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21st Regiment, New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Organized at Trenton, N.J., and mustered in September 15, 1862. Left State for Washington, D.C., September 16, 1862, thence moved to Frederick, Md., September 18, and Joined Army of the Potomac on battlefield of Antietam, Md. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1863.
SERVICE
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Duty at Hagerstown, Md., and guard duty at Dam No. 5 till October
29.
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Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 29-November 19.
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Battle of Fredericksburg December 11-15.
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Cover laying of pontoons December 11.
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Bowling Green Road December 11 in support of Weirs' Maryland
Battery.
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Duty near White Oak Church and constructing corduroy road below
Fredericksburg till April, 1863.
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"Mud March" January 20-24.
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Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.
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Operations at Franklin's Crossing April 29-May 2.
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Battle of Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, May 3.
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Salem Heights May 3-4.
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Banks' Ford May 4.
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Mustered out at Trenton, N. J., June 19, 1863.
Regiment lost during service 1 Officer and 20 Enlisted
men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 30 Enlisted men by disease.
Total 52. Battle Report Filed By Gen. Thomas H. Neill, 3rd Brigade Commander, mentioning the 21st Regiment, NJVI
IN THE FIELD
NEAR FREDERICKSBURG, SIR: I have the honor to report, for the information
of the general commanding the division, that on the night of May 2, in obedience
to orders, I led my brigade across the pontoon bridge at Mansfield, on the
Rappahannock, about three-fourths of a mile below Fredericksburg, and posted two
regiments, the Forty-ninth and Thirty-third New York, as pickets in front of the
enemy. At 12 midnight my brigade was ordered to march along
through Bowling Green toward Fredericksburg. While waiting to get the road, the
enemy attacked the left of my picket line, held by the Forty-ninth New York. The
Forty-ninth repulsed them, and held their ground. On the morning of the 3d (Sunday), at about 10 a.m., I
was ordered to form three regiments as the advance of a column of assault
against the heights on Marye's Hill, back of Fredericksburg. I led the
Thirty-third New York, Twenty-first New Jersey, and Seventh Maine Volunteers,
preceded by the Seventy-seventh New York, who were acting as skirmishers, under
a heavy fire of shot and shell. Before reaching the batteries on the hill,
against which we were directed, I found they had already been taken by our
troops on our right, and I directed the attack against the batteries on the
hills to our left, along the Richmond road. We took in succession four distinct
detached earthworks, of strong profile. We captured 3 pieces of artillery--2
long brass guns and I short brass howitzer--and 1 stand of colors, belonging to
the Eighteenth Mississippi Regiment, after which we marched to assist in
repelling an attack of the enemy along the Chancellorsville road. On the morning of May 4, the enemy attempted to turn
our rear, when I led four regiments of my brigade back toward Fredericksburg and
checked them. I must not omit to mention that, on the morning of the
4th, a brigade of rebels advanced to take an earthwork near the Plank road,
which was then occupied by our troops, where two companies of the Forty-ninth
New York and one company of the Seventh Maine, supported by the Forty-ninth New
York, in conjunction with two pieces of Lieutenant Martin's battery, entirely
routed the whole brigade, and the three companies of infantry aforementioned
captured 200 prisoners and the colors of a rebel regiment--Fifty-eighth
Virginia. On the evening of May 4, about 5 p.m., the whole of
Longstreet's corps came up the Richmond road as re-enforcements, attacked my
right and front, massing large numbers of his infantry in the ravines, which
were held by their troops. After losing about 1,000 men, I was obliged to
retire, my regiments being unable to cope with the overpowering numbers of the
enemy, and fearful lest in the position I then held they would be captured by
the enemy piercing our line in rear, between us and Banks' Ford. In the assault, the Twentieth Regiment New York
Volunteers broke and went to the rear. I could not rally them. The other
regiments stood their ground nobly under a murderous fire, and by their stubborn
resistance at that time I believe the Sixth Corps was enabled eventually to
recross the Rappahannock at Banks' Ford in the night. Col. G. Van Houten, Twenty-first
New Jersey, was wounded on the field of battle, and, I regret to say, has died,
a prisoner in the hands of the enemy, from wounds received in
battle. I cannot close my report without making free and
sincere acknowledgment to the brave officers and men of the various regiments of
my command who encountered the enemy at these two different battles, and would
especially mention the great assistance rendered by the gallant efforts of my
assistant adjutant-general, Capt. William H. Long; of the assistant
inspector-general, Pryce W. Bailey, Thirty-third New York Volunteers, and of
Lieuts. William H. Alberts and Horace Binney, jr., my aides-de-camp. The horses
of both my aides and my own were shot. With great respect, THOS. H.
NEILL, Brigadier-General. Maj. CHARLES MUNDEE,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Second Division, Sixth Army
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