USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > The history of Newark, New Jersey : being a narrative of its rise and progress, from the settlement in May, 1666, by emigrants from Connecticut to the present time, including a sketch of the press of Newark, from 1791 to 1878 > Part 27
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Resolved, That this Legislature return to the officers and men of the brigade of three months volunteers the thanks of New Jersey, for their valuable service in the cause of their country, and for upholding so bravely the ancient reputation of the State for patriotic purposes.
259
UNION FEELING IN NEWARK.
Resolved, That for and in recognition of his efficient and meritorious services in the field, the brevet rank of Major General of the militia of this State be conferred on Brigadier General Theodore Runyon, commander of said brigade; and that the Governor and Commander-in- Chief of this State be and he is hereby requested to confer said rank accordingly by nomination to and appointment by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Which was read and unanimously adopted.
Accordingly Governor Olden nominated General Runyon as Brevet Major-General, and the Senate confirmed the nomination by the following vote :
YEAS-Messrs. Buckley, Budd, Crowell (President), Demarest, Leaming, Morris, Pharo, Pierson, Quinby, Randolph, Reckless, Reeve, Robbins, Smith, Swayze, Tatem, Veghte .- 17. NAYS-O.
The handsome compliment thus paid to Newark's distinguished citizen-soldier was supplemented later by General Runyon's being chosen Mayor of Newark (October, 1863), and still later (February, 1873), by his elevation to the exalted position of Chancellor of the State, which position he continues to occupy, to the adornment of the State Judiciary and the universal satisfaction of the people.
We have been at pains to place on record the bearing of Newark during the eventful Spring and early Summer months of 1861. We have seen that by word, act and deed her people, at home and in the tented field, whether wearing the garb of the citizen or the uniform of the soldier, displayed a spirit and a patriotism worthy of the highest praise. Was it the same during those fierce, stormy years which followed ? To say that every citizen of Newark heartily approved every act of the Lincoln Administration, would be saying a great deal more than the truth. Neither can it be said that there were not some who went nearly as far in opposition to military suppression of the Southern revolt as Judge Ogden and Rector Browne did to the revolt of '76 against Great Britain. It can be said, however, that with the exception of a small but outspoken-and as honest and earnest as outspoken-circle of men who supported Breckenridge and Lane in the election of 1860, the sentiment of Newark was unwaveringly and overwhelmingly against secession and in favor of "the Union, the Constitution and the enforcement of the Laws." Indeed, so strong was this sentiment, that those who had the temerity to express contrary views were often in danger of being summarily dealt with. A local newspaper, which had shown a hostile spirit to the active measures of the Government, was at one time compelled by a crowd of citizens to
260 NEWARK DEMOCRATS AND THE LINCOLN ADMINISTRATION.
display a Union flag from its window, and at another time (for opposing the draft called for in the latter part of 1864), its editor was arrested and subjected to fine by the United States Courts. But whatever individuals may have said or done, the words and acts of all parties in Newark were unmistakably and bitterly hostile to disunion. ' Throughout the entire period of the war Newark was a Democratic city. Moses Bigelow, Democrat, served as Mayor from 1857 to 1863. He was succeeded by another Democrat, Theodore Runyon, who held over till the close of 1865. The successive Common Councils stood : 1861, 16 Democrats to 8 Republicans ; 1862, 20 Democrats to 6 Republicans; 1863, 22 Democrats to 4 Republicans ; 1864, 20 Democrats to 6 Republicans ; 1865, 16 Democrats to 10 Republicans. By none was the Union more warmly and generously sustained than by these successive Demo- cratic administrations. The published proceedings and personnel of the war meetings show, likewise, that Democrats vied with Repub- licans in giving a hearty support to all constitutional acts of the General Government in the work of suppressing the Southern Confederacy. In their party conclaves the Newark Democrats, while freely criticising what they termed " the outrages committed upon civil liberty," and " the miserable series of military blunders through which the war was prolonged," never faltered in their duty as good citizens. "Resolved," said they, at a large meeting held during September, 1861 :
That we regard the doctrine of secession as a political heresy, destructive of the principles of our Government ; that it must and shall be rooted from the land; that we will support and defend the Constitution and the laws made in pursuance thereof, against all violation and infraction.
That we are in favor, as we have ever been, of maintaining the Union intact and unbroken, considering it a sacred duty to hand it down to our children as we received it from our fathers; and that we will oppose in the future, as we have in the past, all disunionists and sectional parties and organizations wherever they may be found.
As it was in the Council chamber and on the platform, so it was in the army and navy. Newark's quota afield or afloat had quite as many Democrats as Republicans, and in some instances a great many more Democrats than Republicans. This leads us to a resumption of matters purely military.
On the 3d of May, 1861, realizing that the Southern revolt was of an infinitely more formidable character than was at first surmised, President Lincoln issued a call for thirty-nine regiments of infantry
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MORE TROOPS-THE SECOND (THREE YEARS') REGIMENT. 261 and one of cavalry, the term of service to be three years or during the war. On the 17th, a requisition was made upon New Jersey. for three of these regiments. They were easily, yea, eagerly furnished. Indeed, such was the impatience of Jerseymen to enter the service, that nearly five thousand of them hastened away and joined regiments raised in other States. On this point, the Adjutant-General, in his report for 1863, said : “Large numbers of our citizens were obliged to seek service elsewhere, because the Governor could not accept them from the State: they may be found by companies in the Excelsior Brigade, Irish Brigade, Hawkins's Zouaves and other New York organizations, and some in other organizations from Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia. These men preferred to enlist in New Jersey regiments, but the General Government positively refused to accept them from this State." The three regiments called for were quickly organized as the First, Second and Third, three years' men. The Second was the Newark regiment. Its nucleus consisted of Companies A, B, C and D, Newark City Battalion, an organization that bore a high reputation during many years for proficiency in drill and soldierly bearing. Two German companies, under Captains Albert Sigel (a brother of the famous General Franz Sigel), and Charles Wiebecke, and a company from Belleville, were also incorporated in this regiment; the other three companies being two from Elizabeth and one from Paterson. The organization of the regiment was as follows :
Colonel-GEORGE W. MCLEAN. Quartermaster-WILLIAM E. STURGES.
Lieutenant-Colonel-ISAAC M. TUCKER.
Major-SAMUEL I .. BUCK. Adjutant-JOSEPH W. PLUME.
Surgeon-GABRIEL GRANT. Assistant Surgeon-LEWIS W. OAKLEY. Chaplain-ROBERT R. PROUDFIT.
Company A-Capt., James Wilson ; First Lieut., B. C. Chetwood; Second Lieut., J. Wilson. . Company B-Capt., H. O. Ryerson ; First Lieut., J. A. Wildrick; Second Lieut., J. A. Hoffman. Company C-Capt., James N. Duffy ; First Lieut., G. Brady ; Second Lieut., D. Duffy. Company D-Capt., Albert Sigel; First Lieut., Edward Schmidt ; Second Lieut., L. Helmer. Company F .-- Capt., Charles Wiebecke; First Lieut., F. Stoll; Second Lieut., Albert Franck Company F-Capt., Aaron Young; First Lieut., H. Vreeland; Second Lieut., W. E. Blewitt. Company G-Capt., James H. Close ; First Lieut., H. Leonard; Second Lieut., S. E. Leonard. Company H-Capt., Edwin Bishop; First Lieut., J. F. W. Crane ; Second Lieut., J. W. Root. Company 1-Capt., Geo. Griffith; First Lieut., John Allen ; Second Lieut., C. Danforth, jr. Company K-Capt., Charles H. Tay ; First Lieut., R. Hopwood ; Second Lieut., J. Bogart.
In a letter to the public, dated May 18th, 1861, senior Captain Toler, of the Montgomery Guard, complained bitterly that his
18
262 NEWARK PATRIOTS DRIVEN TO NEW YORK-MORE TROOPS.
organization had been slighted in the formation of the Second Regiment. He claimed that his company, having been organized ten years before, and being noted for its soldierly qualities, was entitled to precedence, instead of which it was ignored altogether. Toler also hotly charged that the slight was due to politics, and that a company had been preferred to his " not three weeks old," and "whose politics are their greatest recommendation." However that may have been, the Captain and his men proceeded to New York, and joined Sickles' Excelsior Brigade, then forming, being mustered in as Company E, Second Regiment (71st N. Y.), and serving creditably during the war. It may here be stated, that there went from Newark about the same time, and also joined Sickles' Brigade : Company F, First Regiment, commanded by Captain J. McCawley; Company K, Captain Frederick T. R. Gruett ; Company D, Second Regiment (71st N. Y.), Captain William H. Greene; Company F, Third Regiment (72d N. Y.), Captain Leonard. Orange also sent a company -- Company F, Second Regiment (71st N. Y.), Captain Owen Murphy. Every one of these companies gave brave accounts of themselves in the field. Captain Gruett left the service only when the Confederate flag was lowered forever. Captain Leonard became Major and Lieutenant Colonel of his regiment, and Captains McCawley, Toler and Greene kept aloft the reputation of Jersey valor.
It was not until June 28th, 1861, that the three regiments called for, including the Second, left Camp Olden, Trenton, for Washington. As already noted, they arrived at the front in time to do valuable service in Runyon's Reserve, during the critical hour of the Bull Run disaster of July 21st. Subsequent to this date, the Second, with the First, went into camp near Alexandria. On July 24th President Lincoln called upon Governor Olden for five additional regiments from New Jersey. These were promptly furnished, being numbered respectively the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Regi- ments New Jersey Volunteers. The Fourth Regiment, to which was attached a fine battery of six pieces, commanded by Captain William Hexamer, was assigned to what was known as the First New Jersey Brigade-General Kearny's first command. The Second Brigade consisted of the other four Jersey regiments. While Newark was represented more or less in nearly all the regiments organized in the State, her chief representation in the
263
THE EIGHTH (REORGANIZED FIRST) REGIMENT.
Second Brigade was the Eighth Regiment, reorganized from the First (three months') Regiment. This regiment, under the second call for troops, offered its services direct to the General Government, asking only that it might return to Newark to recruit to the maximum number. Colonel Johnson and Chaplain Chambré were appointed by the regiment a committee to tender the offer to the Secretary of War. It was accepted, the Secretary stating that it was the only instance at that time of a regiment in the field offering its services for three years. In July the regiment returned to Newark, as described in earlier pages. Colonel Johnson was given authority by the Governor to select (subject to approval, of course) his own captains. The new organization of the Eighth (formerly the First) was as follows :
Colonel-ADOLPHUS J. JOHNSON. Quartermaster-RALPH JEFFERSON. Surgeon-ALEXANDER J. MCKELWAY. Assistant Surgeon-H. GENET TAYLOR. Chaplain-A. ST. JOHN CHAMBRE.
Lieutenant Colonel-THOMAS L. MARTIN. Major-JOSEPH TRAWIN. Adjutant-CHARLES W. JOHNSON.
Company A-Capt., P. M. Ryerson ; First Lieut., F. M. Freeland; Sec'd Lieut., W. J. Roberts. Company B-Capt., Wm. A. Henry ; First Lieut., A. S. Davis; Second Lieut., John A .. Boice. Company C-Capt., John Tuite ; First Lieut., O. S. Johnson ; 'Second Lieut., C. W. Kennedy. Company D-Capt., Wm. Ward ; First Lieut., J. D. Buckley ; Second Lieut., J. B. Sine. Company E-Capt., Wm. S. Tipson ; First Lieut., James Long; Second Lieut., Wm. Lackcy. Company F-Capt., J. B. Baird; First Licut., Wm. E. Jackson; Second Lieut., A. F. Fuller. Company G-Capt., J. H. Arey ; First Lieut., W. G. Cunningham ; Second Lieut., D. B. Ward. Company H-Capt., G. Hoffman ; First Lieut., A. J. Mutchler; Second Lieut., F. Longer. Company I-Capt., D. Pierson ; First Lieut., G. M. Stelle; Second Lieut., D. Blauvelt, jr. Company K-Capt., J. G. Langston ; First Lieut., Wm. Todd; Second Lieut., J. M. Scardeson.
Attached to this regiment was a fine battery of six pieces, com- manded by Captain John E. Beam, and raised by special authority from the War Department. During August the regiment was mustered in at Camp Olden, Trenton, and on October Ist left there for Washington, where it reported for duty the day following, and, with the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Regiments, went into camp at Meridian Hill. Early in December the regiments were removed to a point in Maryland near Budd's Ferry, forty-five miles from Washington. Here they were brigaded and designated as the Third Brigade, Hooker's Division, afterwards known as the Third Brigade, Second Division, Third Corps. Here let us leave the Second New Jersey Brigade for a while and return to the First.
The First Brigade, now under the command of General Kearny, was attached to Franklin's Division, the brigade headquarters being
264
KEARNY'S BRIGADE-AT THE CHICKAHOMINY.
established at St. John's Seminary, about three miles from Alexan- dria. During the Fall and Winter months there were a few exciting minor brushes with the enemy, but it was not until March, 1862, that serious work began. On the 7th of that month Kearny's Brigade was ordered to Burke's Station, on the Orange and Alex- andria Railroad, to guard a party of workmen. Subsequently, learning that the enemy were preparing to leave Manassas Junction, Kearny rapidly moved forward, drove the Confederate pickets in, and occupied the enemy's quarters, whence they had evidently fled with precipitancy, leaving behind a large amount of hospital and commissary stores. Early in April the Brigade was attached to the First Division of the First Army Corps, and later in the month moved still further. In an engagement at West Point, on the York River, on April 6th, the Brigade behaved with great gallantry, but this was a small matter compared with what was approaching- the bloody and desperate conflict at the Chickahominy, on June 27th. Early in the fight, four companies of the Second Regiment were " left exposed to the full force of the rebel onset, suffering a most galling fire." "All the men of the Brigade were engaged at the most dangerous and difficult parts of the field," the fighting from first to last being " of the most desperate character." "With all the odds against them the 'Jersey Blues' fought steadily on till nightfall, their ranks terribly thinned, indeed, but the survivors still bravely keeping heart. Three times the enemy were driven from the woods, but as often returned, reinforced, to renew the contest." Colonel Tucker, the brave commander of the Second, fell at the head of his regiment, his body riddled with bullets. Major Ryerson, Captain Danforth and other officers were wounded. But not all the heroism of the Jerseymen could save the day. It was lost beyond recovery. Of the twenty-eight hundred Jersey- men who entered the fight, only nine hundred and sixty-five came out. The rest were among the list of killed, wounded or missing. The four companies of the Second (D, H, I and K) lost fifteen killed, forty-eight wounded and forty-one missing. The other six com- panies of the regiment (Companies A, B, C, E, F and G) were on picket duty under Lieutenant Colonel Buck, but even there were subjected to a "perfect storm of shot and shell which rained over them." In his report, Lieutenant Colonel Buck, of the Second, gave this account of the experience of the four companies in the
265
FALL OF COL. TUCKER AND CAPTAIN DANFORTH.
heat of the battle : "On the 27th, Col. Tucker, with Companies D, H, I and K, were ordered with the Brigade to cross the Chicka- hominy. They were soon ordered to the front to relieve a full regiment ; nothing daunted at the smallness of their numbers they formed with perfect order and fought the unequal contest with a cool determination worthy of all praise. Soon the superior numbers of the enemy enabled him to turn their flanks; under this cross fire the remaining few, headed by Colonel Tucker, assisted by Major Ryerson, Captains Bishop and Tay, and Lieutenant Buckley, rallied around the colors, when a shower of balls poured upon the small force, wounding our brave Colonel in the breast. Lieutenant Root, of Company K, attempted to carry him off the field, when another volley wounded the Lieutenant in three places and the Colonel in two. He soon breathed his last, and it became necessary to abandon his remains. Sergeant Charles Pierson remained with the Colonel until the last, thoughtfully removing his papers. This fire also wounded the Major in the bowels and he was left on the field with three men of Company I, who gallantly refused to leave him. Captain Danforth, of Company I, received his death wound early in the engagement while gallantly leading his men. Where all behaved so well, it appears almost invidious to mention names, but admira- tion of the cool courage of Colonel Tucker and other officers named is the universal sentiment of eye witnesses."
Colonel Isaac M. Tucker was only about thirty years old when he fell. For many years he had been connected with the Newark military, and entered the service as Lieutenant Colonel; "but from the first, owing to the incapacity or indifference of the commanding officer, was practically the controlling spirit of the command." In civil life he took an active part in politics. As early as 1853 he was appointed clerk of the Newark Common Council. He was a lawyer by profession, and early affiliated with the Republican party. "It is rather hot in there," he remarked to a comrade as they approached the woods, on that fatal day at the Chickahominy, " and some of us will never come out, but the Jersey boys will do their duty." "Don't mind me but go ahead and give it to them," he said to some of his men when they were proceeding to carry him to the rear upon his being wounded. His bearing when he met death spoke eloquently for his altogether heroic nature. He was universally beloved by his men and esteemed by his superiors. He met a soldier's death, met it
266
UNEPAULETTED HEROES OF THE SECOND.
like the brave and manly spirit he was. To this day the exact spot where his remains repose is unknown. Frequent attempts to find it were made immediately and some time after the battle, but without success.
Among the instances of gallantry and daring witnessed during the battle of the Chickahominy was one in which several unepau- letted soldiers of the Second Regiment won a place for all time in the history of New Jersey's truest heroes. Amid a very storm of bullets, Corporal James Marshall stood by the regimental colors and bore them defiantly aloft. When, however, it became impossible to longer hold out, the brave Corporal, assisted by Corporal Marvel, of Company I, and Jesse Conover, of Company K, tore the colors from the staff and hid them from view. The regiment had been ordered to fall back; and when a halt came, Marshall and his gallant comrades lay down, Marshall meanwhile having had a thumb shot away. The Confederates coming up the.trio of the Second were captured and next day removed to Richmond. Major Ryerson, who was also taken prisoner, was wounded while rallying his men around the colors. The next notable engagement in which the Jerseymen displayed conspicuous gallantry was upon the old field of Bull Run. Bull Run was lost again, but through no fault of the Jerseymen. They fell back to Fairfax Station and then to Cloud's Mills, where they arrived on the 28th. Among the officers wounded were Captains Wildrick, Bishop and Stahl, of the Second. In his report of the operations of the Brigade, Colonel (subsequently General) A. T. A. Torbert particularly mentioned the services of Major Duffy and Captain Dunham. Under Torbert the Brigade participated in the battles of Crampton's Gap, just beyond Burkes- ville, and the never-to-be-forgotten Antietam, in the campaign in Maryland under General McClellan. In the former engagement the First Jersey Brigade gave stronger and stronger proof of its bravery and splendid soldierly qualities. At Crampton's Gap, which was fought on the 14th of September, the Brigade, along with General Slocum's Division, covered itself with glory in a magnificently executed and successful charge upon Howell Cobb's Legion. The enemy was most advantageously placed on the side and at the base of a steep, rocky, precipitous mountain, presenting the shelter of crags and trees to its possessor, and impregnability almost to an assailant ; but, at the word of command, the Jersey Blues dashed
267
SPLENDID BAYONET CHARGE AT CRAMPTON'S GAP.
up the rocky slopes against the enemy in the face of a perfect storm of cannon balls and rifle bullets, and not only drove him from his position but captured nearly the whole of Cobb's Legion, a valorous body of picked men, and upon whose banner-also captured-was the inscription : "Cobb's Legion-in the name of the Lord." The Jersey Brigade lost one hundred and seventy-four killed and wounded, the Second Regiment losing 13 killed and 42 wounded. In general orders Torbert highly complimented the Brigade. "Your advance in line of battle," said he, "under a galling artillery fire, and final bayonet charge, was a feat seldom if ever surpassed." " You have sustained the reputation of your State, and done great credit to your officers and yourselves." General Newton said the bayonet charge was one of the most gallant he ever witnessed. At some points of the mountain side the men "had to creep on 'all fours.'" Torbert was "pleased to make particular mention" of the gallantry of Colonel Buck, of the Second. At Antietam, which was fought three days later, the Brigade was for six hours exposed to a very severe artillery fire, but was not actually engaged, though the Second Regiment lost a number in killed and wounded.
The First Brigade remained in Maryland until October 2d, when it crossed at Berlin, and, finally, went into camp on the 18th, at Stafford Court House. Here it stayed until ordered to the Rappa- hannock to participate in the movement against Fredericksburg. Meanwhile there were added to the Brigade two additional regiments, the Fifteenth and Twenty-third. The latter was commanded by Colonel Ryerson, formerly of the Second, who was wounded at Gaines' Mills. At the battle of Fredericksburg, fought on December 13th, 1862, Ryerson "was to be seen in the thickest of the fight, cheering on his men." After Fredericksburg, the army went into Winter quarters at Falmouth, where it rested nearly four months, the First New Jersey Brigade being stationed at White Oak Church.
" Fighting Joe" Hooker was now in command of the Army of the Potomac. On April 30th, 1863, he resolved to move upon the enemy. He crossed the Rappahannock and the Rapidan. The Jersey troops were with him. At Salem Church, on May 3d, they passed gallantly through an experience somewhat similar to that at Crampton's Gap, contending this time with the brave veterans of Longstreet's command. Colonel Buck, of the Second, commanding
268
THE BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS-WIEBECKE'S FATE.
the Brigade -- Colonel Brown having bravely met a soldier's death in the early part of the action-spoke in his report of the "imperishable fame" the Brigade had achieved, especially of the conduct of four companies of the Second Regiment, "who, at the command of their officer, bravely faced an overwhelming force, and coolly received their deadly fire, thus enabling the regiment in the rear to reform and hold the army in check," and declared the thanks of the entire Brigade eminently due to Lieutenants Abeel and Goldsmith, with other officers, "for their bravery and coolness." In the engagement, Colonel Buck sustained severe injury from the fall of his horse. Private Richard M. Blake, of Company C, Second Regiment, was specially mentioned "for his gallant and noble conduct in the engagement," by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Wiebecke, who was now in command of the Second. The Brigade took part in the battle of Gettysburg, under General Meade, early in July, but was not placed in a position to crown its fame with new glories. Lieutenant-Colonel Wiebecke, who had charge of the picket line, displayed throughout "the utmost coolness and skill."
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