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Battery B
New Jersey Artillery
| Regimental History |
| Battery B. — Capts., John E. Beam, A. Judson Clark; First Lieuts.,
John B. Monroe, George T. Woodbury, Samuel H. Baldwin, Robert Sims, Edward P. Clark, Jacob
Rhein; Second Lieuts., Robert Fairchild, Benjamin Galbraith, Leander McChesney. This
battery was organized in Aug., 1861, by Capt. John E. Beam and was composed principally of
members of Co. F, 1st regiment, who had just been discharged. It was mustered into the U.
S. service on Sept. 3, at Trenton, but owing to the want of quartermaster's stores, did
not leave for Washington until the latter part of the month. Soon after reaching the
capital it received its guns and horses and was ordered to report to Gen. Heintzelman,
commanding the 3d corps, when it went into camp on the Mount Vernon road, 2 miles south of
Alexandria, and prepared for winter quarters. It had its first opportunity to test its
guns at the siege of Yorktown, being twice engaged, but without other casualties than the
loss of 3 horses. When the enemy evacuated the place the battery moved forward to
Williamsburg, where it was again engaged. In the battle of Seven Pines it did splendid
service and at Peach Orchard, where the left of the command was under Lieut. Clark, it
received special mention in orders for its gallantry, being directed to inscribe
"Peach Orchard" upon its colors. In the Seven Days' retreat from in front of
Richmond it was engaged at Malvern Hill, where it suffered the loss of Capt. Beam killed
and 2 men wounded. The fall of 1862 was spent in marching and reconnoissances without any
decided results until December, when the command was again brought into action at
Fredericksburg. In May. 1863, when Hooker moved against the enemy, the battery was
desperately engaged at Chancellorville, Capt. Clark then commanding the 1st division
artillery. The battery lost 4 men killed, 5 wounded and 2 taken prisoners. At Gettysburg
the entire loss of the command was 5 killed and 21 wounded, 47 of its horses being also
killed. It accompanied the army on the Mine Run campaign, having participated in three
skirmishes, at Auburn, Kelly's ford and Thoroughfare mountain. In the last grand campaign
against Richmond, commenced in May, 1864, the battery was engaged with the 2nd corps in
the battles around Spottsylvania, at the North Anna, Totopotomy and Cold Harbor, at the
latter place being under fire for 10 days. The losses in these several engagements were 9
men, in killed, wounded and prisoners. Before Petersburg the command was engaged in June,
marching four days later to the left of the line, and was sharply engaged at Jerusalem
plank road, with the loss of 1 man killed, 2 wounded and several horses killed. At Deep
Bottom and Reams' station it again showed its excellent lighting qualities, Capt. Clark at
both places commanding the corps artillery. At Sutherland's station it was the only
battery mentioned for gallantry and efficiency in the report of Gen. Humphreys, the corps
commander, and in all the closing actions of the war in which it participated it displayed
the same conspicuous courage which secured it recognition in earlier engagements. It was
mustered out at Trenton, N. J., on June 16, 1865. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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