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Union / ♦ Battery A - 1st New Jersey Light Artillery - "Hexamer's Battery" ♦ [EU]
« on: March 01, 2015, 07:56:30 pm »
Hexamer´s Battery is a small Artillery Battery to fight for the union in the upcoming game "Battle Cry of Freedom".
We honor loyalty, interest in the era of the civil war and most important of all: fun in playing the game!
Until Battle Cry of Freedom goes live, we want to play the mod "North and South" from time to time, which seems to strive for a great civil war atmosphere and seems to get a lot of love from its developers.
If you want to be part of the battery, see in the contact section below on how to get in touch!
signed zerosius
Over the Course of the war, some 2,500 men enlisted for three-year terms in five New Jersey light artillery batteries. Together, the batteries were identified as a “regiment”, although they never fought together as such. Commanded by a captain and led by half dozen or so lieutenants, each battery had between 150 and 200 men at any given time. The men were responsible for six guns, about eighty horses, and an assortment of support equipment such as a forge, wagons, an ambulance and caissons and limbers, which carried ammunition. In action, eight soldiers manned each field piece, most of which were either Napoleons or Parrots. The captain´s name, a letter, or a numerical designation identified each battery. Due to this, the history of the - 1st Battery "A" New Jersey Light Artillery - is also the history of a German immigrant called William Hexamer. Born and Koblenz and later studying in Heidelberg and Karlsruhe, he eventually joined the "Burschenschaft Neckarbund”a special type of student fraternities representing liberal and nationalistic ideas in 19th century Germany. Following from this, both he and his brother served as an aide to Franz Sigel (who should later serve as General Major for the union Army) during the 1848 revolution, where Hexamer organized the badenese “Volkswehr” (militia). After the revolution failed, he had to go into exile, which led him first to London, and eventually to New Jersey, where he settled down as an engineer and was later elected into city parliament. At the outbreak of the civil-war, Hexamer eventually led an organized and equipped militia battery called the Hudson County Artillery as militia major. He and Governor Olden eagerly offered the services of the unit to the War Departement, but it took four months before the battery was finally accepted into federal service. It lacked horses and caissons, which the federal authorities were unable to furnish. The Unit became variously known as Hexamer´s Battery, Battery A, or 1st New jersey Light Artillery. Its 105 members were mostly German immigrants and refugees, like Hexamer himself. |  |
Organized at Hoboken, N.J., and mustered in August 12, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., August 20, 1861. Attached to Kearney's Brigade, Division of the Potomac, to October, 1861. Franklin's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, to May, 1863. Artillery Brigade, 6th Army Corps, to June, 1863. 4th Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to October. 1863. 3rd Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, to March, 1864. 1st Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, to May, 1864. Artillery Brigade, 6th Army Corps. to July, 1864. Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to December, 1864. Artillery Brigade, 6th Army Corps, to June, 1865.
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The battery lost 3 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 12 enlisted men to disease.
It is honored by a series of markers at Antietam and a monument at Gettysburg.
It is honored by a series of markers at Antietam and a monument at Gettysburg.
 | Battle of Antietam The battery was commanded throughout by Captain William (Wilhelm) Hexamer. It was armed at Antietam with six 10-pounder Parrott Rifles. From the markers: Quote "From a position about 60 yards south of this point the battery, between 2 and 3 p.m. engaged Battle of Gettysburg The battery was commanded by Lieutenant Augustin N. Parsons. It brought onto the field 116 men serving six 10-pounder Parrott Rifles, and lost two killed and seven wounded. From the Monument: Quote "Battery A, 1st New Jersey Artillery, from its position in reserve S.W. of Power's Hill |  |
Historical Sources:
- William Hexamer on findagrave.com
- New Jerseyans in the Civil War: For Union and Liberty - William J. Jackson
- Various Wikipedia articles linked in the text.
- Various sites describing the exact engagements and attachements of the battery:
- www.civilwarintheeast.com
- www.civilwararchive.com
- www.nps.gov/civilwar
- www.philkearnycwrt.org
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Our Tag in "North and South" will be: 1stNJArt_Rank_Name
If you are interested in joining the battery when BcoF goes live, or play some North and South with us, add me on steam or directly join our Steamgroup:
