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34th New
Jersey Infantry
| Regimental History |
| Thirty-fourth Infantry. — Cols., William H. Lawrence, Timothy C.
Moore; Lieut.-Col., Robert M. Ekings; Majs., Gustavus N. Abeel, Henry P. Reed. This
regiment was raised during the summer and autumn of 1863, principally from the counties of
Mercer, Salem, Burlington and Camden, with numerous recruits from all parts of the state,
and a plentiful addition from the neighboring cities of New York and Philadelphia of men
attracted by the large bounties then being paid. The term of enlistment was for three
years. The first place of rendezvous was Beverly, where the regiment was under the command
of Col. E. B. Grubb, formerly of the 23d. About Oct. 25 the regiment was removed to Camp
Parker, near Trenton, where the complement of men was obtained and mustered in. The
colonel, William Hudson Lawrence, was a captain in the 14th regular infantry, who had
obtained leave of absence from the secretary of war to take a volunteer command ; the
lieutenant-colonel was Timothy C. Moore, formerly of the 5th N. J. ; and the major was
Gustavus N. Abeel, of the 1st N. J. infantry, who had been serving for a year before on
the staff of Gen Torbert, then commanding the 1st brigade. After unavailing efforts on the
part of Col. Lawrence to have the regiment attached to the Army of the Potomac, it was
ordered to Eastport, Miss., to report to Gen. W. T. Sherman, and in pursuance of that
order, left Trenton on the morning of Nov. 16, 1863, for Philadelphia, its strength for
duty being 800. Finally being placed as a permanent garrison at Columbus, Ky., on April
13, 1864, a desultory skirmish was had for some hours, when the enemy withdrew, foiled in
his purpose to carry the position. During the month of June a spirited engagement took
place at Hickman, Ky., between a detachment of the 34th and some Confederate cavalry. The
enemy was encountered in force near Clinton, Ky., on July 10, and after a sharp action of
2 hours he was defeated with a loss of 5 killed, 30 wounded and 17 prisoners, including
the notorious Capt. Kesterson, who was executed shortly afterward. Being transferred to
the Department of the Gulf, in April, 1865, it took part in the assault and capture of
Spanish Fort, Batteries Huger, Iracey and Fort Blakely, in which action it lost 3 killed
and 15 wounded. The regiment remained in service until April 30, 1866. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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