Everything about The First New Jersey Brigade totally explained
The
First New Jersey Brigade (also called the
First Jersey Brigade and
Kearny's New Jersey Brigade) is the common name for an
American Civil War brigade of
New Jersey infantry regiments in the
Union Army of the Potomac. Its official designation through most of its service was as the 1st Brigade, 1st Division,
VI Corps.
Beginnings and early service
Through the course of the Civil War, the brigade was composed entirely of units from
New Jersey, the only Union brigade during the war to be constituted as such. Its origins were on
May 4,
1861, when New Jersey was directed by the Federal government to fill a quota of three infantry regiments to serve a three-year term of enlistment. Recruitment took place for the new regiments all over the state, and on
May 21,
1861, the
1st New Jersey Volunteer Infantry was mustered into the Union Army at Camp Olden in
Trenton, New Jersey, under
Maj. Theodore T. S. Laidley of the United States
Regular Army. The 1st New Jersey was then followed into Federal service by the 2nd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry (
May 28,
1861) and the
3rd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry.
On
June 28,
1861, the three newly created three-year regiments began the journey to
Virginia, where in June they were joined with a brigade of three-month enlistment
New Jersey Militia regiments to form a
division commanded by
Brig. Gen. Theodore Runyon. This was the first time the New Jersey regiments officially formed the brigade. During the
First Bull Run Campaign, most of the brigade saw service in the field guarding train hubs, supply depots and roadways, being considered too "green" to be reliable in combat. However, a few companies of the 1st and 2nd New Jersey Infantries were directed to help stem the retreat at
Centreville, Virginia, after the Confederates routed General
Irvin McDowell's forces at
Manassas, Virginia, on
July 21,
1861. They were unsuccessful, and many officers and men retreated in the rout as well.
In August 1861, the 4th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry was recruited and added to the First New Jersey Brigade after its muster into service. From that point on, the four regiments and their later remnants would serve together until the end of the war and their final discharge.
Later service
As the war progressed, more regiments were added to the brigade, but in keeping with its tradition, they were New Jersey units. In September 1862, the nine-month enlistment unit
23rd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry and the three-year 15th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry were added, with the 23rd New Jersey serving until June 1863 and the 15th New Jersey serving until the end of the war. On
April 19,
1864, the
10th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry "Olden's Legion" was added. In March 1865 the
40th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry—the last raised by the state—was brigaded with the original units.
The brigade saw its first pitched battle rather late, as it fought in the
June 27,
1862,
Battle of Gaines' Mill during the
Seven Days Battles. There it sustained heavy casualties, with most of the 4th New Jersey being captured by
Confederate forces. It then fought in the
Second Bull Run Campaign, where it blundered into the entire Confederate army corps commanded by Major General
Stonewall Jackson, and at Crampton's Gap during the
Battle of South Mountain, where it redeemed its honor by making a triumphant charge up the hill. Later engagements included
Fredericksburg,
Chancellorsville,
Gettysburg, the
Wilderness,
Spotsylvania,Cold Harbor, Strasburg,
Fisher's Hill, and
Cedar Creek.
Regiments
First New Jersey Infantry
Service in brigade: June 1861–June 3, 1864
153 killed or died of wounds and 99 died of disease or accidents
Second New Jersey Infantry
Service in brigade: June 1861–May 21, 1864
96 killed or died of wounds and 69 died of disease or accidents
Third New Jersey Infantry
Service in brigade: June 1861–June 3, 1864
157 killed or died of wounds and 81 died of disease or accidents
Fourth New Jersey Infantry
Service in brigade: June 1861–June 22, 1865
161 killed or died of wounds and 105 died of disease or accidents
Tenth New Jersey Infantry "Olden Legion"
Service in brigade: April 19, 1864–June 22, 1865
93 killed or died of wounds and 190 Died of disease or accidents
Fifteenth New Jersey Infantry "Fighting Fifteenth"
Service in brigade: September 30, 1862–June 22, 1865
240 killed or died of wounds and 132 died of disease or accidents.
Twenty-Third New Jersey Infantry
Service in brigade: October 8, 1862–June 27, 1863
35 killed or died of wounds and 55 died of disease or accidents
Fortieth New Jersey Infantry
Service in brigade: February 2, 1865–July 13, 1865
2 killed or died of wounds and 17 died of disease or accidents
Commanders
The brigade's first commander was Brig. Gen.
Philip Kearny, whose training and discipline molded the regiments into an effective fighting unit. He was succeeded by George W. Taylor, who was Colonel of the 3rd New Jersey. Taylor was promoted to brigadier general soon after assuming command of the brigade. After his mortal wounding at the
Second Battle of Bull Run, the leadership of the brigade went to
Alfred Thomas Torbert, who was serving as Colonel of the 1st New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. Subsequent commanders were Col. Henry Brown (3rd New Jersey), Col. William H. Penrose (15th New Jersey), and Capt. Baldwin Hufty (4th New Jersey).
Medal of Honor recipients
Six soldiers from the First New Jersey Brigade received the
Medal of Honor for bravery:
Monuments
A large monument dedicated to the First New Jersey Brigade stands on Weikert Hill in the
Gettysburg National Military Park, marking the general location where the brigade was positioned during the battle.
Further Information
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