam

The brigade was commanded by its senior colonel, Alfred T. A. Torbert of the 1st New Jersey. The 2nd was commanded by Colonel Samuel L. Buck.

From the monument at Antietam: 

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 18 Duty at Sharpsburg, Maryland.
October 29-November 19 Movement to Falmouth, Virginia.
November 12 Lieutenant Colonel Ryerson transferred to the 23rd New Jersey Infantry Regiment as colonel. Major Wiebecke was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain James Close of Company G to major
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

1863
January-April Duty at Falmouth
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)

May 3-4

Salem Heights

Captain William Bergen of Company G was mortally wounded

May 4

Banks Ford

Colonel Buck was disabled when his horse fell on him, dislocating his shoulder. He never returned to field service. Lieutenasnt Colonel Charles Wiebecke took over the regiment.

June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign

July 2-4

Battle of Gettysburg

The Second New Jersey Infantry Regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Wiebecke. The 2nd New Jersey brought 405 men to the field and suffered six wounded.

From the brigade monument at Gettysburg:

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 Fairfield, Pa.
July 10-13 At and near Funkstown, Maryland
July Near Warrenton, Virginia
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

1864
December-May At Brandy Station
May 3-June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James

May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

Captains Henry Callan of Company H and Jacob Bogert of Company K were killed

May 8-21

Spotsylvania Court House

May 12

Assault on the Salient, “Bloody Angle”

May 14 Lieutenant Colonel Wiebecke was killed
May 23-26

North Anna River

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

Totopotomoy

May 29 Non-Veterans were relieved for muster out. Veterans and Recruits were temporarily attached to the 15th New Jersey Infantry Regiment
June 1-12

Battle of Cold Harbor

June 17-19

First Assault on Petersburg

June 21

Siege of Petersburg

Non-Veterans mustered out at Newark, N.J. under Colonel Samuel Buck and Major James Close. Veterans and recruits were temporarily assigned to the 15th New Jersey Infantry under the command of Captain James Penrose of Company F, promoted to major

June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road

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

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

July 14-23 Pursuit of Early to Snicker’s Gap, Virginia
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 Duty in the Shenandoah Valley
December

Siege of Petersburg

Moved to Washington, D.C., then to Petersburg, Virginia to rejoin the Siege.

December 20 Reorganized as Company A, 2nd New Jersey Battalion
1865
February 5-7 Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run
March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign

April 2

Fall of Petersburg

April 3-9 Pursuit of Lee
April 5 Major James McNeely of the 10th New Jersey Infantry Regiment transferred in as lieutenant colonel
April 9

Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.

April 11 New recruits, drafted men and substtutes formed in Trenton as a newly reconstituted Company B.
April 23-27 March to Danville
May 18 March to Richmond, Va.
May 18-June 3 To Washington, D.C.
June 8 Corps Review
June 22 Colonel William Penrose transferred from 15th New Jersey Infantry
July 10 Lieutenant Colonel James McNeely was promoted to colonel and Major James Close to lieutenant colonel
July 11 The Second New Jersey Infantry Regiment mustered out at Hall’s Hill, Virginia under the command of Colonel James McNeeley and Lieutenant Colonel James Close