10th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry

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10th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry
Flag of New Jersey
Active	October 1, 1861 to June 22, 1865
Country	United States of America
Allegiance	Union
Branch	Union Army
Type	Infantry
Equipment	Enfield/Springfield rifles
Engagements	Battle of the Wilderness, Battle of Spotsylvania, Battle of Cold Harbor, Battle of Strasburg, Battle of Fisher Hill, Battle of Opequon, Battle of Cedar Creek and Battle of Petersburg III

The 10th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry was originally known as "Olden Legion" after New Jersey Governor Charles Olden. The regiment was organized under the provisions of an Act of Congress approved July 22, 1861, and by authority issued by the War Department. It was created to recruit from residents of the State of New Jersey, but was not under the control or supervision of the State authorities.

When the organization of the regiment was completed with nine companies of infantry and one company of cavalry, it proceeded to Camp Beverly, New Jersey. The unit proceeded to Washington, D.C., on December 26, 1861, with 35 officers, 883 non-commissioned officers and privates, for a total of 918 men. After they marched to Camp Clay on the Bladensburg Turnpike, a location approximately one mile from Washington, they were reorganized and designated the 10th New Jersey Infantry. Soon after being reorganized, the cavalry company, Company D, was discharged and a new company was raised that April. For the next year, the regiment served under the command of Brig. Gen. James Wadsworth in the defenses of Washington before being assigned to field service in the XXII Corps until April 1863.

The regiment was then moved between various commands — beginning with the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, VII Corps, Department of Virginia, until July 1863, when it was sent to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after the Gettysburg Campaign and assigned to Darius Couch and the Department of the Susquehanna. It served in the defenses of Philadelphia until September 1863, when it moved to Pottsville, Pennsylvania. The regiment remained in the Department of the Susquehanna through April 1864. After more than 50% of the men re-enlisted the regiment became known as the 10th New Jersey Veteran Infantry. The regiment joined the First New Jersey Brigade in the 1st Division, VI Corps, in the Army of the Potomac on April 19, 1864, and was sent to Virginia for the Overland Campaign. During that campaign, the regiment notably participated in the Battle of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor, losing 250 men. In late summer, the 10th was assigned to the Army of the Shenandoah, serving in the Shenandoah Valley under Philip H. Sheridan.

While with the Army, the regiment, along with the First New Jersey Brigade, participated in Strasburg, Point Pleasant, Fisher Hill, Third Winchester and Cedar Creek losing another 200 men. After returning to Virginia for the fall of Petersburg and the surrender of Robert E. Lee's Confederate army at Appomattox Court House in April 1865, the 10th served as an occupation force at Danville, Virginia, until June 1865 when it was mustered out and returned home to New Jersey and a hero's welcome. Many veterans of the 10th New Jersey joined the Grand Army of the Republic and attended several reunions over the succeeding years.

[edit] Battle Statistics

Battle	Date
Skirmish at Edenton Road	April 24, 1863
Incident at Carriville	May 17, 1863
Battle of the Wilderness	May 5-6, 1864
Battle of Spotsylvania	May 7-21, 1864
Battle of Anna River	May 23-26, 1864
Battle of Cold Harbor	June 1-12, 1864
Trenches of Petersburg	June 22, 1864
Skirmish at Snicker's Ferry	July 18, 1864
Skirmish at Snicker's Gap	July 21, 1864
Engagement at Strasburg	August 17, 1864
Skirmish at Point Pleasant	August 21, 1864
Battle of Fisher Hill	September 19, 1864
Battle of Opequon	September 21, 1864
Battle of Cedar Creek	October 19, 1864
Fall of Petersburg	April 2, 1865

[edit] References

Baquet, Camille, "History of the First Brigade, New Jersey Volunteers (Kearny's First New Jersey Brigade) from 1861 to 1865", 1910.

Bilby, Joseph G. and Goble, William C., "Remember You Are Jerseymen: A Military History of Jersey's Troops in the Civil War", Longstreet House, Hightstown, June 1998. ISBN 0-944413-54-4.

Foster, John Y., "New Jersey and the Rebellion: History of the Services of the Troops and People of New Jersey in Aid of the Union Cause", Newark, New Jersey 1868.

Gottfried, Bradley M., "Kearny's Own: The History of the First New Jersey Brigade in the Civil War", Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, September 2005.