The 2nd New Jersey Infantry Regiment lost 7 officers and 89 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 67 enlisted men to disease. It is honored on the New Jersey Brigade Monument at Gettysburg, a monument at Crampton’s Gap on South Mountain and a monument at Antietam.

1861 May 18 Organized at Camp Olden, Trenton, N.J. for three years service May 26 Mustered in under Colonel George W. McLean, Lieutenant Colonel Isaac M. Tucker and Major Samuel L. Buck June 27 Left State for Washington, D.C. with a full complement of 38 officers and 1,006 enlisted men. Attached to 2nd Brigade, Runyon’s Reserve Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia July 16-21 Advance on Manassas, Va. July 21 Battle of Bull Run, Va.

The Regiment was in reserve and suffered no casualties.

August Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. attached to Kearney’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac October Attached to Kearney’s Brigade, Franklin’s Division, Army of the Potomac December 31 Colonel McLean resigned. Lt. Colonel Tucker was promoted to colonel 1862 January 20 Major Buck was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Henry O. Ryerson of Company B to major March Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac March 8-15 Advance on Manassas, Va. April 1 Advance from Alexandria to Bristoe Station attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock April 17 Embarked for the Virginia Peninsula April 19-May 4 Siege of Yorktown, Va. (on transports) May 7-8 West Point; attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac June 4 Captain Aaron Young of Company F died of typhoid fever at Belleville, New Jersey June 25-July 1 Seven days before Richmond June 27 Battle of Gaines Mill and Garnett’s Farm

Colonel Tucker and Captain Charles Danforth were killed

June 28 Golding’s Farm June 30 Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale July 1 Malvern Hill

Lieutenant Colonel Buck was promoted to colonel, Major Ryerson to lieutenant colonel and Captain James Duffy of Company C to major

July – August At Harrison’s Landing June 16-26 Movement to Fortress Monroe and Manassas, Va. August 26-September 2 Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia August 27 Action at Bull Run Bridge, Manassas

Lieutenant Isaac Plume was killed

August 30 Second Battle of Bull Run August 30-31 Cover Pope’s retreat to Centreville September 6-22 Maryland Campaign September 14 Battle of Crampton’s Gap, South Mountain

From the monument:

Late in the afternoon the Brigade advanced from the fields north and west of Burkittsville, charged up the mountain, carried this point, and followed the enemy to the west foot of the mountain. Loss in the Brigade 40 killed, 134 wounded

Major Duffy transferred to 3rd New Jersey Infantry Regiment as colonel. Captain Charles Wiebecke of Company E was promoted to major.

September 16-17 Battle of Antietam

The brigade was commanded by its senior colonel, Alfred T. A. Torbert of the 1st New Jersey. The 2nd was commanded by Colonel Samuel L. Buck.

From the monument:

The Brigade arrived upon the field from Crampton’s Pass about noon, and was formed for a charge upon the Confederate line just North of the Dunkard Church. The order for the charge was countermanded, and the brigade took position across this road, in support of the 6rh Corps Artillery, the right of the brigade in woods North of the road, the left in the open field South, where it remained, under artillery fire, until the morning of the 19th.

From the marker:

This stone marks the right of the brigade, when a little after noon it was formed to charge the woods North of the Dunkard Church. The order was countermanded and the brigade moved a short distance to the left to support the Corps Artillery, soon after which Hexamer’s Battery engaged and silenced the Confederate Artillery at Dunkard Church.

September 18 Duty at Sharpsburg, Md. October 29-November 19 Movement to Falmouth, Va. November 12 Lt. Colonel Ryerson transferred to 23rd New Jersey Infantry Regiment as colonel, Major Wiebecke promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain James Close of Company G to major December 12-15 Battle of Fredericksburg 1863 January-April Duty at Falmouth January 20-24 “Mud March” April 27-May 6 Chancellorsville Campaign April 29-May 2 Operations at Franklin’s Crossing May 3 Battle of Maryes Heights (Second Fredericksburg) May 3-4 Salem Heights

Captain William Bergen of Company G mortally wounded

May 4 Banks Ford

Colonel Buck was disabled when his horse fell on him, dislocating his shoulder. He never returned to field service. Lt. Col. Charles Wiebecke took over the regiment.

June 11-July 24 Gettysburg Campaign July 2-4 Battle of Gettysburg

Commanded at Gettysburg by Lt. Col. Charles Wiebecke. The 2nd New Jersey brought 405 men to the field and suffered six wounded.

From the brigade monument:

First Brigade New Jersey Volunteers. Brig. Gen. Alfred T.A. Torbert, 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 15th Regiments Infantry 1st Brigade, 1st Div., 6th Corps. July 2, in reserve, July 3 and 4 detached from the corps, held this position.

July 5 Fairfield, Pa. July 10-13 At and near Funkstown, Md. July Near Warrenton, Va. September 15 At Culpeper October 9-22 Bristoe Campaign November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7 Rappahannock Station November 26-December 2 Mine Run Campaign 1864 December-May At Brandy Station May 3-June 15 Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 5-7 Battle of the Wilderness

Captains Henry Callan of Company H and Jacob Bogert of Company K are killed

May 8-21 Spotsylvania Court House May 12 Assault on the Salient, “Bloody Angle” May 14 Lieutenant Colonel Wiebecke killed at Spottsylvania Court House May 23-26 North Anna River May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey May 28-31 Totopotomoy May 29 Non-Veterans relieved for muster out. Veterans and Recruits temporarily attached to 15th New Jersey Infantry June 1-12 Battles about Cold Harbor June 17-19 First Assault on Petersburg

Beginning of the Siege of Petersburg

June 21 Non-Veterans mustered out at Newark, N.J. under Colonel Samuel Buck and Major James Close. Veterans and recruits temporarily assigned to 15th New Jersey Infantry under the command of Captain James Penrose of Company F, promoted to major June 22-23 Jerusalem Plank Road July 9-11 Moved to Washington, D.C. July 11-12 Repulse of Early’s attack on Fort Stevens and the Northern Defenses of Washington July 14-23 Pursuit of Early to Snicker’s Gap, Va. August 7-November 28 Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 14-15 Strasburg August 15 Cedar Creek August 17 Winchester August 21-22 Charlestown September 19 Third Battle of Winchester September 22 Fisher’s Hill October 19 Battle of Cedar Creek October Duty in the Shenandoah Valley December Moved to Washington, D.C., then to Petersburg, Va. to continue the Siege of Petersburg December 20 Reorganized as Company A, 2nd New Jersey Battalion 1865 February 5-7 Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run March 28-April 9 Appomattox Campaign April 2 Fall of Petersburg April 3-9 Pursuit of Lee April 5 Major James McNeely of the 10th New Jersey Infantry Regiment transferred in as lieutenant colonel April 9 Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.

April 11 New recruits, drafted men and substtutes formed in Trenton as a newly reconstituted Company B. April 23-27 March to Danville May 18 March to Richmond, Va. May 18-June 3 To Washington, D.C. June 8 Corps Review June 22 Colonel William Penrose transferred from 15th New Jersey Infantry July 10 Lt.. Colonel McNeely promoted to colonel and Major Close to lieutenant colonel July 11 Mustered out at Hall’s Hill, Va. under Colonel McNeeley and Lieutenant Colonel Close

Edmund English