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4th New
Jersey Infantry
| Regimental History |
| Fourth Infantry. — Cols., James H. Simpson, William B. Hatch,
William Birney, Edward L. Campbell ; Lieut.-Cols., J. L. Kirby Smith, Barzilla Ridgway,
Charles Ewing, Baldwin Hufty; Majs., Samuel Mulford, David Vickers. The 4th was organized
under the provisions of an act of Congress, approved July 22, 1861. It was fully
organized, equipped and officered by Aug. 19, at which time it was mustered into the U. S.
service for three years, at Camp Olden, Trenton. It left the state the next day with 38
officers, 871 non-commissioned officers and privates, a total of 909. It reached
Washington on Aug. 21, accompanied by a battery of 6 pieces, furnished by the state and
commanded by Capt. William Hexamer, who had been waiting for six months for an opportunity
to enter the service. It was assigned to the brigade of Gen. Kearny, then consisting of
the 1st, 2nd and 3d N. J. regiments. Immediately after the first battle of Bull Run it
joined the brigade near Alexandria, and in the operations along the line of the Orange
& Alexandria railroad acted as a support to the advance. Just before the battle of
West Point, Va., the brigade relieved the troops in advance and the men lay on their arms
in line of battle until daylight, when they were ordered forward, the 4th being held as a
reserve. At the battle at Gaines' mill the brigade was formed in two lines, the 4th being
in the front, and advanced to the brow of a hill, where the 4th was sent into the woods by
order of an aid of Gen. McClellan, all the brigade being engaged at the most dangerous and
difficult parts of the field, until at last, wearied, bleeding, ammunition exhausted, the
brigade slowly retired and crossing the bridge at 11 o'clock, reached its old camp about
midnight, having sustained a total loss of over 1,000 men in killed and wounded, of whom
some 500, belonging to the 4th were captured in a body, having refused to retreat from the
woods when they might have done so, and continuing to fight until completely surrounded.
Besides this loss in prisoners the regiment lost 38 killed and 111 wounded. The regiment
participated in the battles of Charles City cross-roads, White Oak swamp, Malvern hill,
Manassas, Chantilly and Crampton's gap, the total loss of the brigade during the latter
engagement being 174 in killed and wounded, Adjt. Studdiford being among the slain. It
took part in the movement against Fredericksburg, but in the Gettysburg campaign the 4th
was detailed for provost duty in Washington. It was back with the brigade again in time
for the spring campaign of 1864. At the battle of the Wilderness the 1st, 4th and 10th
regiments, lying on the left, were several times attacked with great ferocity by the
Confederates, but at nightfall still held substantially the ground occupied by them in the
morning — a heavy assault by the Confederate Gen. Gordon just at dusk being repulsed
with heroic gallantry. Among the wounded in that engagement was Lieut.-Col. Van Syckel of
the 4th. At the battle of Spottsylvania the regiment participated in the charge upon the
"bloody angle," winning its share of the glory and sustaining its share of
casualties. During the first eleven days of Grant's campaign against Richmond the regiment
lost 26 killed, 126 wounded and 42 missing. The 4th fought at the North Anna river,
Hanover Court House, Totopotomy creek, Cold Harbor, Weldon railroad, Snicker's gap,
Strasburg, Winchester and Charlestown. At the battle of the Opequan the 4th was with the
troops that pressed forward, swept up the opposite hill and forced back the Confederate
line, obtaining permanent possession of the hill and holding it, though constantly exposed
to a fire which inflicted severe loss, the 4th having 2 killed, 18 wounded and 1 missing.
At Fisher's hill a private of the 4th named Beach compelled a Confederate
lieutenant-colonel to surrender his sword, and there were other instances of daring no
less noteworthy. After Lee's surrender the regiment was assigned to what was known as the
provisional corps, Army of the Potomac, until mustered out on July 9, 1865. The total
strength of the regiment was 2,036, and it lost during service 29 by resignation, 319 by
discharge, 83 by promotion, 81 by transfer, 257 by death, 372 by desertion, 3 by
dismissal, 109 not accounted for, mustered out 783. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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