Battery B First New Jersey Artillery

United States Regiments & Batteries > New Jersey

Battery B First New Jersey Artillery lost 1 officer and 8 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 23 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
The battery was organized at Camp Olden, Trenton, New Jersey under the command of Captain John E. Beam.
September 3 Battery B First New Jersey Artillery mustered in for three years Federal service.
October 22 The battery left New Jersey for duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. attached to Heintzelman’s Division
1862
March

Peninsula Campaign

Ordered to the Virginia Peninsula. Attached to Artillery, 3rd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Potomac
April 5-May 4

Siege of Yorktown, Virginia
May 5

Battle of Williamsburg
May 31-June 1

Battle of Fair Oaks (or Seven Pines)
June 21 Action at Fair Oaks Station
June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond

Attached to Artillery Reserve, 3rd Corps
June 25

Battle of Oak Grove
June 29

Peach Orchard and Savage Station
June 30

White Oak Swamp and Glendale
July 1

Malvern Hill

Captain John E. Beam was killed. First Lieutenant Adirondam Clark was promoted to captain and took over command of the battery.
July-August At Harrison’s Landing
August Moved to Washington, D.C. and duty in the Defenses of that city. Attached to Artillery, 2nd Division, 3rd Corps
November 10-12 Operations along the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
November 28-December 11 Near Falmouth, Virginia.
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg
1863
January At Falmouth attached to Artillery, 1st Division, 3rd Corps
January 20-24 “Mud March”
February 5-7 Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign

Attached to Artillery Brigade, 3rd Corps
May 1-5

Battle of Chancellorsville
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign
July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

Battery B First New Jersey Artillery was commanded at Gettysburg by Captain Adoniram J. Clark. It brought 143 men to the field serving six 10-pounder Parrott Rifles.

On July 2 the battery deployed in an exposed position near the Peach Orchard before moving to a better position. It fired on the Confederates attacking from Warfield Ridge. The battery pulled pulled back when its infantry support withdrew on both flanks.

The commander or the 3rd Corps Artillery, Captain George E. Randolph, was wounded, and Captain Adoniram Clark took command of the brigade as senior officer. First Lieutenant Robert Sims then took command of the battery.

Text from the monument in Excelsior Field:

Fought here from 2 until 7 O’clock on July 2, 1863, firing 1,300 rounds of ammunition. Losses, killed 1, wounded 16, missing 3.
July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Virginia.
July 12 South Mountain, Maryland.
July 23

Wapping Heights, Manassas Gap, Virginia.
August Near Warrenton, Virginia.
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign

First Lieutenant Robert Sims continued to command the battery while Captain Adoniram Clark commanded the brigade.
October 14

Auburn and Bristoe
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 7

Kelly’s Ford
November 8 Brandy Station
November 26-December 2

Mine Run Campaign

Captain Adoniram Clark returned to command the battery after Captain George E. Randolph returned from recovering from his wound to command the brigade.
December At and near Stevensburg
1864
March Attached to 2nd Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac
May 3-June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James

Attached to Artillery Brigade, 2nd Corps
May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness
May 8-21

Battle of 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 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 begins
June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road
August 13-20 Demonstration north of the James River
August 14-18 Strawberry Plains
August 18 Russell’s Mills
August 25

Second Battle of Ream’s Station

Captain Adoniram Clark was lightly wounded.
1865
March 25 Watkins’ House
March 28-
April 9

Appomattox Campaign
March 29-31

Hatcher’s Run
April 2

Boydton Road, Fall of Petersburg and Sutherland Station
April 6

Sailor’s Creek
April 6-7

Farmville
April 9

Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.
May Moved to Washington, D.C.
May 23 Grand Review
June 16 Battery B First New Jersey Artillery mustered out