Battery A, New Jersey Light Artillery

HISTORICAL NOTES:

This battery was mustered into service on Aug. 12, 1861, at Hoboken, which place it left on the 20th for Washington, where it arrived the next day and after being filled up and supplied with the necessary horses, equipments and arms, it proceeded to Fairfax seminary, where it was attached to Kearny's brigade. The first battle in which it was engaged was that of West Point, where it displayed great gallantry and won the highest encomiums. It was next engaged at Mechanicsville ; participated in the severe engagement at Gaines' mill, having reported to Col. Taylor, commanding the 1st N. J. brigade, and being by him placed on the right of the brigade, Prince de Joinville, of Gen. McClellan's staff, accompanying the command to its position, which was in an open field some 200 yards from the woods occupied by the Confederates and in which an infantry fight was in progress. At Chantilly the battery was posted on the road between that place and Fairfax Court House on the right of Gen. Kearny's division. Thence it followed the retiring Confederates through Burkettsville to Crampton's gap, participating in the attack upon the enemy at that point and winning fresh honors by its gallantry. It then proceeded to Antietam, where it again performed distinguished service. During the three days' battle of Fredericksburg the battery remained in one position, doing effective service and finally withdrawing with the rest of the army. In the several engagements incident to the Chancellorsville campaign the battery fired about 1,200 rounds and fully sustained its reputation. It also did valiant service at the battle of Gettysburg and subsequently it participated in the Mine Run demonstration, returning to camp at Brandy Station, where it remained during the winter, receiving before the spring campaign some 80 recruits. On May 4, 1864, Gen. Grant having matured his plans for an advance against the enemy, the battery marched to Chancellorsville, moving on the following morning to the right of that point, passing Robertson's tavern. It was moved on the 7th to Piney Branch Church, where it remained in reserve until the 10th, when it marched to Tabernacle Church and thence to Fredericksburg, returning to the 6th corps. On the 18th it again advanced and on the 19th reached the Po river, where it participated in a heavy fight. In the advance from that point it covered the rear of the 6th corps ; crossed the North Anna on the 24th, the Pamunkey on the 28th, and reached Cold Harbor shortly after noon on June 1. There it remained until the 12th, partaking of heavy fighting, and then marched with the army to the James river, crossing on the morning of the 15th and reaching the front at Petersburg on the night of the 16th. In that position it remained, firing from time to time, until the night of the 21st, when it marched to the left of Petersburg and went into camp. On July 31 the battery was ordered to return to Trenton for muster out, its term of service having expired, but enough remained to continue the organization until the close of the war, when it was finally mustered out at Trenton on June 22, 1865.
The Battery lost during service 3 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 12 Enlisted men by disease. Total 15. OFFICERS:
Capts., William Hexamer, Augustine N. Parsons; First Lieuts., John Fingerlin, Christian Woerner, John J. Hoff, Joseph W. B. Wright, William Jaegel, Robert Fairchild, Wilhelm O. Bonin ; Second Lieuts., Adolph Valois, Louis W. Hausemann, Philip Phildius, Samuel F. Wheeler, Owen C. Looker, John Carrigan.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Attached to Kearney's Brigade, Division of the Potomac, to October, 1861. Franklin's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, to May, 1863. Artillery Brigade, 6th Army Corps, to June, 1863. 4th Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1863. 3rd Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, to March, 1864. 1st Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, to May, 1864. Artillery Brigade, 6th Army Corps, to July, 1864. Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to December, 1864. Artillery Brigade, 6th Army Corps, to June, 1865.
SERVICE:
Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., till March, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15, 1862. Advance from Alexandria to Bristoe Station April 7-11. Embarked for the Virginia Peninsula April 17. Siege of Yorktown, Va., April 19- May 4 (on transports). West Point May 7-8. Battle of Seven Pines (or Fair Oaks) May 31-June 1. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battles of Gaines' Mill June 27. Brackett's June 30. Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison Landing till August 16. Movement to Manassas August 16-26. Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia August 26-September 2. Bull Run Bridge August 27. Chantilly September 1. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Crampton's Pass, Md., September 14. Antietam September 16-17. Duty in Maryland till October 30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Duty near Falmouth, Va., till April 27,1863. "Mud March" January 20-24. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Franklin's Crossing April 29-May 2. Battle of Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, May 3. Salem Heights May 3-4. Banks' Ford May 4. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 2-4. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap October 5-24. Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan till October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Payne's Farm November 27. Duty near Brandy Station, Va., till May, 1864. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7. Spottsylvania May 8-21. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. (Temporarily with 18th Army Corps.) Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23, 1864. At City Point July 9-26. Demonstration north of the James July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 27-28. Fort Fisher, Petersburg, March 25, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Sailor's Creek April 6. High Bridge, Farmville, April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Danville April 23-27, and duty there till May 18. March to Richmond, thence to Washington, D. C., May 18-June 3. Corps Review June 8. Mustered out June 22, 1865. ROSTERS:
The composite rosters of this unit contains the names of 1201 men.

Roster A
BIBLIOGRAPHY: