The Fifth New Jersey Infantry is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? June 30, 1888.
What is it made out of? Granite.
What size is it? Approx. 14 ft. 6 in. x 2 ft. 9 in. x 2 ft. 9 in.; Base: approx. W. 6 ft. x D. 6 ft.
Who made it? Unknown, sculptor.
What does it depict? A granite shaft adorned on the front with a relief depicting a soldier’s pack slung over two rifles. Under the rifles is a relief of a wreath encircling the number five. Monument is a 2.9 foot square polished granite shaft with a cornice and apex cap and set on a six foot square rough hewn base. The shaft has inscriptions on all sides and a sculptured relief of infantry accoutrements on the east face. Overall height is 14.6 foot. Monument includes commemorative era board fencing.
What does it honor? The installation site marks the position held by the 5th New Jersey Infantry on July 2, 1863.
How is it inscribed? (On front:) ERECTED BY THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY 1888 (On right side:) THE REGIMENT FIRST HELD THE/SKIRMISH LINE 400 YDS. TO THE/FRONT AND LEFT OF THIS SPOT,/AND AFTERWARDS TOOK POSITION/IN THE LINE OF BATTLE HERE. (On back:) MUSTERED IN AUG. 22, 1861/CONSOLIDATED WITH/7TH REG. N.J.V. NOV. 6, 1864/ENGAGED IN 32 BATTLES (On left side:) LOSSES, KILLED 18,/WOUNDED 60, MISSING 16:/TOTAL 94, BEING ONE HALF/THE NUMBER ENGAGED
When was this photograph taken? June 7, 2008.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, Emmitsburg Road Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Located on the west side of Emmitsburg Road near the junction with Sickles Avenue.
Is this monument located along the NPS Auto Tour route? No.
Has this monument been moved or changed? This monument has not been moved or materially altered.
Monument Details, Alternative Views, and Contextual Views
At Gettysburg
The 5th New Jersey Infantry served as a member of Burling’s Brigade in Humphrey’s Division of the Third Corps, Army of the Potomac. A Fighting 300 Regiment.
Commander: Col. William J. Sewell (1835-1901). Born in Ireland; merchant in Chicago, Illinois. Wounded at Chancellorsville and on July 2. Awarded Medal of Honor for Chancellorsville. Post-War U.S. Senator. Capt. Thomas C. Godfrey (1835-1867) took command from the wounded Sewell. Godfrey was born in Philadelphia and was a painter in Allowaystown. On July 3, Capt. Henry H. Woolsey (1837-1864) took command from Godfrey. Woolsey was a lawyer in Trenton and graduate of Princeton. He was slightly wounded on July 2 and was mortally wounded at Petersburg, dying the following day on June 19, 1864.
Number Engaged: 221
Casualties: 13 killed, 65 wounded, 16 missing
Officers Killed at Gettysburg:
- Capt. Edward P. Berry, Company E, Acting as Adjutant, mortally wounded on July 2.
- Capt. Thomas Kelly, Company H, mortally wounded on July 2.
Soldiers Buried in the New Jersey Plot of the Gettysburg National Cemetery:
- Pvt. William J. Button, Company K, A-21
- Sgt. John McIver, Company B, B-2
- Pvt. John Ryan, Company C, C-5
- Pvt. Patrick Ryan, Company A, B-1
- Sgt. Samuel Shackelton, Company K, B-10
- Sgt. Theodore Sutphin, Company F, A-2
After Action Report: After Action Report of Capt. Henry H. Woolsey and Col. William J. Sewell (will open a pop up window)
General Information
Raised: Burlington, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, Monmouth, and Salem counties.
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized at Camp Olden, Trenton, N.J., and mustered in August 22, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., August 29, 1861. Attached to Casey’s Provisional Division, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1861. 3rd Brigade, Hooker’s Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to November, 1864.
SERVICE.–Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C., until March, 1862. Expedition to Lower Maryland November 3-11, 1861. At Meridian Hill until December, and near Budd’s Ferry, Md., until April, 1862. Seizure of Cockpit Point March 10. Moved to the Virginia Peninsula April 5-8. Siege of Yorktown April 10-May 5. Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Battle of Fair Oaks or Seven Pines May 31-June 1. Duty near Seven Pines until June 25. Seven days before Richmond June 25-JuIy 1. Action at Oak Grove, near Seven Pines, June 25. Savage Station June 29. Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing until August 15. Movement to Centreville August 15-26. Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia August 26-September 2. Action at Bristoe Station or Kettle Run August 27. Battles of Groveton August 29; Bull Run August 30; Chantilly September 1. Duty in the Defenses of Washington, near Alexandria, until November 1. Movement to Falmouth, Va., November 1-28. Duty at Falmouth November 28-December 11. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. At Falmouth until 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 July 5-24. Wapping Heights, Manassas Gap, Va., July 23. Duty near Warrenton until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. McLean’s Ford October 15. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Kelly’s Ford November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Payne’s Farm November 27. Duty near Brandy Station until May, 1864. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 5-7. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spotsylvania May 8-12; Spotsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient, “Bloody Angle,” May 12. Harris Farm, Fredericksburg Road, May 19. North Anna River May 23-26. Ox Ford May 23-24. 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 to November 6, 1864. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23. In trenches before Petersburg until July 12. In Reserve Camp July 12-26. Demonstration north of the James July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 27-28. Demonstration north of the James August 13-20. Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14-18. Non-Veterans mustered out at Trenton, N.J., September 7, 1864. Ream’s Station August 25. Fort Sedgwick September 10. Duty in trenches before Petersburg in lines from Fort Morton to Fort Alexander Hays September 10 to October 1. Poplar Springs Church October 1. Yellow House October 2-5. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28. Fort Morton November 5. Consolidated with 7th New Jersey Infantry November 6, 1864. Regiment lost during service 12 Officers and 126 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 85 Enlisted men by disease. Total 223.
New Jersey at Gettysburg
1st Infantry :: 2nd Infantry :: 3rd Infantry :: 4th Infantry :: 5th Infantry :: 6th Infantry :: 7th Infantry :: 8th Infantry :: 11th Infantry :: 12th Infantry :: 13th Infantry :: 15th Infantry :: 1st Cavalry :: Battery A :: Battery B
