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 The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

s in the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Unio ...

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the primary field army of the 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 Battle of ...

. Its official designation through most of its service was as the 1st Brigade, 1st Division,

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 ...

Beginnings and early service

Through the course of the Civil War, the brigade was composed entirely of units from

, 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 The 1st New Jersey Infantry Regiment was an American Civil War Union Army regiment of infantry from New Jersey that served in the Army of the Potomac. 1st New Jersey Infantry Regiment was recruited and mustered into Federal service in May 1861, a ...

was mustered into the Union Army at Camp Olden in

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County, New Jersey, Mercer County. It was the federal capital, capital of the United States from November 1 until D ...

, under

Maj. Maj or MAJ may refer to: * Major (rank), a rank of commissioned officer in many military forces * ''Máj'', a romantic Czech poem by Karel Hynek Mácha * ''Máj'' (literary almanac), a Czech literary almanac published in 1858 * MAJ, IATA code for ...

Theodore T. S. Laidley of the United States

Regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a ...

. The 1st New Jersey was then followed into Federal service by 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 servic ...

(May 28, 1861) and the

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 ...

. On June 28, 1861, the three newly created three-year regiments began the journey to

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

, where in June they were joined with a brigade of three-month enlistment

New Jersey Militia The New Jersey Army National Guard consists of more than 6,000 Citizen-Soldiers. The New Jersey Army National Guard is currently engaged in multiple worldwide and homeland missions. Units have deployed to Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, Jord ...

regiments to form a division commanded by Brig. Gen.

Theodore Runyon Theodore Runyon (October 25, 1822 – January 27, 1896) was an American politician, diplomat, and American Civil War brigadier general in the New Jersey Militia, serving with the Union Army at the Battle of First Bull Run. Runyon was a law ...

. This was the first time the New Jersey regiments officially formed the brigade. During the

First Bull Run The First Battle of Bull Run, called the Battle of First Manassas
. by

Centreville, Virginia Centreville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. It is a suburb of Washington, D.C., the nation's capital. It had a population of 73,518, making it the most-populous community in Fairfax County as of t ...

, after the Confederates routed General

Irvin McDowell Irvin McDowell (October 15, 1818 – May 4, 1885) was an American army officer. He is best known for his defeat in the First Battle of Bull Run, the first large-scale battle of the American Civil War. In 1862, he was given command of the ...

's forces at

Manassas, Virginia Manassas (), formerly Manassas Junction, is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. The population was 42,772 at the 2020 Census. It is the county seat of ...

, 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 The 4th New Jersey Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Overall, the regiment lost 5 officers and 156 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 103 enlisted men to disease du ...

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 The 10th New Jersey Infantry Regiment was a regiment was organized under the provisions of an Act of Congress approved July 22, 1861, and by authority issued by the War Department. It was created to recruit from residents of the State of New Jerse ...

"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 The Battle of Gaines' Mill, sometimes known as the Battle of Chickahominy River, took place on June 27, 1862, in Hanover County, Virginia, as the third of the Seven Days Battles which together decided the outcome of the Union's Peninsula Campaig ...

during the

Seven Days Battles The Seven Days Battles were a series of seven battles over seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. Confederate States Army, Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army ...

. There it sustained heavy casualties, with most of the 4th New Jersey being captured by

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

forces. The 4th New Jersey's men were subsequently released in a prisoner exchange and returned to their lines, but they lost the Model 1861 Springfield Rifles they'd been carrying. Since none were available to rearm the regiment, they were issued old .69 caliber smoothbore muskets. It then fought in the

Second Bull Run Campaign The Northern Virginia Campaign, also known as the Second Bull Run Campaign or Second Manassas Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during August and September 1862 in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. Confederate ...

, where it blundered into the entire Confederate army corps commanded by Major General

Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general and military officer who served during the American Civil War. He played a prominent role in nearly all military engagements in the eastern the ...

, and at Crampton's Gap during the

Battle of South Mountain The Battle of South Mountain, known in several early Southern United States, Southern accounts as the Battle of Boonsboro Gap, was fought on September 14, 1862, as part of the Maryland campaign of the American Civil War. Three pitched battles ...

, where it redeemed its honor by making a triumphant charge up the hill. The 4th New Jersey managed to reequip itself with .58 caliber rifles dropped by the Confederates. Later engagements included Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the

Wilderness Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plurale tantum, plural) are Earth, Earth's natural environments that have not been significantly modified by human impact on the environment, human activity, or any urbanization, nonurbanized land not u ...

, 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 Philip Kearny Jr. (; June 1, 1815 – September 1, 1862) was a United States Army officer, notable for his leadership in the Mexican–American War and American Civil War. He served in Emperor of the French, French Emperor Napoleon III's Imperial ...

, 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 Infantry. Taylor was promoted to brigadier general soon after assuming command of the brigade. After being mortally wounded at the

Second Battle of Bull Run The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederate ...

, the leadership of the brigade went to

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

, who was serving as colonel of the 1st New Jersey Infantry. Subsequent commanders were Col. Henry Brown (3rd New Jersey), Col.

William H. Penrose William Henry Penrose (March 10, 1832 – August 29, 1903) was a United States Army officer who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Penrose commanded the First New Jersey Brigade and ended the war with the rank of brigadier g ...

(15th New Jersey), and

Cpt. Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

Baldwin Hufty (4th New Jersey).

Medal of Honor recipients

Six soldiers from the First New Jersey Brigade received the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

for bravery: *1st Lieutenant William Brant, Jr. – 1st New Jersey Veterans Battalion *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 was elected in 1880 as Mayor of Boonton, New Jersey.

– 1st New Jersey Volunteer Infantry *Corporal

Edmund English Edmund English (November 16, 1841 – May 27, 1912) was a Union Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his bravery at the Battle of the Wilderness in the American Civil War. Biography Edmund English was born in Cappawhite Tipperary ...

– 2nd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry *Sergeant John P. Beech – 4th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry *Captain Forrester L. Taylor – 23rd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry *Private Frank E. Fesq – 40th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry

Monuments

A large monument dedicated to the First New Jersey Brigade stands on Weikert Hill in the

Gettysburg National Military Park The Gettysburg National Military Park protects and interprets the landscape of the Battle of Gettysburg, fought over three days between July 1 and July 3, 1863, during the American Civil War. The park, in the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania area, is m ...

, marking the general location where the brigade was positioned during the battle.

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. . *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. *Toombs, Samuel, "''New Jersey Troops in the Gettysburg Campaign, From June 5th to July 31st, 1863''", Orange, New Jersey, 1888. {{Fairfax County in the American Civil War Units and formations of the Union army from New Jersey New Jersey in the American Civil War 1861 establishments in New Jersey Military units and formations established in 1861 Union army brigades