Fourth New Jersey Infantry Regiment

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

The Fourth New Jersey Infantry Regiment lost 5 officers and 156 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 103 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War.

It is honored on a monument at Crampton’s Gap on South Mountain, a monument at Antietam, and by a regimental marker and the New Jersey Brigade Monument at Gettysburg.

1861
The Fourth New Jersey Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Olden, Trenton, N.J.
August 19 Mustered in for three years service under Colonel James H. Simpson (West Point Class of 1832)
August 20 Left State for Washington, D.C. for 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
1861
March Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 8-15 Advance on Manassas
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 5

Siege of Yorktown

The regiment remained on the transports.
May 7-8 West Point. attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Corps, Army of the Potomac
June 7 Reconnaissance to East Branch Chickahominy (Companies D, F and I)
June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond
June 27

Battles of Gaines Mill

Colonel Simpson and 400 men were captured. Lieutenant Colonel William B. Hatch took command of the regiment.
June 30

Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale
July 1

Malvern Hill
July-August At Harrison’s Landing. Major William Birney was temporarily given command of the 57th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, which had lost most of it officers.
August 16-26 Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Manassas, Va.
August 24 Colonel Simpson was paroled and returned to the regiment but resigned to resume his duties as a Major of Topographic Engineers in the regular army.
August 26-September 2

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia
August 26 Lieutenant Colonel Hatch was promoted to colonel. Major William Birney was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
August 27

Bull Run Bridge
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
September 16-17

Battle of Antietam

The brigade was commanded by its senior colonel, Alfred T. A. Torbert of the 1st New Jersey. The 4th was commanded by Colonel William B. Hatch.

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-Otcober At Sharpsburg, Maryland.
October 29-November 19 Movement to Falmouth, Virginia.
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

Colonel Hatch was mortally wounded leading a charge near a railroad embankment. He died on December 18.
December At Falmouth
1863
January 8 Lieutenant Colonel William Birney was promoted to colonel.
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
May 4

Banks Ford
May 22 Colonel Birney was promoted to brigadier general.
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign
July 2-4
Battle of Gettysburg

The Fourth New Jersey Infantry Regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Maj. Charles Ewing, it brought 386 men to the field, suffering no casualties. The 4th was detached from the brigade during Gettysburg. Companies A, C, and H acted as Provost Guard, with the remainder of the regiment guarding the Reserve Artillery train, shown by a marker near School House Road.

From the New Jersey 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 In camp near Warrenton, Va.
September 15 At Culpeper Court House
September 29 James Duffy was promoted to colonel but not mustered
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
January-May At Brandy Station
May 3-June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James
May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness
May 8-21

Spotsylvania Court House
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

Battle of Cold Harbor
June 17-18 First Assault on Petersburg
June 19

Siege of Petersburg
June 22-23 Jerusalem Plank Road
June 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
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 Moved to Washington, D.C., then to Petersburg and Siege of Petersburg
1865
February 5-7

Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run
March 21 David Vickers was promoted to colonel
March 28-
April 9

Appomattox Campaign
April 2

Fall of Petersburg
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, Va. Colonel Vickers mustered out.
May 18-June 3 To Washington, D.C.
May 29 Edward L. Campbell was promoted to colonel
June 8 Corps Review
July 9 The Fourth New Jersey Infantry Regiment mustered out at Hall’s Hill, Va. under Colonel Edward Campbell