6th New Jersey

United States Regiments & Batteries > New Jersey

The 6th New Jersey Infantry Regiment lost 3 officers and 124 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 officer and 71 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
Organized at Camp Olden, Trenton, N.J. under Colonel James T. Hatfield.
August 19 Mustered in
September 10 Left State for Washington, D.C. Attached to Casey’s Provisional Brigade, Division of the Potomac
November 3-11 Expedition to Lower Maryland
November 12 At Meridian Hill
December Near Budd’s Ferry, Md. attached to 3rd Brigade, Hooker’s Division, Army of the Potomac
1862
March 1862 Attached to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
April 5-8 Moved to the Virginia Peninsula
April 10-May 4 Siege of Yorktown
April 27 Colonel Hatfield resigned.
May 5 Battle of Williamsburg
May 7 Lieutenant Colonel Geshom Mott of the 5th New Jersey Infantry Regiment transferred to the 6th New Jersey and promoted to colonel
May 31-June 1 Battle of Fair Oaks (or Seven Pines)
June Duty near Seven Pines
June 25-July 1 Seven days before Richmond
June 25 Battle of Oak Grove, near Seven Pines
June 29 Savage Station
June 30 Glendale
July 1 Malvern Hill
July-August At Harrison’s Landing
August 15-26 Movement to Centreville
August 26-September 2 Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia
August 27 Action at Bristoe Station (or Kettle Run)
August 29 Battle of Groveton
August 30
Second Battle of Bull Run
September 1 Chantilly
September-October Duty in the Defenses of Washington
September 7 Colonel Mott promoted to brigadier general
September 10 George C. Burling promoted to colonel
November 1-28 Movement to Falmouth, Va.
November 28-December 11 Duty near Falmouth
December 12-15
Battle of Fredericksburg
1863
January-April At Falmouth
January 20-24 “Mud March”
February 5-7 Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church
April 27-May 6 Chancellorsville Campaign
May 1-5
Battle of Chancellorsville
June 11-July 24 Gettysburg Campaign
July 1-3
Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Lieutenant Colonel Stephen R. Gilkyson. It brought 246 men to the field and suffered 1 killed, 32 wounded and 8 missing.

From the monument:

Engaged here July 2nd, 1863, being detached from the brigade. Supported batteries on Cemetery Ridge July 3.
July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va.
July 23 Wapping Heights
August-September Duty near Warrenton
October 9-22 Bristoe Campaign
October 15 McLean’s Ford
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 7 Kelly’s Ford
November 26-December 2 Mine Run Campaign
November 27 Payne’s Farm
December Duty near Brandy Station
1864
February 6-7 Demonstration on the Rapidan
March Attached to 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 2nd Army Corps
March 4 Colonel Burling resigned
May 3-June 15 Campaign from the Rapidan to the James; attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps
May 5-7
Battle of the Wilderness
May 8-21
Spotsylvania Court House
May 12 Assault on the Salient (“Bloody Angle”)
May 19 Harris Farm (or Fredericksburg Road)
May 23-26 North Anna River
May 23-24 Ox Ford
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31 Totopotomoy
June 1 Lt. Colonel Gilkyson promoted to colonel
June 1-12
Cold Harbor
June 16-18 Before Petersburg; Siege of Petersburg begins
June 22-23 Jerusalem Plank Road
June 24 In trenches before Petersburg
July 12 In Reserve Camp
July 27-29 Demonstration on north side of the James
July 27-28 Deep Bottom
July 29 In trenches
August 13-20 Demonstration north of the James
August 14-18 Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom
August 25 Ream’s Station
September Before Petersburg
September 7 Non-Veterans mustered out at Trenton, N.J., under Colonel Gilkyson. Veterans formed into Veteran Battalion.
October 12 Veteran Battalion consolidated with 8th New Jersey Infantry