Battery B, New Jersey Light Artillery

HISTORICAL NOTES:

This battery was organized in Aug., 1861, by Capt. John E. Beam and was composed principally of members of Co. F, 1st regiment, who had just been discharged. It was mustered into the U. S. service on Sept. 3, at Trenton, but owing to the want of quartermaster's stores, did not leave for Washington until the latter part of the month. Soon after reaching the capital it received its guns and horses and was ordered to report to Gen. Heintzelman, commanding the 3d corps, when it went into camp on the Mount Vernon road, 2 miles south of Alexandria, and prepared for winter quarters. It had its first opportunity to test its guns at the siege of Yorktown, being twice engaged, but without other casualties than the loss of 3 horses. When the enemy evacuated the place the battery moved forward to Williamsburg, where it was again engaged. In the battle of Seven Pines it did splendid service and at Peach Orchard, where the left of the command was under Lieut. Clark, it received special mention in orders for its gallantry, being directed to inscribe "Peach Orchard" upon its colors. In the Seven Days' retreat from in front of Richmond it was engaged at Malvern Hill, where it suffered the loss of Capt. Beam killed and 2 men wounded. The fall of 1862 was spent in marching and reconnoissances without any decided results until December, when the command was again brought into action at Fredericksburg. In May. 1863, when Hooker moved against the enemy, the battery was desperately engaged at Chancellorville, Capt. Clark then commanding the 1st division artillery. The battery lost 4 men killed, 5 wounded and 2 taken prisoners. At Gettysburg the entire loss of the command was 5 killed and 21 wounded, 47 of its horses being also killed. It accompanied the army on the Mine Run campaign, having participated in three skirmishes, at Auburn, Kelly's ford and Thoroughfare mountain. In the last grand campaign against Richmond, commenced in May, 1864, the battery was engaged with the 2nd corps in the battles around Spottsylvania, at the North Anna, Totopotomy and Cold Harbor, at the latter place being under fire for 10 days. The losses in these several engagements were 9 men, in killed, wounded and prisoners. Before Petersburg the command was engaged in June, marching four days later to the left of the line, and was sharply engaged at Jerusalem plank road, with the loss of 1 man killed, 2 wounded and several horses killed. At Deep Bottom and Reams' station it again showed its excellent lighting qualities, Capt. Clark at both places commanding the corps artillery. At Sutherland's station it was the only battery mentioned for gallantry and efficiency in the report of Gen. Humphreys, the corps commander, and in all the closing actions of the war in which it participated it displayed the same conspicuous courage which secured it recognition in earlier engagements. It was mustered out at Trenton, N. J., on June 16, 1865.
OFFICERS:
Capts., John E. Beam, A. Judson Clark; First Lieuts., John B. Monroe, George T. Woodbury, Samuel H. Baldwin, Robert Sims, Edward P. Clark, Jacob Rhein; Second Lieuts., Robert Fairchild, Benjamin Galbraith, Leander McChesney.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Attached to Hamilton's Division, Defences of Washington, to March, 1862. Artillery, 3rd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1862. Artillery Reserve, 3rd Army Corps, to August, 1862. Artillery, 2nd Division, 3rd Army Corps, to January, 1863. Artillery, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, to May, 1863. Artillery Brigade, 3rd Army Corps, to March, 1864. 2nd Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1864. Artillery Brigade, 2nd Army Corps, to June, 1865.
SERVICE:
Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., till March, 1862. Ordered to the Virginia Peninsula March, 1862. Siege of Yorktown, Va., April 5-May 4. Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Battle of Fair Oaks (or Seven Pines) May 31-June 1. Action at Fair Oaks Station June 21. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battles of Oak Grove, Seven Pines, June 25. Peach Orchard and Savage Station June 29. White Oak Swamp and Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison Landing till August 16. Moved to Washington, D. C., and duty in the Defences of that city till November. Operations on Orange and Alexandria Railroad November 10-12. Near Falmouth, Va., November 28-December 11. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. At Falmouth till April 27, 1863. "Mud March" January 20-24. Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church February 5-7. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5-24. South Mountain, Md., July 12. Wapping Heights, Manassas Gap, Va., July 23. Near Warrenton, Va., till October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Auburn and Bristoe October 14. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Kelly's Ford November 7. Brandy Station November 8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. At and near Stevensburg till May, 1864. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7. Spottsylvania May 8-12. Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient ("Bloody Angle") May 12. Harris Farm (or Fredericksburg Road) May 19. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23, 1864. Demonstration north of the James River August 13-20. Strawberry Plains August 14-18. Russell's Mills August 18. Ream's Station August 25. Watkins' House March 25. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Hatcher's Run March 29-31. Boydton Road, Fall of Petersburg, April 2. Sutherland Station April 2. Sailor's Creek April 6. Farmville April 6-7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Moved to Washington, D. C., May. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out June 16, 1865.
The Battery lost during Service 1 Officer and 8 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 23 Enlisted men by disease. Total 32. ROSTERS:
The composite rosters of this unit contains the names of 1075 men.

Roster
BIBLIOGRAPHY: