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8th New
Jersey Infantry
| Regimental History |
| Eighth Infantry. — Cols., Adolphus J. Johnson, John Ramsey: Lieut-
Cols., Thomas L. Martin, Joseph Trawin, William Ward, John Willian, Henry Hartford; Majs.,
Peter M. Ryerson, William A. Henry, George Hoffman, Virgil M. Healey, Louis M. Morris.
This regiment was organized under the provisions of an act of Congress, approved July 22,
1861, and was fully organized, officered and equipped by Sept. 14, at which time it was
mustered into the service of the United States, for three years, at Camp Olden, Trenton.
It left the state on Oct. 1, with 38 officers, 851 non-commissioned officers and privates,
a total of 889. Upon arrival at Washington it went into camp at Meridian hill, and there
remained until the early part of Dec. 1861, when it was ordered to report to Gen. Joseph
Hooker, near Budd's ferry, Md., where the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th N. J. regiments were
brigaded and designated the 3d brigade of Hooker's division, generally known as the 2nd
New Jersey brigade. The regiment received its initiation into actual warfare at the battle
of Williamsburg, where with the 6th and 7th it was sent into a wood in front of a line of
field-works. Among the killed in that battle was Maj. Ryerson, while among the wounded
were a large number of officers, including Col. Johnson. Gen. Hooker, in his report of the
battle of Fair Oaks, testified in the most emphatic terms to the gallantry of the brigade
and added that the service assigned to the 7th and 8th in the rear was performed to his
entire satisfaction. The loss of the regiment at Fair Oaks or Seven Pines was 1 killed and
6 wounded. In the engagement at Bristoe Station Lieut.-Col. Ward was wounded in the arm
and side, and Capt. J. Tuite was killed. In the series of engagements ending at Chantilly
on Sept. 1, 1862, the regiment lost 25 men. In the formation of troops for the battle of
Chancellorsville, the New Jersey brigade, which at that time included the 2nd N. Y., 115th
Pa., 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th N. J., under command of Gen. Mott, crossed the Rappahannock on
May 1. The 5th and 8th N. J. were detached to guard the pontoons, while the others were
picketed along the Rappahannock to its junction with the Rapidan and thence along that
river to connect with pickets thrown out by Carr's 1st N. Y. brigade. Mott received
instructions directing him to guard the ford, Seeley's battery being placed at his
disposal. At 6 o'clock on the morning of May 3, the battle opened with skirmishing on the
left, and it soon extended along the entire front, accompanied by a hot artillery fire
from the enemy, the first shot from the latter's guns killing 2 men of the 8th. At one
period of the engagement, a section of artillery belonging to Dimmick's regular battery,
1st artillery, being in danger of capture, all the cannoneers and horses having been
killed, Gen. Mott despatched Capt. Nichols with a detachment of the 8th to bring it off by
hand. The battery was rescued, the gallant heroes of the 8th, with the brave Capt.
Nichols, bringing the guns safely into the lines. The losses of the regiment were 21
killed, 96 wounded and 10 missing, Col. Ramsey being among the wounded. At the battle of
the Wilderness, the brigade was advanced to a position on the Brock road, where
breastworks were hastily thrown up, the 5th and 8th N. J., under command of Col. Sewell,
moving up the road to its junction with what was known as the Furnace road, where Sewell
was placed in command of the skirmish line. The total losses of the regiment during the
months of May and June, 1864, amounted to 15 killed, 140 wounded and 25 missing. In an
engagement on the north bank of James river on Aug. 16, the regiment moved forward as a
forlorn hope, the object being to develop the enemy's strength, and under command of Col.
Ramsey, advanced steadily under a deadly cross-fire until it was found that it would be
impossible to reach the works, when the command slowly retired. At the battle of Hatcher's
run all the regiments of the brigade were behind breastworks, except the 8th, then
commanded by Maj. Hartford, which was exposed to a galling fire, but it stood nobly to its
work. The loss in the brigade was 53, mainly in the 8th, owing to its exposed position. At
the opening of the fight at Armstrong's house the 7th and 8th N. J. were on the right of
the division. Later in the day Lieut.-Col. Schoonover's command was attacked and driven
from the works occupied in the morning, but the 7th and 8th going to his help, his line
was reestablished and securely held. At Boydton plank road an assault was made by the 11th
and 8th N. J., with two other regiments, upon one of the Confederate works, the men
advancing through heavy slashings to the crest of a hill overlooking the enemy's position,
and succeeding in occupying part of his rifle-pits. On April 2 a general attack on the
enemy's line was ordered, and at 8 o'clock the 8th N. J., advancing on the immediate front
in the midst of a fire of musketry, shell and canister, captured the entire picket line of
the enemy — 165 men and 200 muskets — whereupon the 11th N. J. and 11th Mass.
were advanced and a charge was made on the main intrenchments of the Confederates,
resulting in the capture of further prisoners and the occupation of the works. On June 25,
1863, a large number of the 8th reenlisted in the field, for three years or during the
war, and those who did not reenlist and whose term of service had expired were mustered
out at Trenton, Sept. 21, 1864. Those who remained were consolidated into the 8th
battalion and so remained until Oct. 12, 1864, at which time the 6th battalion was joined
to it by transfer. The command then resumed its regimental organization, which it
continued until the close of the war, the regiment being finally mustered out at
Washington, July 17, 1865. The total strength of the regiment was 2,795, and it lost, by
resignation 35, by promotion 56, by discharge 431, by transfer 336, by death 284, by
dismissal 4, by desertion 416, not accounted for 247, mustered out, 986. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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