Organized at Camp Olden, Trenton, N.J., May 27, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., June 28, 1861. Attached to 2nd Brigade, Runyon's Reserve Division, McDowell's Army of Northeast Virginia, to August, 1861. Kearney's Brigade, Division of the Potomac, to October, 1861. Kearney's Brigade, Franklin's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to April, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to May, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac and Army of the Shenandoah, to July, 1865.

SERVICE.—

·         Advance on Manassas, Va., July 16-21, 1861.

·         Battle of Bull Run, Va., July 21 (Reserve).

·         Duty in the Defences of Washington, D.C., till March, 1862.

·         Advance on Manassas, Va., March 8-15.

·         Advance from Alexandria to Bristoe Station April 741.

·         Embarked for the Virginia Peninsula April 17.

·         Siege of Yorktown, Va., April 19-May 4 (on transports).

·         West Point May 7-8.

·         Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1.

·          Battles of Gaines Mill June 27. Garnett's Farm June 27. Golding's Farm June 28. Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1.

·         At Harrison's Landing till August 16, Movement to Fortress Monroe and Manassas, Va., June 16-26.

·         Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia August 26-September 2.

·         Action at Bull Run Bridge, Manassas, August 27.

·         Battle of Bull Run August 30.

·         Cover Pope's retreat to Centreville August 30-31. Maryland Campaign September 6-22.

·         Battles of Crampton's Pass. South Mountain, Md., September 14.

·          Antietam, Md., September 16-17.

·         Duty at Sharpsburg, Md., till October 29.

·         Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 29-November 19.

·         Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15.

·         Duty at Falmouth till April 27, 1863.

·         "Mud March" January 20-24.

·         Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.

·         Operations at Franklin's Crossing April 29-May 2.

·         Battle of Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, May 3.

·         Salem Heights May 3-4.

·         Banks Ford May 4.

·         Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24.

·         Battle of Gettysburg July 2-4.

·         Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va.

·         Fairfield, Pa., July 5.

·         At and near Funkstown, Md., July 10-13.

·         Near Warrenton, Va., till September 15, and at Culpeper till October.

·         Bristoe Campaign October 9-22.

·         Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8.

·         Rappahannock Station November 7.

·         Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.

·         At Brandy Station 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.

·         North Anna River May 23-26.

·         On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28.

·         Totopotomoy May 28-31.

Non-Veterans relieved for muster out. Veterans and Recruits temporarily attached to 15th New Jersey Infantry under orders of May 29, 1864, till December 17, 1864, when reorganized as a Battalion. Non-Veterans mustered out at Newark, N.J., June 21, 1864.

·         Battles about Cold Harbor June 1-12, 1864.

·         Before Petersburg June 17-19.

·         Siege of Petersburg till July 9.

·         Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23.

·         Moved to Washington, D.C., July 9-11.

·         Repulse of Early's attack on Fort Stevens and the Northern Defenses of Washington July 11-12.

·         Pursuit of Early to Snicker's Gap, Va., July 14-23.

·         Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7-November 28.

·         Strasburg August 14-15.

·         Cedar Creek August 15.

·         Winchester August 17.

·         Charlestown August 21-22.

·         Battle of Winchester September 19.

·         Fisher's Hill September 22.

·         Battle of Cedar Creek October 19.

·         Duty in the Shenandoah Valley till December.

·         Moved to Washington, D.C., thence to Petersburg, Va.

·         Siege of Petersburg December, 1864, to April 2, 1865.

·         Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5-7, 1865.

·         Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9.

·         Fall of Petersburg April 2.

·         Pursuit of Lee April 3-9.

·         Appomattox Court House April 9.

·         Surrender of Lee and his army.

·         March to Danville April 23-27 and duty there till May 18.

·         March to Richmond, Va., thence to Washington, D.C., May 18-June 3.

·         Corps Review June 8.

·         Mustered out at Hall's Hill, Va., July 11, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 7 Officers and 89 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 67 Enlisted men by disease. Total 165.

Battle Report Filed By Lt. Col. S. L. Buck of the

2nd Regiment, NJVI (3 years)

HDQRS. SECOND REGIMENT NEW JERSEY VOLS.,
Camp near Harrison's Landing, Va., July 11, 1862.

SIR: In compliance with your request of this date I have the honor to submit the following as my report of the action:

On the 26th ultimo I was detailed as senior brigade field officer of the day, to take command of the picket guard, consisting of 300 men (exclusive of officers) from my regiment,. At 8 a.m. relieved the Thirty-first New York Volunteers, posted my pickets in plain sight and easy range of the enemy, but not a shot disturbed the quiet of the day. In the early evening ground was selected for a rifle pit, and later a fatigue party broke ground under protection of the First New Jersey Volunteers. Daylight revealed the enemy in some force on our front and left. Soon after they were discovered moving artillery, report of which was immediately made to General Hancock, who ordered two companies of my reserves into the rifle pits, while the balance formed in line of battle on the left of the pit. I was soon ordered to withdraw my reserves from the pit and form on the crest in the rear of the woods.

Arriving at the point designated, I found my command in direct range of the enemy's battery, a part of the right and the whole of the left wing resting in an abatis. Reporting the unfavorable situation my command to General Hancock, I was ordered back to my original position, with directions to support my pickets and guard the position to the best of my ability, and advancing immediately I had barely gained my position when the enemy opened from his battery with solid shot and shell. Instantly our battery replied, soon causing the enemy to change his position, before which, however, the pickets on my left became engaged in a spirited contest. I immediately threw two companies into the rifle pits, and formed the remaining four companies under cover of a rise of ground on the left of the pit, to protect and cover the retreat of my small force, if necessary. The enemy did not advance, but fell back into the woods, ending the picket firing for the time, the enemy having changed the position of his battery, which I immediately reported to the officer in command of our battery.

The same scene was enacted during the afternoon with the same result. About sundown the artillery ceased firing, and immediately a regiment of the enemy marched out of the woods on our right and opened a heavy fire on the Pennsylvania regiment on our right, which they returned with spirit. Placing my whole force in the rifle pits, every rifle that could be brought to bear opened with a perfect sheet of flame. At this time the officer commanding a detachment of 40 sharpshooters reported only an average of three rounds of ammunition left. The enemy appeared to be forming in line, with the apparent intention of charging. In order to save my ammunition, which was running short, I immediately ceased firing, fixed bayonets, and ordered the men not to fire but by command, which would be by rank. No more firing was heard during the night.

Near 1 a.m. the enemy appeared to be moving artillery and infantry in force on our right and left, with an evident intention of surrounding us. I immediately reported my situation to General Smith, who ordered me to strengthen my pickets and withdraw the reserve to the crest in the rear of the woods, which was executed in perfect silence; posting three companies in the woods on either side of the road leading to the crest, where the balance of my force were secreted in position to rake the entire road as soon as the enemy should gain the crest, when the whole command would seek shelter behind the rifle pits in front of the camp of the Thirty-third New York Volunteers. Up to 9 a.m. on the 28th ultimo all was quiet, when I was relieved by a detachment of the Sixteenth New York Volunteers.

Strange as it may appear, notwithstanding the tremendous fire to which we were exposed, only one casualty occurred, which was the wounding in the left arm by a shrapnel shot of Corpl. George McKee, of Company B, which I am glad to report is not considered dangerous.

I cannot, in justice to my own feelings, close this report without expressing my high appreciation of the cool courage of officers and men, who, entirely free from excitement, obeyed commands with all the promptness characteristic of a dress parade. To Captain Duffy,. of Company C, I am greatly indebted for valuable assistance in carrying out my instructions.

Trusting that the above report will meet your approbation, I am, sir, your obedient servant,

 SAML. L. BUCK,

  Lieut. Col. 2d Regt. N. J. Vols., Comdg. Pickets 1st N. J. Brig.

 Capt. E. SPARROW PURDY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.