Hi all,
I wanted to give you all a heads up.
Early spring a new book published by Longstreet Publishing will be coming out. The narrative is written by my good friend Dr. David Martin. Titled New Jersey at Gettysburg it will include an explanation of what each unit did at Gettysburg. Where the monuments are located and if you have GPS you can track each of the positions that units were at during the 3 days. It will also include bios on key officers from NJ at the battle.
John Winkleman, LBG expert on NJ at Gettysburg, along with several others contributed to the book. Phil Liano was kind of enough to allow Doc to use his maps.
I excited about this book coming out. And knowing DOC like I do, I think it will serve a gap that is so sorely missing on NJ at Gettysburg. I will let you know the publishing date for it. Personally I cannot wait..
JIM
Monday, January 23, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
The 11 th New Jersey Regiment of Volunteers at Gettysburg Part 1
Hi folks,
Its late in the day, but I promised an update or at least part one of a five part series on the 11th at Gettysburg..
Part 1 is going to be this .. And intro. Part 2, introduction of the officers.. Part 3 Prelude to Gettysburg, Part 4 Gettysburg.. Part 5 Post Gettysburg and a bit of what ever happened to.....
The regiment was made up of men from every county in the state at the time, except Gloucester. A good portion of them where from the top of the state, but there were men from Cape May, Atlantic, Ocean and also Burlington County, along with Salem and Cumberland..
They represented a broad range of the society of New Jersey at that. time. From the common laborer, dock workers, farmers and fisherman to accountants, lawyers, railroad men and teachers.
It takes almost 30 days from time the call goes out calling men for 3 years service, to the time they muster in in mid August 1862 in Trenton NJ. Given a broad range of weapons including .577 Springfields, enfields, .69 caliber smooth bores and even a belgian rifle or two. Its this mismash that will give the QM of the regiment headaches as they will hold on to this variety of weapons through out the conflict..
They muster in with 996 officers and men. Standard size for a regiment of the period. And given their first set of colors, both state and national during the muster in ceremony. The first national flag, tattered and war worn, has disappeared to history.. It was replaced post Gettysburg by another flag of which, it now rests in the State Archives at 225 State Street in Trenton.
They board the trains for Washington, about the time the Army of the Potomac is fighting for its life on the plains of Bull Run.... Their saga, their story has only just begun...
Its late in the day, but I promised an update or at least part one of a five part series on the 11th at Gettysburg..
Part 1 is going to be this .. And intro. Part 2, introduction of the officers.. Part 3 Prelude to Gettysburg, Part 4 Gettysburg.. Part 5 Post Gettysburg and a bit of what ever happened to.....
The regiment was made up of men from every county in the state at the time, except Gloucester. A good portion of them where from the top of the state, but there were men from Cape May, Atlantic, Ocean and also Burlington County, along with Salem and Cumberland..
They represented a broad range of the society of New Jersey at that. time. From the common laborer, dock workers, farmers and fisherman to accountants, lawyers, railroad men and teachers.
It takes almost 30 days from time the call goes out calling men for 3 years service, to the time they muster in in mid August 1862 in Trenton NJ. Given a broad range of weapons including .577 Springfields, enfields, .69 caliber smooth bores and even a belgian rifle or two. Its this mismash that will give the QM of the regiment headaches as they will hold on to this variety of weapons through out the conflict..
They muster in with 996 officers and men. Standard size for a regiment of the period. And given their first set of colors, both state and national during the muster in ceremony. The first national flag, tattered and war worn, has disappeared to history.. It was replaced post Gettysburg by another flag of which, it now rests in the State Archives at 225 State Street in Trenton.
They board the trains for Washington, about the time the Army of the Potomac is fighting for its life on the plains of Bull Run.... Their saga, their story has only just begun...
Thursday, January 19, 2012
May I Introduce the New Jersey Civil War Heritage Association.. or THE NJCWHA
Hey all,
Welll back in 2003 I had met Joe Bilby while stomping the cemetery where my Mom and other families are buried. We chatted and the next thing I know I am invited to join the NJCWHA. Welllll I showed up at the annual meeting and as some one once said the rest is history.
I have been a member of the Board of Trustees ever since. Now I am about to be elected to my 4th term. I found myself tonight thinking about what has transpired since then And now I am so deeply involved with it its a part of my daily living.
The organization is dedicated to the preservation of the Civil War Flags from the State of New Jersey, anddddd deeply dedicated to educating the general public and also Civil War nuts like us in what New Jerseys part was in the late War of Rebellion.
As the 150 anniversary and commemoration of the Civil War goes on, the organization is committed to not only commemorating this incredible time in our nations history, its also dedicated to preservation as well.
The Board is led by Dr David Martin. Author, publisher and professor at the Peddie School in Hightstown. NJ. Dr Dave or DOC as I have grown to call him is also now numbered among my dear friends. But I have also gotten to know Joe Bilby another author. Jim Madden author and our treasurer. Mike Horgan, John Kuhl, Andy Megill, Norm Dykstra our secretary and Iron Brigade officianado. Johnathan Kinney, and Tom Burke who I found out tonight has been recruited and will serve as the reenactor coordinator for To Appomattox. The new multipart series that is going into production in May 2012.
Its a great organization and doing so much.. And tonight I realized how much I count all of these dear men as friends, and yes in a way.. Family. One more we also picked up tonight as a new Trustee, Mr Bob Costello, who I have gotten to know over the last 3 years and does a great MR LINCOLN.. I know I am forgetting others. So many working now behind the scenes....
Thanks guys!!!!!!!!!
JIM
Welll back in 2003 I had met Joe Bilby while stomping the cemetery where my Mom and other families are buried. We chatted and the next thing I know I am invited to join the NJCWHA. Welllll I showed up at the annual meeting and as some one once said the rest is history.
I have been a member of the Board of Trustees ever since. Now I am about to be elected to my 4th term. I found myself tonight thinking about what has transpired since then And now I am so deeply involved with it its a part of my daily living.
The organization is dedicated to the preservation of the Civil War Flags from the State of New Jersey, anddddd deeply dedicated to educating the general public and also Civil War nuts like us in what New Jerseys part was in the late War of Rebellion.
As the 150 anniversary and commemoration of the Civil War goes on, the organization is committed to not only commemorating this incredible time in our nations history, its also dedicated to preservation as well.
The Board is led by Dr David Martin. Author, publisher and professor at the Peddie School in Hightstown. NJ. Dr Dave or DOC as I have grown to call him is also now numbered among my dear friends. But I have also gotten to know Joe Bilby another author. Jim Madden author and our treasurer. Mike Horgan, John Kuhl, Andy Megill, Norm Dykstra our secretary and Iron Brigade officianado. Johnathan Kinney, and Tom Burke who I found out tonight has been recruited and will serve as the reenactor coordinator for To Appomattox. The new multipart series that is going into production in May 2012.
Its a great organization and doing so much.. And tonight I realized how much I count all of these dear men as friends, and yes in a way.. Family. One more we also picked up tonight as a new Trustee, Mr Bob Costello, who I have gotten to know over the last 3 years and does a great MR LINCOLN.. I know I am forgetting others. So many working now behind the scenes....
Thanks guys!!!!!!!!!
JIM
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
The Answer to the 20th Maine Vs the 11th NJ..
Here is the answer.... According to the book compiled by Dr David Martin and John Busey, "Regimental Strengths and loses at Gettysburg".. 20th Maine... This is a stunner btw... 20th Maine. 125 total... 29 kia,91 wounded and 5 missing... drum roll please... 11th nj 17 killed outright 124 wounded (about a third of these were dead by the middle of August) and 12 missing.. Of those 12 6 end up in Andersonville all but one die there. Total 153... 55.6% of engaged strength.. Blow you away yet??? ;-)
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The saga of the 2nd New Brigade or better known as where oh where did my brigade go!?
During the afternoon hours of July 2, 1863, the 2nd New Jersey brigade found itself playing a game of "Musical locations"... First it found itself siting basically in the woods across the road from the Trostle house. Then it moved to some where just north and west of the Trostle Barn, Only to find itself under artillery fire. It moved again back across the street.. And then back again.. Its commanding officer George C. Burling found himself grumbling and telling a Sickles staff officer to basically leave them alone.
Finally the crescendo of the fighting on that end of the field, the brigade began to get broken up. The 6th, 8th and the 115 Pa found them selves being led by the Colonel himself to the WSW corner of the Wheatfield. However even those 3 regiments didnt stay together for long for the 6th found itself going to into what is going to be later known as the Valley of Death.
The 5th NJ is requisition and finds itself up on the Emmitsburg Rd, where it will later join together with the 11th NJ as they defend the Klingle Farm complex.
The 7th NJ, under Colonel Francine finds itself laying in support of the 1st NJ Light Artillery Battery B, or better known as Clarkes Battery...
The other regiment from the brigade is the 2 New Hampshire. They will find themselves in the Peach Orchard, at the tip of Sickles Salient where they will fight gallantly.. Even fixing bayonets and charging.
All the whille this is going on Burling is basically having his brigade dealt out piecemeal to meet the Confederate advance. Burling eventually will find himself with nothing left to command and reports to General Birney for further orders.
All of these regiments suffer any where between 30% and 50% casualties.
Finally the crescendo of the fighting on that end of the field, the brigade began to get broken up. The 6th, 8th and the 115 Pa found them selves being led by the Colonel himself to the WSW corner of the Wheatfield. However even those 3 regiments didnt stay together for long for the 6th found itself going to into what is going to be later known as the Valley of Death.
The 5th NJ is requisition and finds itself up on the Emmitsburg Rd, where it will later join together with the 11th NJ as they defend the Klingle Farm complex.
The 7th NJ, under Colonel Francine finds itself laying in support of the 1st NJ Light Artillery Battery B, or better known as Clarkes Battery...
The other regiment from the brigade is the 2 New Hampshire. They will find themselves in the Peach Orchard, at the tip of Sickles Salient where they will fight gallantly.. Even fixing bayonets and charging.
All the whille this is going on Burling is basically having his brigade dealt out piecemeal to meet the Confederate advance. Burling eventually will find himself with nothing left to command and reports to General Birney for further orders.
All of these regiments suffer any where between 30% and 50% casualties.
20 th Maine vs the 11th NJ.. Who had the higher casualties?
I put this out there tonight for a couple of reasons..
One is to see if any one reading this blog.. And the other is to prove a point.....
So lets get to it.....
Any one want to jump in?
I will give it 24 hours.
JIM ;-)
One is to see if any one reading this blog.. And the other is to prove a point.....
So lets get to it.....
Any one want to jump in?
I will give it 24 hours.
JIM ;-)
Saturday, January 14, 2012
New Jersey Units at Gettysburg.. By Corps
Hi all,
Well I thought I would begin to acquaint you with the units from New Jersey at Gettysburg.
They had as follows.
II Corps
12th New Jersey Volunteers ( Buck and Ball boys) Two monuments. The Bliss Farm and the Bryan Farm
III Corps
5th New Jersey - North of the Klingle Farm on the West side of the Emmitsburg Road.
6th New Jersey - Valley of Death. at the base of the ridgeline that Devils Den is part of. On the right side of Crawford Ave
7th New Jersey. The Minie ball. located just north of the Peach Orchard.
8th New Jersey. SSW in the Corner of the Wheatfield With in sight of the Rose Farm
11th New Jersey. Just SOUTH of the Klingle Farm. on the Emmitsburg Road
12th Corps
13th New Jersey Splanglers Spring. Just south of the parking lot for lower Culps HIll and the spring itself.
VI Corps
The FIRST JERSEY BRIGADE. 1,2 4 and 15 regiments. Their monument to al of these regiments stands on what some of come to call the Meade Spur down off of Little Round Top. Just south of the PA monument, also acroos the street for the intersection of US Ave and Hancock Blvd.
ist New Jersey Light Artillery
Battery A, Hexamers Battery. Maybe the easiest monument to find on the field
South side of the PA Monument
Battery B Clarkes Battery. The Peach Orchard and next to the 7th New Jerseys monument
1st New Jersey Cavalry - East Cavalry Field.
JIM
Well I thought I would begin to acquaint you with the units from New Jersey at Gettysburg.
They had as follows.
II Corps
12th New Jersey Volunteers ( Buck and Ball boys) Two monuments. The Bliss Farm and the Bryan Farm
III Corps
5th New Jersey - North of the Klingle Farm on the West side of the Emmitsburg Road.
6th New Jersey - Valley of Death. at the base of the ridgeline that Devils Den is part of. On the right side of Crawford Ave
7th New Jersey. The Minie ball. located just north of the Peach Orchard.
8th New Jersey. SSW in the Corner of the Wheatfield With in sight of the Rose Farm
11th New Jersey. Just SOUTH of the Klingle Farm. on the Emmitsburg Road
12th Corps
13th New Jersey Splanglers Spring. Just south of the parking lot for lower Culps HIll and the spring itself.
VI Corps
The FIRST JERSEY BRIGADE. 1,2 4 and 15 regiments. Their monument to al of these regiments stands on what some of come to call the Meade Spur down off of Little Round Top. Just south of the PA monument, also acroos the street for the intersection of US Ave and Hancock Blvd.
ist New Jersey Light Artillery
Battery A, Hexamers Battery. Maybe the easiest monument to find on the field
South side of the PA Monument
Battery B Clarkes Battery. The Peach Orchard and next to the 7th New Jerseys monument
1st New Jersey Cavalry - East Cavalry Field.
JIM
Friday, January 13, 2012
More on the Desecration at Brandy Station..
I am sure that Eric would not mind.. Included is the link to his thoughts and discussion at Brandy Station. And once again folks this is the area from which the 1st NJ Cavalry attacked up Fleetwood Hill.
http://civilwarcavalry.com/?p=3101
Please click on this link..
Thanks
JIM
http://civilwarcavalry.com/?p=3101
Please click on this link..
Thanks
JIM
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Desecration at Brandy Station.....
One of the things I will also do, is point my readers to other issues that are near and dear to my heart. And one of them is Preservation.
I have not commented on what has happened at Brandy Station till now.
Eric Wittenberg who is even more familiar with the issue at Brandy Station and the battle that took place there, has explained and also pounded away at those who created the problem. Far better then I could
But I will say this. WHEN you go to Eric's Blog, you will find a well documented explanation of the problem that occurred. But I will add this.. Where the problem occurred on the battlefield is where the 1st New Jersey Cavalry attacked from up Fleetwood Hill. The 1st NJ, lost its Colonel, its Lt Colonel killed and mortally wounded. It also lost its Major as well. The regiment suffered heavily at Brandy, and to have the ground the fought on so badly desecrated is beyond acceptable. Men paid that last full measure there. And they were from my home state. Brandy Station was part of the Gettysburg Campaign. The 1st New Jersey Cavalry monument can be found over on East Cavalry Field at Gettysburg.
Some thing tells me, though the regiment did not suffer heavy casualties at Gettysburg itself. It only lost I think one killed and several wounded though they were in the middle of the fighting on the third day. They picked Gettysburg. And not Brandy Station. Which is in actuality where it really belongs. In my opinion.
Thanks for reading.
JIM
I have not commented on what has happened at Brandy Station till now.
Eric Wittenberg who is even more familiar with the issue at Brandy Station and the battle that took place there, has explained and also pounded away at those who created the problem. Far better then I could
But I will say this. WHEN you go to Eric's Blog, you will find a well documented explanation of the problem that occurred. But I will add this.. Where the problem occurred on the battlefield is where the 1st New Jersey Cavalry attacked from up Fleetwood Hill. The 1st NJ, lost its Colonel, its Lt Colonel killed and mortally wounded. It also lost its Major as well. The regiment suffered heavily at Brandy, and to have the ground the fought on so badly desecrated is beyond acceptable. Men paid that last full measure there. And they were from my home state. Brandy Station was part of the Gettysburg Campaign. The 1st New Jersey Cavalry monument can be found over on East Cavalry Field at Gettysburg.
Some thing tells me, though the regiment did not suffer heavy casualties at Gettysburg itself. It only lost I think one killed and several wounded though they were in the middle of the fighting on the third day. They picked Gettysburg. And not Brandy Station. Which is in actuality where it really belongs. In my opinion.
Thanks for reading.
JIM
New Jersey didnt do any thing at Gettysburg? Or how I got started ..
Several years ago now, I was in the old Cyclorama at Gettysburg. I was standing next to a diorama of Picketts Charge. A young lady walked up as I was standing there. And we got talking. She asked me where I was from and I told her , "New Jersey"... She goes, well they didnt do any thing here! They had only 15% casualties!
I knew enough about the battle back then to know this wasnt right. and set off to find out as Paul Harvey would say, THE REST OF THE STORY!
So out of that chance meeting began a passion a drive to know what DID NEW JERSEY DO at Gettysburg?
And it shocked me... They were in every part of the battle and yes even the first day. They were at places that are now part of Gettysburg lore.. The Wheatfield, The Peach Orchard, The Valley of Death, Sickles Salient, and the Repulse of Picketts Charge. 4400 men serving in 11 different units. Across all three parts of the army. And their service was historical. Yes one whole brigade was basically observers but the rest .. Oh yes the rest... At least two regiments suffered over 45% casualties, with one 56% lost. More then even a certain regiment from Maine. But thats what this blog is going to be about. To share THE REST OF THE STORY..
JIM
I knew enough about the battle back then to know this wasnt right. and set off to find out as Paul Harvey would say, THE REST OF THE STORY!
So out of that chance meeting began a passion a drive to know what DID NEW JERSEY DO at Gettysburg?
And it shocked me... They were in every part of the battle and yes even the first day. They were at places that are now part of Gettysburg lore.. The Wheatfield, The Peach Orchard, The Valley of Death, Sickles Salient, and the Repulse of Picketts Charge. 4400 men serving in 11 different units. Across all three parts of the army. And their service was historical. Yes one whole brigade was basically observers but the rest .. Oh yes the rest... At least two regiments suffered over 45% casualties, with one 56% lost. More then even a certain regiment from Maine. But thats what this blog is going to be about. To share THE REST OF THE STORY..
JIM
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Intro, the purpose and yea.. I am going to try again
Hi all..
Well we are going to try this again.. This time we are going to focus on Ta DA! New Jersey at Gettysburg.
By way of review Gettysburg was not only a 3 day battle in the American Civil War, fought over 3 long bloody days, but it began in the early days of June of 1863 and ended about Mid July of the same year. Over that time, two very large armies totaling between 160,000 to 180,000 marched from basically just south of Fredricksburg Va, up the the heart of Maryland and also the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia into south central Pa.
New Jersey was in the middle of that. What this will be about will to share the research that I have spent gathering over the last decade on New Jersey and its role in the battle, but also we will touch on the lives of the men who served in the units from NJ that fought there.
I will also use it to share the behind the scenes going on as I began to wrap up the book that has been a labor of love for so many years. Into the Vortex of Fire the 11th New Jersey in the Gettysburg Campaign. I also have two other books in the beginning stages. I will also use this to share the goings on there as well...
And then last but not least, as a member of the board of Trustees of the New Jersey Civil War Heritage Association, I will share as much as possible the goings on and the up coming events as we push forward to the 150th Anniversary of the battle.
So off we go........
JIM
Well we are going to try this again.. This time we are going to focus on Ta DA! New Jersey at Gettysburg.
By way of review Gettysburg was not only a 3 day battle in the American Civil War, fought over 3 long bloody days, but it began in the early days of June of 1863 and ended about Mid July of the same year. Over that time, two very large armies totaling between 160,000 to 180,000 marched from basically just south of Fredricksburg Va, up the the heart of Maryland and also the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia into south central Pa.
New Jersey was in the middle of that. What this will be about will to share the research that I have spent gathering over the last decade on New Jersey and its role in the battle, but also we will touch on the lives of the men who served in the units from NJ that fought there.
I will also use it to share the behind the scenes going on as I began to wrap up the book that has been a labor of love for so many years. Into the Vortex of Fire the 11th New Jersey in the Gettysburg Campaign. I also have two other books in the beginning stages. I will also use this to share the goings on there as well...
And then last but not least, as a member of the board of Trustees of the New Jersey Civil War Heritage Association, I will share as much as possible the goings on and the up coming events as we push forward to the 150th Anniversary of the battle.
So off we go........
JIM
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