BATTERY A. First New Jersey Artillery, Captain William Hexamer, was mustered into service August 12, 1861, at Hoboken, which place it left eight days after for Washington. Captain Hexamer had for months impatiently awaited an opportunity to enter the service, and only failed to reach the field with our first contingent. because of the indisposition of the Government to accept or volunteer artillery. Whether it was supposed that this arm of the service was already sufficiently strong. we cannot tell; but it is certain that so far as New Jersey was concerned, it was found for a time altogether impossible to secure the acceptance of artillery organizations. Many men, having encountered the rebuffs to which Captain Hexamer was exposed, would have abandoned the effort to obtain recognition as utterly useless; but he was not to be so shaken off; pertinacious, earnest and animated by a sturdy and invincible patriotism, he pursued his purpose with ceaseless and importunate determination, and at length, as we have seen. achieved success-being mustered in as a participant in the grand struggle for the vindication of the flag he loved. Reaching Washington on the 21st of August, the battery, after being filled up and supplied with the necessary horses, equipments and arms, proceeded (September 6th) to Fairfax Seminary, where it was attached to Kearney's Brigade. The battery at this time numbered one hundred and fifty-one men and five officers--one Captain, two First Lieutenants and two Second Lieutenants. At a later period, the number of men was increased to one hundred and sixty-four, several being transferred to the battery from the Fist Regiment of Infantry.

      The first battle in which the battery was engaged was that of West Point, on the 7th of May, 1862, where it displayed great gallantry, winning the highest encomiums. The official report of the engagement shows that at nine o'clock on the day named, Captain Hexamer, under orders from General Newton, placed the left section (howitzers) of his battery in position opposite the

woods near the landing--the right and center sections being soon after placed on the right of the line of battle formed by Franklin's Division. What followed is thus told in the report: 'Skirmishing between our troops and the enemy had already commenced in the woods directly in front when I reached the designated ground. General Newton ordered me not to begin firing until the enemy should show himself outside the woods, which was done at twelve o'clock by the Fifth Alabama Regiment, who fired on my battery with rifles, wounding some of my men. I then opened fire with my ten-pounder Parrotts, and threw spherical case into the lines of the enemy, causing the retreat of the Alabama troops. t then commenced shelling the woods in the direction where I knew the enemy to be located (guided by the smoke rising from the discharged muskets), until the firing of the infantry in the woods in front of us ceased entirely.

* * *     The effect of our fire must have been good, judging from his speedy retreat and the reports of some men of our brigade who were pursuing him in the woods. The men behaved well, executing all movements as accurately as on the drill-ground."

      The battery was next engaged at Mechanicsville, before Richmond, on the 31st of May. 1862. On the 27th of June, it participated in the severe engagement at Gaines' Mills, having reported to Colonel Taylor, commanding the First New Jersey Brigade, and being by him placed on the right of the brigade--Prince de Joinville, of McClellan's staff accompanying the command to its position--in an open field some two hundred yards from the woods occupied by the rebels, and in which an infantry fight was in progress. Immediately upon the battery coming into position, the enemy opened upon it. killing and wounding seventeen horses before it was able to fire a single shot; the men, however, received the. fire without trepidation, and as soon as possible replied with vigor. Captain Hexamer's report of the day's action, as made to Colonel Taylor, says of the operations of the battery subsequent to this assault from the enemy: "After half an hour's rest, during which time the musket balls of the enemy reached us in great numbers, I received an order by Adjutant de Joinville from General Porter, to advance fifty yards towards the woods and open fire at eleven hundred yards distance, where the rebels were supposed to be in line. We threw about thirty rounds, when the musket fire in our front ceased, and I received an order by the same Adjutant to discontinue firing. We were kept in rest about twenty minutes, when suddenly the firing in our front and all along the woods was renewed and raged for about half an hour with the greatest fury. The musketry came nearer every moment, and finally our infantry left the woods, followed closely by the enemy. At this moment I received an order to open fire with spherical cast and canister, which was at once complied with. Simultaneously the battery on my left opened fire, and after about fifteen minutes' firing, we had silenced entirely the musketry of the enemy in front of us. The smoke hanging over the field now rendered it quite impossible to observe any movements of the rebels. Suddenly we received a volley of musketry from our left, followed by an incessant firing of the infantry, which had already advanced upon the battery on the left of us, taking it with the bayonet. Not being supported, I found it necessary to limber and retire to the next hill in rear of our position. One driver of the left section was shot down, while two horses of the same pieces, three of the caisson horses, and one sergeant's horse, were disabled. The piece, the horses of which were shot, could not be brought forward, and fell into the hands of the enemy, who took possession of it immediately. Resides the driver, four other men were wounded in this engagement. Reaching the hill before mentioned. General Slocum ordered me to go into battery and fire to the rear, which I did, answering the firing of a rebel battery brought into action about one thousand yards from us. We continued firing until the battery opposite us ceased, and at eleven o'clock I received orders to return to camp. During the day we fired one hundred and sixty-five rounds--spherical case, shot and shells. During the whole day my men stood well to their work--notwithstanding we were for hours under the heaviest musketry and cannon lire--manoeuvering, loading and firing, quite without excitement."

      The testimony here borne by the gallant commandant to the courage and endurance of his men, was no more than just. Throughout the entire battle, they displayed the utmost coolness and indifference to danger, eliciting from all who witnessed their conduct the warmest commendation. Prince de Joinville, witnessing the intrepidity with which the battery met the rebel attack, spoke in glowing terms of their bravery, and in a letter afterwards published in a Paris journal, declared that he had never seen anywhere, soldiers who received an attack so coolly as the German battery which was under his orders during the battle of Gaines' Mill.

      The services of Battery A in this campaign did not end with this engagement. When. our army being driven hack, the enemy pushed forward in pursuit, this was the first battery which opened fire upon the pursuers, and it was in no small degree owing to its active services that the advance was checked and opportunity given to our exhausted infantry to make good their escape. During the retreat, so great was the confusion„ and so entangled were the infantry and artillery, that Captain Hexamer was obliged to dismount his drivers- and use them. when he again opened, together with the officers, in serving the guns.

      Upon the withdrawal of the array to Harrison's Landing, the battery went into camp, where it remained until about the 26th of August, when it embarked for Alexandria, where it arrived on the 29th, marching on the same day with General Franklin's troops to Fairfax Court House. Pope was at this time desperately engaged with a large force of the enemy. Hexamer at once found active work, being posted during the fight at Chantilly on the road between that place and Fairfax Court House, on the right of General Kearney's Division. After the battle, the battery returned to its old camp near Alexandria, whence it marched on the 3d of September into Maryland, reaching Sugar-loaf Mountain on the 10th. Thence it followed the retiring rebels through Burketisville to Crampton's Pass, participating in the attack upon the enemy at that point, and winning fresh honors by its gallantry. Reaching the top of the mountain, the battery remained until the 17th, when it proceeded to Antietam, where it again performed distinguished service. At the time when the battery was ordered into action, the battle on the right had become desperate in the last degree, the contending armies struggling with a courage scarcely paralleled for the position about the Dunker Church. Near this church, standing on the edge of a woods skirting the cast side of the road running north from Sharpsburg, the enemy had several batteries which seriously annoyed our infantry, who held another belt of woods several hundred yards west of the church. In front of this latter woods, stretched an open field, across which our columns had already advanced, only, however, to be repulsed. It was three o'clock in the afternoon (of the 17th) when Hexamer was ordered to advance and take position in this field, at a distance of some seven hundred yards from the church, behind which the enemy were gathered in force. At this time a battery of heavy rifled guns (twenty-pounder Patrons) was in position and throwing shells and shrapnel among our infantry, posted about one thousand five hundred yards distant. Hexamer at once opened upon this battery with shells and so accurate was his aim, that after firing one hundred and fifty rounds, he effectually silenced it, the operation occupying less than half an hour.¹ Soon after this, a second battery (of twelve-pounder howitzers) came into position in front of Hexamer, and commenced unlimbering at a distance of seven hundred yards. He at once opened vigorously upon the intruders, firing some thirty rounds of shrapnel, when, without firing a gun, the rebel, finding himself in hot quarters, reconsidered his purpose to attack and hurriedly withdrew out of range.

      About this time, Hexamer received orders to report to General Hancock, and proceeding to the position designated, was ordered to fire upon two rebel regiments, drawn up about one thousand yards distant. At once opening with shell and shrapnels, and pouring a rapid fire into the rebel flanks he speedily caused them also to retire, leaving, however, not a few of their number behind, dead and wounded. The enemy now fell back to an orchard, which Hexamer shelled vigorously for about half an hour, when a battery opened upon him on the right flank at about nineteen hundred yards distance--the enemy at the same time advancing and opening with musketry at a range of two hundred yards. Thus sharply assailed, Captain Hexamer 'ordered the left-half battery," we quote the language of his report, "to fire with canister in the direction of the infantry, and the right-half battery to fire with shells towards the battery on the right flank. This was immediately done, causing the infantry to fall hack a second time from their position. I then ordered the left-half battery to direct its fire also against the battery on our right, which had our exact range and was throwing shells and shrapnel among my men and the infantry in our rear, killing two of my horses, and wounding and killing many of the infantry. I continued firing until we had expended all the ammunition contained in the limber-chests of the pieces, whereupon I was relieved by another battery. I used, during the action, two hundred and eighty shells, two hundred shrapnels, and fifteen canisters. The officers and men behaved extremely well.”²

During the night of the I8th, the battery was again ordered to the front, where it remained until Lee had withdrawn, when it joined in the pursuit. Subsequently it went into camp at Bakersvilile, where it was considerably strengthened, Company K, of the First Regiment Volunteers, also from Hoboken, being transferred to the battery. and the men in hospital returning to duty, giving it the full number of effective men, After some weeks, moving with the Sixth Corps to Warrenton, and thence to the vicinity of White Oak Church, the battery event into camp until the 11th of December, when it advanced with the infantry to the Rappahannock, crossing on the following day with General Brooks, of the First Division of the Sixth Corps. The rebel batteries on the heights in rear of Fredericksburg opening on the position held by Hexamer, he vigorously replied, firing until nightfall. During the three following days, he remained in the same position, doing effective service, finally with withdrawing on the 15th, with the rest of the army.³

      The battery was now unemployed until the 12th of January, 1863, when it participated in the "Mud Campaign" In this movement, Hexamer's was the only battery which came punctually into position at the front. It was also the only battery which effected a return to camp without the aid of infantry, all the others finding it necessary to call in assistance to move the heavy pieces over the miserable roads. The promptness and efficiency exhibited by the battery in this movement elicited the warmest praise from General Brooks and others.

      The battery now remained at White Oak Church in winter quarters until the 28th of April, when, Hooker initiating the Chancellorsville campaign, it moved to the Rappahannock and went into position to cover Franklin's crossing. Engaged in this duty until May 2d, it crossed the river and took position with a view of engaging the rebel batteries on Marye's Heights. On the morning of the 3d, the engagement opened with great vigor, the artillery on both sides displaying tremendous activity. About noon, the enemy having been driven from the Heights, Battery A advanced through Fredericksburg, and over the Heights, some three miles in the direction of Chancellorsville. Here, in the vicinity of Salem Church, where the First Jersey Brigade had encountered the enemy in force, the battery at once took position, and becoming engaged, fought until nightfall with its accustomed gallantry and efficiency. On the following day, being posted on the left of the turnpike, Hexamer was again actively engaged, falling back, however, at night to Banks' Ford, where it covered the crossing of our troops who, despairing of victory. were quitting the bloody field where they had so bravely but so vainly fought. At midnight, the battery also crossed, and after remaining three days near the river, proceeded to its old camp.-having in the several engage• menu fired about twelve hundred rounds.

      On the 12th of May, the battery was transferred from the Sixth Corps to the Artillery Reserve, remaining in camp until the 5th of June. when it moved to a new position near the Rappahannock, whence, however, it soon afterward marched to Fairfax Court House, where it remained until the army commenced its movement into Pennsylvania in pursuit of Lee. Reaching Edward's Ferry, on the Potomac, on the 24th (after a march of thirty-two miles on that day), the battery assisted in covering the crossing of our troops, when, on the 27Th, it marched to Frederick. Maryland, and thence with the army to Gettysburg, where it arrived on the morning of July 2d, going into position on the turnpike, but not becoming engaged, although exposed to the shells of the enemy. On the 3d, changing position to the left center of the line of battle• upon which Lee was concentrating all his artillery. the battery opened and maintained a heavy fire, fighting until evening. The contest on this part of the line was of the most desperate character, the enemy advancing to the very mouths of our guns, and struggling with the most stubborn intrepidity to gain possession of the elevation occupied by our troops. At one lime during the engagement, the rebels, pressing impetuously forward, were within ten yards of Hexamer’s pieces, but not a man flinched for a moment. Indeed, never before had these sturdy German artillerists exhibited a grander courage. or a sublimer indifference to danger, than on this occasion, when menaced, apparently, with utter destruction. So terrible was the rebel fire that one of their shots killed two men and wounded seven others serving one of Hexamer's pieces.

      Upon the retreat of Lee, Battery A joined in the pursuit, and crossing the Potomac a; Harper's Ferry, marched to Warrenton, proceeding thence to Culpepper, where it encamped until October 1lth. It then participated in the various movements of the army, finally encamping on November 8th, near the Rappahannock. Subsequently it participated in the Mine Run demonstration, returning to camp at Brandy Station, where it remained during the winter, receiving before the spring campaign some eighty recruits.

      On the 4th of May, 1864, General Grant having matured his plans for an advance against the enemy, Battery A marched to Chancellorsville, moving on the following morning to the right of that point, passing Robertson's Tavern. Thence it was moved on the 7th to Pine Grove Church, where it remained, in reserve, until the 10th, when it marched to Tabernacle Church, and thence to Fredericksburg, returning to the Sixth Corps. On the 18th, it again advanced, and on the 19th reached the river Po, where it participated in a heavy fight. In the advance from this point, the battery covered the rear of the Sixth Corps-passing the North Anna on the 24th, the Pamunkey on the 28^th, and reaching Cold Harbor shortly after noon on June 1st. Here it at once sent into position, taking part in the bloody engagement of that day--firing in all five hundred and ten rounds. In the evening it advanced some two hundred yards, and early on the following morning renewed its firing, keeping it up, though greatly annoyed by sharpshooters, for several hours. About noon, the rebels making an attack, the battery suffered the loss of Lieutenant Jaeckele wounded, Quartermaster-Sergeant Hagelber and another sergeant killed--several horses being also killed. Towards evening, being ordered to report to the Eighteenth Army Corps, Hexamer withdrew his command, but on the following day was again engaged with that corps--the fighting being of the heaviest description. In this engagement, a division under General Brooks being driven out of the woods temporarily occupied by them, the rebels sharply followed, opening fire with canister. Hexamer was ordered to check the enemy's batteries, and did so, although exposed to a canister fire at a distance of only two hundred yards. During this day's fighting, five hundred and seventy-seven rounds where fired. Captain Hexamer had one of his shoulder-straps shot away, but escaped actual injury. During the evening, the camp of the battery was under the fire of the enemy, several horses being killed and two men wounded. On the 4th, the battery again moved to the front, being posted behind earthworks under the fire of the rebel sharpshooters, but was not again actively engaged until the night of the 5th, when the position being attacked, fire was opened at intervals until the evening of the 9^th, when the command retired to camp. Here it remained until the 12th, when, after a brief engagement, it marched with the army to the James River, crossing on the morning of the 15th, and reaching the front of Petersburg on the night of the 16th. On the 19th, going into position at a peculiarly exposed point, with rebel batteries on the right, left and front, and rebel sharpshooters only one hundred yards distant, it became hotly engaged, three men being wounded and four horses killed. In this position the battery remained, firing from time to time, until the night of the 21st, when it marched to the left of Petersburg and went into camp. During the following week, though several times sent into position, the command was not called into action. On the 30th, it marched to Ream's Station, returning two days after and going into camp. Here it remained until July 9th, when it proceeded to City Point, remaining until the 26th. Upon returning to Petersburg, Captain Hexamer was placed in command of the Sixth Corps Artillery Brigade--Lieutenant A. Parsons taking charge of Battery A. This, on the 31st, was ordered to return to Trenton for muster out, its terns of service having expired. Lieutenant Parsons, however, remained with a portion of the men, and during the winter the battery was again filled up, but was not afterwards actively engaged. Upon the termination of hostilities it returned to the state and was finally dissolved; but the record of its gallant services still remains, and while valor and constancy in duty are appreciated and esteemed, will deservedly he held in honor among men. Composed largely of adopted citizens--of Germans in whose breasts the love of Liberty amounted to a passion--it fought from first to last with a heroism, a loftiness of purpose, and a spirit of noble consecration which none, among all the volunteer organizations of the war, ever surpassed; and its survivors, in whatever spheres of action they may now be employed, may well wear their scars with pride, and rejoice in the memories of their service as in hid treasure.

      The following is the register of the commissioned officers actually in service of Battery A:

      Captain-- William Hexamer mustered in August 12. 1861; mustered out August 12. 1864.

      First Lieutenants.- John Fingerlin, mustered in August 12. 1861; resigned November 30, 1861. Christian Woerner, mustered in August 12. 1861; resigned October 8, 1862. John I. Hoff, mustered in August 12, IS61; resigned November, 1862. George W. B. Wright, mustered in August I, 1862; resigned March 28, 1863. Augustin Parsons, mustered in July 11. 1862; took the command August 12. 1864. William Eagle, mustered in April 21, 1863.

      Second Lieutenants-- Herrman Lentz, mustered in August 12. 1861; resigned September 4, 1861. Adolph Patois, mustered in May 15, 1862; resigned July 13, 1862. William Hausmann, mustered in 1862; resigned July 30. 1862. Philip Phildius, mustered in 1863; resigned November 12, 1863. Samuel F. Wheeler, mustered in June 23, 1863: mustered out August 12. 1864. William O. Bonin. mustered in December 15, 1863; mustered out with the battery, 1865.

NOTES

1. Officers of high rank, who saw this affair, have informed the writer that it was in every respect one of the handsomest they ever witnessed.

2. In a private note, Captain Hexamer says: "When we returned from the front near the church, where we silenced two ;abet batteries, the First Division of the Sixth Corps, which was laying on the ground behind us, rose and gave us three cheers. During the battle I had only eighty men present for service, and was obliged to change the cannoncers with the drivers to keep the battery going. While we were on the center with General Hancock, we had to call for infantry to help us serve the guns. We fired near one hundred rounds with each gun from three o'clock, p.m., to six o'clock, p.m."

      The following letter from Reverend Norman W. Camp. (Chaplain of the Fourth Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers.) to Captain Hexamer, is of interest in connection with the account of this battle:

      "Whilst I was on duty at a field hospital near the battle-field of Antietam, Maryland, I was asked one day by a wounded rebel officer (a Captain) who was in the hospital, to find and bring you to sec him. I thought the request rather a singular one, so I pressed him to tell me why he was so anxious to sec you. His reply was in substance as follows:

      "I want to sec the Captain of a battery, which we fear more than any other battery in your army. His battery did us more damage than any two batteries you had in the recent battle (Antietam). I cannot help having great respect for such a powerful battery, and as I am here wounded and probably shall die, it would afford me great satisfaction to see its Captain. We fear Captain Hexamer's Battery just about as we fear your General Kearney in the infantry.'

      'In order to satisfy such a curiosity, and which I thought to be a very reasonable one, I tried to find you but could not, and at the end of the week he was paroled and sent to the hospital at Frederick City. This officer said he was from North Carolina, and had charge of the battery which opened on us one very dark and stormy night at Harrison's Landing in July last.

      I mentioned this request of the rebel of ricer to sec you, in presence of Major-General Franklin, General Slocum and General Newton, in General Franklin's tent. They were all very much interested in my narration of this circumstance, and all concurred in saying that you were a gallant and brave officer and that your battery did more effective service in the battle at Antietam than any other on the field.'

3. The following is the official report: "Camp White Oak Church, December 26, 1862.

'Sir: I herewith submit to you the following report, concerning the part taken by my battery in the action near Fredericksburg, December 12th-15th.

      "The battery crossed the Rappahannock on the lower bridge in rear of General Brook's Division. (First Division Sixth Corps) on the 12th of December, and advanced in the field below Fredericksburg, with the infantry of the said division to the road leading from Fredericksburg in a southeasterly direction. The battery rested near said road, during the time our infantry advanced through the 'deep run' towards the hills held by the enemy, until the batteries posted on said hill opened on the infantry and on us, at which time we received the order to commence firing. We fired until the batteries opposite us ceased firing, with good effect on the rebel batteries. On the 13th, we were ordered to the same place we held on the 12th. with the instructions to fire on the enemy's batteries on the hill in front of us as soon as said batteries should open their fire, which took place at about twelve o'clock. We answered the fire of three or four batteries on the hill until they discontinued their fire.

      We remained in the same position on the 14th and 15th, and fired from time to time.

      "On the 15th, we opened on a working party of the enemy, which was throwing up earthworks in front of us. In the night of the 15th. we were ordered to recross the Rappahannock and to go in position on the hill north of the river.

      "On the 16th we fired from this position on a large mass of infantry of the enemy, which we could observe marching on the south side of the Rappahannock. The distance of the enemy's batteries in front of my battery on the field south of the Rappahannock. on which we fired on the 12-15th, was from two thousand seven hundred to three thousand two hundred yards.

            Most respectfully.

WILLIAM HEXAMER,

'Captain Commanding Battery A., First New Jersey Artillery.'