Historical sketch of the Fifteenth Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers

Three days later, (on the 22d,) at Fisher's Hill, which they regarded as an impregnable position, the First New Jersey Brigade was designated to lead the charge, being about the centre of the corps line. Sweeping down through a ravine, clambering up the opposite rocks to the grassy slope which fronted the rebel line, under a perfect storm of bullets, which fortunately passed almost wholly just over their heads, they rushed up to and entered the works in advance of any other troops, capturing a number of guns, and pursued the flying enemy across the plain until darkness covered their retreat. It was the first brigade re-formed after the long charge, and ready for the night march in pursuit.

At Cedar Creek, on the 19th of October – another famous victory – after the left of the Union line, composed of parts of the Eighth and Nineteenth Corps, had been routed by the enemy's successfully executed surprise before daylight, the Sixth Corps moved rapidly by a flank across the track of their advance, and the Jersey Brigade occupied the most advanced and difficult position, holding it firmly under severe fire. Once it was ordered back to the general alignment, but its former place being considered a key position, it was ordered to retake it, which it did, and held it tenaciously and successfully, until again ordered to retire, with the whole corps, to the new line selected for strategic reasons, (the first having been assumed in the haste and confusion of the morning.) This was no "rout," as represented by a popular ballad, but a movement deliberately planned and executed by Gen. Wright, in the absence of Sheridan, who, upon arrival, after his famous "ride," found the corps in a well formed-line, and quietly taking their luncheon, preparatory to the counter attack of the afternoon, which routed the army seven times encountered within four months, captured a considerable part of it, with guns and colors, and ended its existence as a separate command. In this battle, one of the three field officers of the Fifteenth was killed, and the other two wounded; the line, rank and file, suffered severely.

From Cedar Creek, back to the main army before Petersburg, through the remaining operations there, including the final assault and capture of Petersburg and Richmond, along the rapid pursuit to Appomatox, we cannot follow the regiment in detail. We have already exceeded our limits. We must content ourselves with saying that, throughout these, and those of previous campaigns which have been passed over without mention, it always did its duty. In the long marches, by night and day, in summer's heat and winter's cold, through loamy mud and mucky swamp, in rain and snow, over frozen hummocks or glaze of ice, burdened with arms, ammunition, rations, accoutrements and equipments, often pressed to the limit of human endurance, it was always in its place, and cheerfully responded to the word of command. In the numerous minor fights and skirmishes, which often try the soldier more than the general engagement, it did what was expected of it. In the death-grapples of army with army, from 1862 to 1865, it bore the stars and stripes with honor and distinction. No regiment fought with more tenacious courage, or presented a more steady and unbroken front to the foe. Where the fire was hottest, the charge most impetuous, the resistance most stubborn, the carnage most fearful, it was found. It was never ordered to take a position that it did not reach it. It was never required to hold a post that it did not hold it. It never assaulted a line of the enemy that it did not drive it. It never charged a rebel work that it did not breach it. Whatever might be the general result, the Fifteenth New Jersey Volunteers always performed the part assigned it.

The sad part of the story – that at which eyes will moisten and hearts ache – must be told in few lines. Such a record must be traced in blood. When the roll is called, three hundred and sixty-one times it must be answered, "Dead on the field of honor." They gave their lives for the Union, for their country, for the cause of human liberty. Their names should be written in gold, and hallowed by a grateful people with affectionate remembrance. No other regiment from New Jersey suffered nearly so heavy a loss, though most were much larger in numbers. Add to this "roll of honor" the unknown number of those crippled by wounds and wasted by incurable disease; remember that they came chiefly from the original nine hundred and forty-seven, and some idea may be formed of the horrid work of war. It is often a source of painful reflections to look back over the history of this regiment and think of the large number of promising young men, many of them the brightest, bravest, purest, and best of our State, who fell along its bloody pathway, from Fredericksburg to Appomattox. Who can estimate their value to our State and country, if living? Fallen, who can compute the loss?

WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN

(Correspondence of the Sussex Register.)Sunday, May 15, 1864.

I send you a list of casualties in our regiment up to the present time. Most of those reported missing, are most likely killed or wounded and prisoners. The desperation of our fighting has never been equalled in this war. Our brigade is nearly used up. Col. Ryerson of the 10th N.J., is killed, and Lieut. Col. Tay1 a prisoner. Lieut. Col. Wiebecke of the 2d, was killed yesterday. Capt. H.P. Cooke of the 2d, is a prisoner; Col. H.W. Brown of the 3d N.J., is wounded. Capt. Van Blarcom was lost in a charge on Sunday last. Capt. Walker, Capt. Shimer, Lieut. Van Voy, and Lieut. Justice were killed in a charge on Thursday, the 12th inst. Capt. McDanolds was wounded at the same time thro' the jaw and both legs, one of which has been amputated. Lieut. H.M. Fowler was wounded at same time; also, Lieut. Penrose. Capt. Hamilton2 was wounded on the 6th inst., thro' both thighs (flesh wound.) Capt. Vanderveer had the fingers of his left hand shot off. A part of the 10th Regt. and a part of the 2d, were captured yesterday while on picket. Lt. Col. Wiebecke was wounded and left on the field – the rebels found and shot him and stripped him entirely naked. We are very busy, and on duty night and day. All of us are nearly worn out. We suppose that we are beating the enemy, but there is much confusion of reports, &c. As I write this we are lying about a mile and a half from Spottsylvania Court House, on the extreme left of our lines. Sergt. Van Gilder, Co. K, will die of his wound – a canister shot in the side – the ball remaining. Albert L. Carmer, Co. D, will most likely die – shot through the lungs. There are many badly wounded. Our regiment captured a battle-flag from the rebels. We took it off their breastworks. Excuse this rather confused statement; it is as good as I can do in the time I have.

Very respectfully,Marshall B. Stull.

KILLED, WOUNDED AND MISSING,

DURING THE SERIES OF BATTLES FOUGHT IN SPOTTSYLVANIA COUNTY, VA., FROM MAY 4th TO MAY 15th, 1864COMPANY A

Capt. C.C. Shimer, killed.

Sergt. Paul Kuhl, killed.

Sergt. Lucien A. Voorhees, killed.

Lieut. George C. Justice killed.

Sergt. William B. Dungan, wounded.

Corp. John F. Servis, wounded.

Corp. Jonathan P. Collins, killed.

Corp. Joseph Runkle, wounded.

Private David Allgard, missing.

David Anthony, killed.

Jacob Apgar, killed.

Jacob Bryan, wounded.

William B. Bryan, wounded.

John Butler, wounded.

John Burns, wounded.

John Brogan, killed.

Jacob Beam, wounded and missing.

George S. Beaver, wounded.

Andrew Closson, missing.

Isaac Dayton, missing.

Joseph Dawes, missing.

Joseph Everett, killed.

John Evans, missing.

William Gulick, wounded.

Geo. P. Henderson, killed.

Lewis Higgins, missing.

William L. Higgins, wounded.

Silas Hockenberry, killed.

Lemuel Hockenberry, wounded.

Moses Housel, missing.

John W. Henry, wounded and missing.

Herman Helmbold, killed.

Garret Hogan, missing.

Henry P. Johnson, wounded.

John Moser, wounded.

Van Meter P. Hammet, wounded.

Cornelius I. Nevius, killed.

William N. Peer, killed.

James C. Palmer, wounded.

John Rouch, wounded.

George Kessler, wounded.

Robert Sorter, wounded.

Joseph Sullivan, wounded.

Henry C. Smith, killed.

Charles Scherer, killed.

Charles E. Smiley, wounded.

Theodore Stammets, wounded.

John Staats, missing.

Abram Trauger, wounded.

Peter I. Tenbroeck, wounded.

COMPANY B

Capt. J.S. McDanolds, wounded.

Sergt. E.B. Nicholas, wounded, thigh.

Sergt. Samuel B. Danly, wounded, leg.

Sergt. C.W. Beegle, wounded.

Corp. D. Sharp, wounded.

Corp. John L. Young, killed.

Private John H. Allen, wounded, hand.

James D. Baylor, killed.

W.K. Barker, wounded.

T.H. Barker, missing.

F.M. Beegle, wounded.

George Bilby, wounded, dangerously.

H.H. Carr, wounded, leg.

Thomas Dougherty, wounded.

James Egbert, missing.

Frank S. Fernald, killed.

H.J.V. Heed, wounded.

A.G. King, killed.

Charles Hand, wounded, knee.

William Lippencott, wounded, leg.

Thomas Mitchell, wounded, hand.

John Mott, wounded.

Jared P. Minton, missing.

John Ogden Martin, killed.

William Schenck, wounded, head.

Clinton Swick, wounded, knee.

A.R. Skinner, wounded.

William Sidner, killed.

John Sherer, wounded.

Patrick Timmons, wounded.

Charles K. Vought, killed.

George Vossler, killed.

O.W. Vossler, killed.

S.S. Van Ness, wounded.

George Welter, killed.

John A. Wilson, wounded.

COMPANY C

Capt. Lewis Van Blarcom, missing.

Lieut. William W. Van Voy, killed.

Sergt. John Van Houten, killed.

Corp. William Trelease, wounded and missing.

Corp. Manuel Johnson, wounded.

Corp. John A. Cliff, missing.

Color Sergt. Samuel Rubadon, killed.

Sergt. Israel D. Lum, wounded.

Private Lewis Turner, wounded.

William Bailey, missing.

William D. Briggs, missing.

Jeremiah Haycock, killed.

Andrew J. Jennings, killed.

John Guy, killed.

Edwin C. Reger, killed.

John Rutan, killed.

John Miller, killed.

Edgar A. Farrand, killed.

Moses Laramie, missing.

Charles H. Guerin, wounded.

Samuel D. Doty, wounded.

George Hull, wounded.

Dennis Heffron, wounded.

Alfred Mills Armstrong, wounded.

Silas Trowbridge, wounded.

Lewis L. Davis, wounded.

COMPANY D

Capt. James Walker, killed.

Sergt. William Doland, wounded, arm.

Corp. Sanford Simmons, wounded seriously.

Corp. Peter Gunderman, wounded.

Corp. Wilbur F. Harris, killed.

Corp. George Dennis, killed.

Corp. James H. Terwilleger, missing.

Private Albert L. Carmer, wounded.

Private George T. Fallin, killed.

Leonard Decker, killed.

George W. Shipps, wounded.

Jacob South, wounded.

Wilson T. Labar, wounded.

Austin Meeker, wounded, bowels.

Wesley M. Ayres, missing.

Isaac Sharp, missing.

William S. Wooster, missing.

William C. Dickerson, missing.

Lorenzo D. Fulford, missing.

Patrick Hughes, killed.

John Hubbard, missing.

Abraham Johnson, killed.

Alfred B. Jackson, missing.

John Moran, missing.

William Stuart, wounded.

Joseph E. Rogers, wounded.

Abm. Hendershot, wounded.

David Hendershot, wounded.

John Bowman, wounded, slight.

Alpheus Decker, wounded.

John Emery, wounded.

Martin Fredericks, killed.

John Hopkins, wounded.

Barnard Johnson, wounded.

James Mangan, missing.

Patrick Mullen, killed.

John M. Minion, missing.

William A. Ward, killed.

Stephen Hankins, wounded.

COMPANY E

Capt. John H. Vanderveer, wounded.

Sergt. Benj. O. Scudder, killed.

Sergt. Garret I. Schenck, wounded.

Corp. Daniel Richardson, killed.

Sergt. Wm. C.E. Gulick, killed.

Private Abm. D. Baird, wounded.

Peter S. Bennet, wounded.

Nicholas Conover, killed.

Andrew Cranney, missing.

Peter Dennis, killed.

William K. Dow, wounded.

Francis Hughes, wounded.

John H. Jones, wounded.

James McKensey, killed.

Thomas McConral, wounded.

Benjamin Moulton, wounded.

John W. Priestley, wounded.

William H. Rose, killed.

Jeremiah Slack, wounded.

George Thompson, wounded.

John L.S. Van Doren, wounded.

COMPANY F

Capt. Ellis Hamilton, wounded.

Lieut. James W. Penrose, wounded.

Sergt. Enos G. Budd, wounded.

Sergt. Phineas H. Skellinger, wounded.

Sergt. Lewis H. Salmon, wounded.

Corp. Alonzo Heddin, wounded.

Corp. Joseph K. Crater, wounded, stomach.

Corp. Charles L. Milligan, wounded, leg.

Corp. W.H.K. Emmans, wounded.

Corp. Peter J. Sutton, wounded, slight.

Private Joseph Anthony, wounded, leg.

Henry H. Berry, wounded, breast.

Charles Covert, killed.

George D. Foulds, killed.

Isaiah Frutchey, wounded.

James M. Ingle, wounded.

Abm. Jacobus, wounded, slight.

David C. Lantz, wounded, leg.

Whitfield Lake, wounded, arm.

James Latteret, wounded, head.

Andrew J. Opdyke, wounded, back.

Frank H. O'Neil, wounded.

Jacob A. Peckwell, killed.

Andrew F. Salmon, wounded, body.

Lawrence H. Wise, wounded, shoulder.

Elias Williamson, killed.

COMPANY G

Lieut. Henry M. Fowler, wounded.

Sergt. William E. Trimmer, killed.

Sergt. Jacob J. Lair, wounded.

Sergt. William M. Thompson, killed.

Sergt. Jacob F. Thatcher, wounded.

Corp. John Bocock, wounded.

Corp. John Garren, missing.

Private William Ashcroft, wounded.

Nathan Culver, wounded.

George Haney, missing.

Cornelius King, missing.

Simeon G. Peddrick, missing.

John Reisinger, wounded.

John M. Smith, killed.

Levi Stull, killed.

William H. Wyckoff, wounded.

George D. Wagoner, wounded.

James C. Myers, wounded.

COMPANY H

Sergt. John B. Lunger, killed.

Corp. James O. Dufford, killed.

Corp. Albert H. Greely, killed.

Sergt. James Donnelly, wounded.

Corp. John Mowder, wounded.

Corp. William G. Bailey, wounded.

Private James Murphy, killed.

William E. Archer, killed.

William J. Bodine, killed.

William S. Cearfos, killed.

Joseph B. Steele, killed.

William Crotsley, wounded.

Abm. Rush, wounded.

William Seguine, wounded.

Jacob L. Lunger, wounded, hand.

Samuel Trimmer, wounded, hand.

William Black, wounded, neck.

Simon W. Van Horn, wounded.

Garner H. Deremer, wounded.

George Dufford, wounded.

Jacob D. Garretson, wounded.

David Hoffman, wounded.

Edward E. Kitchell, wounded.

Isaac Medick, wounded, arm off.

John Slack, wounded.

Isaac K. Deremer, missing.

William Howard, missing.

COMPANY I

Sergt. James E. Cole, killed.

Sergt. Charles C. Simpson, killed.

Corp. John K. Fretz, killed.

Corp. William Weed, killed.

Corp. William H. Case, missing.

Private David Moore, killed.

Nicholas V. Bennet, wounded.

Edward Dardis, killed.

John Gunderman, killed.

John A. Hunterdon, wounded.

John D. Padgett, wounded.

William N. Padgett, missing.

Ephraim Shay, wounded.

Alfred J. Taylor, wounded.

John Drake, wounded.

Annanias Drake, wounded, breast.

Austin Gunderman, wounded, leg.

Henry I. Hendershot, wounded.

Nelson S. Hardick, wounded, slight.

Henry Martin, wounded.

Ira M. Stuart, wounded, hand.

Nathan Earles, wounded in seven places.

Moses Fenner, missing.

Elijah Pelton, missing.

COMPANY K

Sergt. Martin C. Van Gilder, wounded.

Sergt. James W. Mullery, wounded.

Corp. Peter Smith, wounded.

Corp. James Cassedy, wounded.

Private Isaac Byram, wounded, head.

Monmouth Boyd, wounded, arm and side.

Chileon Brown, wounded.

Seaman Conklin, missing.

John Card, Jr., wounded.

Daniel L. Coykendall, missing.

William Flannigan, wounded.

Benjamin M. Hough, wounded.

Mordecai W. Holly, wounded, arm.

Lewis L. Kent, killed.

James Lacy, missing.

Sidney N. Monks, killed.

Jesse Mullery, wounded, dangerously.

Bowdewine Meddaugh, wounded.

Isaac Paddock, wounded.

Frederick Van Riper, wounded, hip.

Total officers and men killed, 76; wounded, 162; missing, 41. In all, 279.

Since the foregoing was in type, we have received a list of the killed and wounded, drawn up by Chaplain Haines, which differs in a few particulars. For instance —

In Co. B – the Chaplain puts down A.G. King as wounded, and O.W. Vossler wounded and missing.

In Co. C – Capt. Lewis Van Blarcom, wounded and missing.

In Co. D – John Hubbard, wounded; John Moran, killed; Abraham Johnson, missing; Barney Johnson, wounded in both arms and missing.

In Co. G – Lieut. H.M. Fowler, missing.

In Co. H – Jacob Garretson, killed.

In Co. I – Sergt. James E. Cole, wounded and missing; David Moore, do.; Alfred J. Taylor, do.; Elijah Pelton, wounded.

In Co. K – Wm. Flannigan, missing; Benj. M. Hough, do.

By comparing these returns with the list made out by M.B. Stull, the variations will be seen. We do not know which of the returns is the more correct. Both have been very carefully compiled.

[When the army crossed the Rapidan on the 2d inst., the 15th regiment mustered about 450 officers and men. After the series of battles from the 4th to the 15th inst., there were but 157 fit for duty left.]

FIFTEENTH REGIMENT NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS.

LOSSES BY DEATH OF NEW JERSEY REGIMENTS THAT SERVED THREE YEARS.

RECAPITULATION OF NEW JERSEY THREE-YEARS REGIMENTS.

Original table image

1

Lieut. Col. Tay has since been recaptured from the enemy, and is now with his regiment.

2

Capt. Hamilton has since died of his wound.