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38th New Jersey Infantry

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Muster In: Organized at Trenton, N.J., and mustered in by Companies as follows: Company “A” September 22, Company “B” September 9, Company “C” September 10, Company “D” September 24, Company “E” October 1, Company “F” September 22, Company “G” September 27, Company “H” September 30, Company “I” September 12, and Company “K” September 15, 1864.1
Muster Out: June 30, 18652

Commander(s):
Colonel William J. Sewell
WilliamJSewell38thNJv52p25803

Lieutenant Colonel Ashbel W. Angel
Commander Image

Major William H. Tantum
Commander Image

Commander 4
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not yet in existence.4

Second Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not yet in existence.5

Third Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not yet in existence.6

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not yet in existence.7

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Separate Brigade | Army of the James | Union Army8

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: Enfield Rifles (.577 caliber) (September 30, 1864)9
  • Note: Only the 1st Battalion was present in late September 1864.  Sommers does not indicate which companies made up the first battalion.  Some companies were still forming, and they were sent to City Point piecemeal, with the whole regiment present by late October 1864.10

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Separate Brigade | Army of the James | Union Army11

  • Commander: Colonel William J. Sewell (October 31, 1864)12
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: Fort Pocahontas & Fort Powhatan | Separate Brigade | Army of the James | Union Army13

  • Commander:
    • Lieutenant Colonel Ashbel W. Angel (at Fort Powhatan) (December 31, 1864)14
    • Major William H. Tantum (at Fort Pocahontas)(December 31, 1864)15
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Six companies of the 38th New Jersey was serving at Fort Powhatan with the Separate Brigade, Army of the James at this time.16
  • Note: Four companies of the 38th New Jersey was serving at Fort Pocahontas with the Separate Brigade, Army of the James at this time.17

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Fort Pocahontas | Separate Brigade | Army of the James | Union Army18,19

  • Commander:
    • Major William H. Tantum (January 31, 1865)20
    • Lieutenant Colonel Ashbel W. Angel (February 28, 1865)21
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Four companies of the 38th New Jersey was serving at Fort Pocahontas with the Separate Brigade, Army of the James at this time.22
  • Note: A detachment of the 38th New Jersey under Lieutenant Colonel Ashbel W. Angel in January 1865 and under Colonel William J. Sewell in February 1865 was serving at Fort Powhatan with the Separate Brigade, Army of the James at this time.23,24

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Forts Powhatan & Pocahontas | Separate Brigade | Army of the James | Union Army25,26

  • Commander:
    • Major William H. Tantum (leading 4 cos. at Fort Pocahontas)(March 31, 1865)27
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Four companies of the 38th New Jersey under Major William H. Tantum were serving at Fort Pocahontas with the Separate Brigade, Army of the James at this time.28
  • Note: Six Companies of the 38th New Jersey under Colonel William J. Sewell were serving at Fort Powhatan with the Separate Brigade, Army of the James at this time.29,26

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles31:

  • Left State by detachments, Companies “B,” “C,” “I” and “K” September 20, 1864; Companies “A,” “D” and “F” September 29, 1864, and Companies “E,” “G” and “H” October 4, 1864, for City Point, Va.
  • Attached to Separate Brigade, Army of the James, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, and assigned to garrison duty at Fort Powhatan, James River, until April, 1865.
  • Moved to City Point and mustered out June 30, 1865.

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

      Sources:

      1. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
      2. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
      3. William J. Sewell image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 52, Page 2580.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. ↩
      4. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
      5. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
      6. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
      7. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
      8. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1302. ↩
      9. Volume 15 (Ordnance Returns for the Third Quarter, July-September, 1864); 38th New Jersey Entry, Page 106; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
      10. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1302. ↩
      11. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 468: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
      12. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 468: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
      13. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1128: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
      14. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1128: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
      15. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1128: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
      16. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1128: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
      17. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1128: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
      18. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 339: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
      19. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 752: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
      20. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 339: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
      21. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 752: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
      22. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 339: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
      23. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 339: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
      24. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 753: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
      25. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 577: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
      26. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 593: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865” ↩
      27. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 577: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865)
      28. Colonel William J. Sewell (leading 6 cos. at Fort Powhatan)(March 31, 1865)[94. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 577: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
      29. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 577: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
      30. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 577: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
      31. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 593: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865” ↩
      32. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩

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