The 10th New Jersey Infantry Regiment was a regiment was organized under the provisions of an Act of
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
approved July 22, 1861, and by authority issued by the
War Department War Department may refer to:
* War Department (United Kingdom)
* United States Department of War (1789–1947)
See also
* War Office, a former department of the British Government
* Ministry of defence
* Ministry of War
* Ministry of Defence
* D ...
. It was created to recruit from residents of the State of
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, but was not under the control or supervision of the State authorities.Foster (1868). p. 267 It was originally known as "Olden Legion" after New Jersey Governor Charles Olden.
History
William Bryan of
Beverly, New Jersey
Beverly is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 2,577,
When the organization of the regiment was completed with nine companies of infantry and one company of cavalry, it was established at Camp Beverly, New Jersey, where William Bryan lived. The unit proceeded to
Washington, D.C.
)
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, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, on December 26, 1861, with 35 officers, 883 non-commissioned officers and privates, for a total of 918 men.
After they marched to Camp Clay on the Bladensburg Turnpike, a location approximately one mile from Washington, they were reorganized and designated the 10th New Jersey Infantry. Soon after being reorganized the cavalry company, Company D, was discharged and a new company was raised that April. In fact, the regiment was not very effective by February 1862 when many of the cavalry company were under arrest for refusing to do infantry duties.Foster (1868), p. 268
For the next year, the regiment served under the command of
Brig. Gen.
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
James WadsworthFoster (1868), pp. 268-269 in the defenses of Washington before being assigned to field service in the XXII Corps until April 1863.
According to Foster this regiment suffered from ''defective organization and the absence of discipline''Foster (1868). p. 267. soon after arriving in Washington. The War Department turned to Governor Olden who did not want responsibility for this problem regiment. In the end, however, the State accepted responsibility after reorganizing the regiment and assigning a new Colonel, William R. Murphy.
The regiment moved between various commands — beginning with the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division,
VII Corps 7th Corps, Seventh Corps, or VII Corps may refer to:
* VII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars
* VII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I
* VII ...
, Department of Virginia, until July 1863, when it was sent to
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
Darius Couch
Darius Nash Couch (July 23, 1822 – February 12, 1897) was an American soldier, businessman, and naturalist. He served as a career U.S. Army officer during the Mexican–American War, the Second Seminole War, and as a general officer in the U ...
and the
Department of the Susquehanna The Department of the Susquehanna was a military department created by the United States War Department during the Gettysburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Its goal was to protect the state capital and the southern portions of the commonwealt ...
. It served in the defenses of Philadelphia until September 1863, when it moved to
Pottsville, Pennsylvania
Pottsville is the county seat of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 13,346 at the 2020 census, and is the principal city of the Pottsville, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city lies along the west bank of th ...
. The regiment remained in the Department of the Susquehanna through April 1864. After more than 50% of the men re-enlisted the regiment became known as the 10th New Jersey Veteran Infantry. The regiment joined the
First New Jersey Brigade 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 thro ...
in the 1st Division, VI Corps, in the Army of the Potomac on April 19, 1864, and was sent to Virginia for the Overland Campaign. During that campaign, the regiment notably participated in the Battle of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor, losing 250 men. In late summer, the 10th was assigned to the Army of the Shenandoah, serving in the Shenandoah Valley under
Philip H. Sheridan
Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...
.Foster (1868), p.274
While with the Army of the Shenandoah the regiment, along with the
First New Jersey Brigade 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 thro ...
, participated in the battles of Strasburg, Point Pleasant, Fisher's Hill, Third Winchester and Cedar Creek losing another 200 men. After returning to Virginia for the fall of Petersburg and the surrender of Robert E. Lee's
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most oft ...
at Appomattox Court House in April 1865, the 10th served as an occupation force at Danville, Virginia, until June 1865 when it was mustered out and returned home to New Jersey and a hero's welcome. Many veterans of the 10th New Jersey joined the
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (U.S. Navy), and the Marines who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Decatur, Il ...
and attended several reunions over the succeeding years.
Notes
References
* Baquet, Camille, "''History of the First Brigade, New Jersey Volunteers (Kearny's First New Jersey Brigade) from 1861 to 1865''", 1910.
*Bilby, Joseph G. and Goble, William C., "''Remember You Are Jerseymen: A Military History of Jersey's Troops in the Civil War''", Longstreet House, Hightstown, June 1998. {{ISBN, 0-944413-54-4.
*Foster, John Y., "''New Jersey and the Rebellion: History of the Services of the Troops and People of New Jersey in Aid of the Union Cause''", Newark, New Jersey 1868.
*Gottfried, Bradley M., "''Kearny's Own: The History of the First New Jersey Brigade in the Civil War''", Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, September 2005.
*Stryker, William S., "''Record of Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Civil War 1861-1865''", Trenton, New Jersey, 1876.