The 1st New Jersey Infantry Regiment was an

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

from

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 ...

that served in the

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...

. 1st New Jersey Infantry Regiment was recruited and mustered into Federal service in May 1861, and was brigaded with the

2nd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry The 2nd New Jersey Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service Three months regiment The 2nd New Jersey Infantry Regiment was first organized at Trenton, New Jersey for three months service ...

3rd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry The 3rd New Jersey Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Union Army in the American Civil War. Composed of men from New Jersey, it served in the Army of the Potomac. History The 3rd New Jersey Infantry Regiment was recruited and must ...

, and the

4th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry The 4th New Jersey Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service Three months regiment The 4th New Jersey Infantry Regiment was first organized at Trenton, New Jersey for three months service ...

to make up what became famed as 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 ...

". The regiment and brigade served as the 1st Brigade of the 1st Division of the

VI Corps 6 Corps, 6th Corps, Sixth Corps, or VI Corps may refer to: France * VI Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry formation of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VI Corps (Grande Armée), a formation of the Imperial French army dur ...

, and participated in numerous battles from the June 27, 1862,

Battle of Gaines's Mill A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, to the final Union assaults on Confederate positions at Petersburg, Virginia, in April 1865. The remnants of the regiment were mustered out in June 1865. Notable members of the 1st New Jersey were: * Colonel

William Reading Montgomery William Reading Montgomery (July 10, 1801 – May 31, 1871) was a career United States Army officer who served in the Second Seminole War and Mexican–American War. He was a brigadier general in the Union Army from May 17, 1861 to April 4, 1864 ...

- first commander and later Brigadier General of Volunteers * Colonel

Alfred Thomas Archimedes Torbert Alfred Thomas Archimedes Torbert (July 1, 1833 – August 29, 1880) was a career United States Army officer, a Union Army General officer, General commanding both infantry and cavalry forces in the American Civil War, and a U.S. diplomat. Ea ...

- later promoted to brigadier general and commanded the regiment's brigade. * Colonel

Mark Wilkes Collet Mark Wilkes Collet (June 2, 1826 – May 3, 1863) was a Union Army officer who served during the American Civil War. He served as Colonel and commander of the 1st New Jersey Volunteer Infantry regiment, a unit he led from the Second Battle of ...

- led the regiment at the

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat, between the Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnsi ...

and the

Battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Chancellorsville is known as Lee's "perfect battle" because h ...

, where he was killed in action. * Lieutenant Colonel Robert McAllister - later Colonel of the 11th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, II Corps brigade commander, and Brevet Major General of Volunteers. *Captain

William Brant William Brant, Jr. (1840 – March 2, 1898) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Brant received the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action at Petersburg, Virginia on 3 April 1 ...

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

Recipient *Corporal

Charles Ferren Hopkins Charles Ferren Hopkins Sr. (May 16, 1842 – February 14, 1934) was the last surviving Union Civil War soldier in New Jersey that was a recipient of the Medal of Honor. He served as Mayor of Boonton, New Jersey. Biography He was born on May 16, ...

- Medal of Honor Recipient *Lieutenant and Adjutant Peter Dumont Vroom, Jr. - son of a former

Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official res ...

, and later brigadier general in the United States Regular Army. *2nd Lieutenant

Camille Baquet Camille Archibald Baquet (1842 – November 28, 1924) was an American Civil War Union Army officer who served in the 1st New Jersey Volunteer Infantry regiment and was the author of the first history of the unit's brigade, the famed First New ...

- author of "''History of the First Brigade, New Jersey Volunteers (Kearny's First New Jersey Brigade) from 1861 to 1865''", a history of the brigade published in 1910.

Casualties

The 1st New Jersey lost 244 men during their service. 153 men were killed in battle or died of wounds, 91 men died of disease and other causes.

References

Units and formations of the Union Army from New Jersey 1861 establishments in New Jersey {{AmericanCivilWar-unit-stub

Casualties

See also

References