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24th New
Jersey Infantry
| Regimental History |
| Twenty-fourth Infantry. — Col., William B. Robertson; Lieut.-Col.,
Franklin L. Knight; Maj., Joel A. Fithian. This regiment was mustered into the U. S.
service at Camp Cadwallader, Beverly, Sept. 16, 1862. Four companies of the regiment, B,
F, G and H, were from the county of Cumberland ; three, A, C and K, from Salem ; one, E,
and parts of D and I, from Gloucester; and the remaining men of the two latter companies
were from Camden. Of the members of Co. B, about an equal number were enlisted from the
city and townships of Millville and Maurice River. Of Co. F the city of Bridgeton
furnished about 30, the township of Greenwich 15, while the remainder, with the exception
of 1 man from Deerfield, were equally divided between Hopewell and Doune. Of Co. G, not
less than 20 were from Bridgeton, 30 from Deerfield, 10 from Stoe Creek, and the rest
hailed from Doune. Co. H, officered exclusively by Bridgeton men, comprised about 75 from
the city of Bridgeton, while the remainder were from Hopewell, Deerfield and Stoe Creek.
In Cos. A and C, there were a large number of men from the city of Salem, though the
surrounding townships were nearly all represented in them, and also in Co. K. Co. E
comprised men principally from Woodbury, Paulsboro', and the upper townships of
Gloucester. Co. D had men from Camden, Gloucester City, and Classboro, and Co. I, mainly
from Clayton township, Gloucester county, and several of the townships of Camden county.
On Sept. 28, the regiment was equipped with Belgian rifles and other necessary
accouterments for service, and on Tuesday, the 30th, broke camp and departed for
Washington, going by steamer to Philadelphia and thence by rail. It was brigaded with the
28th N. J. and 128th Pa. regiments, under the colonel of the former, acting Brig.-Gen.
Abercrombie having command of the division, which occupied the extreme right of the
brigade on the Leesburg road. It was afterward permanently brigaded with the 4th and 8th
Ohio, 14th Ind., 7th Va., and 28th N. J. regiments under the charge of Brig.-Gen. Kimball,
in French's division, Couch's corps. It participated in the fighting at Fredericksburg,
and the loss of the regiment, which behaved admirably throughout, was severe, amounting in
all to 160. Sergt. Henry S. Spaulding, Co. B, afterward promoted to the 2nd lieutenantcy
of Co. I, received a musket ball in his shoulder ; Capt. Aaron Ward, Co. D, a ball through
his left lung; 2nd Lieut. George D. Brittain. Co. D, and Capt. Samuel Harris, Co. F, were
shocked by explosions of shells ; 2nd Lieut. William Pepper, Co. F, was wounded in leg and
head ; Sergt. H. R. Pierson, Co. G, afterward promoted to 2nd lieutenant, Co. F, was
wounded in the side; Sergt. John Springer, Co. B, afterward 2nd lieutenant of Co. B, was
wounded in the hip ; 2nd Lieut. James J. Reeves, Co. H. was wounded in the left arm above
the elbow; and Capt William C. Shinn, Co. I, was wounded in the right eye, the sight of
which was lost. The regiment also participated in the battle of Chancellorsville, where
the loss in killed and wounded in the regiment was comparatively small, not exceeding 40
all told. The withdrawal of the army having been determined upon, the 24th, with the rest
of the brigade, made its way back to the United States ford, where it crossed on the 6th
and proceeded to its old camp, where it continued to do picket-duty until ordered to
Washington. Proceeding thence in due time to Beverly, the regiment was mustered out and
the men as they were paid off returned to their homes. The total strength of the regiment
was 994, and it lost during service, by resignation 5, by discharge 108, by promotion 8,
by transfer 1, by death 92, by desertion 8, not accounted for 1, mustered out, 771. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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