- Register of Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Civil War 1861-65
William McGonigle
Residence was not listed;
Enlisted on 8/2/1862 as a Private.
On 9/4/1862 he mustered into "A" Co.
NJ 12th Infantry
He was Mustered Out on 6/4/1865 at Munson's Hill, VA
Promotions:
* Corpl 2/6/1864
* Sergt 10/5/1864
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NEW JERSEY
TWELFTH INFANTRY
(Three Years)
Twelfth Infantry.--Cols., Robert C. Johnson, J. Howard
Willetts, John Willian; Lieut.-Cols., Thomas H. Davis, Richard
S. Thompson; Majs., John T. Hill, Henry F. Chew, Edward M.
Dubois. This regiment was raised under the second call of the
president for 300,000 men, Robert C. Johnson, of Salem,
formerly major of the 4th regiment (3 months' men), being
commissioned as colonel early in July, 1862. Woodbury,
Gloucester county, was selected as the rendezvous, and on July
25 the first detachment of troops, about 950 men, was mustered
into the U. S. service. Many of the officers had already seen
service in other regiments, but comparatively few of the men
were familiar with military duties or requirements, though all
entered cheerfully upon the work of preparing for the duties
before them. On Sept. 7 the regiment left the state for
Washington, but at Baltimore was diverted from its course by
Gen. Wool, commanding that district, who ordered it to proceed
to Ellicott City, the county seat of Howard county, Md., 15
miles from Baltimore on the line of the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad. At Chancellorsville, on May 3, 1863, the regiment
received its first taste of actual warfare. It behaved with
great gallantry, though the loss was severe, amounting to 179
in killed, wounded and missing. Although under arms during the
two succeeding days and nights, it was not again engaged, and
on the night of the 5th it recrossed the Rappahannock and
proceeded to its old camp, having in its first battle lost over
one-tenth of its men. Soon after reaching the field at
Gettysburg on July 2, Co. I was sent out on the skirmish line,
but the combat not yet being opened, only two or three
casualties were sustained. In the afternoon a house and barn
standing about 200 yards west of the Emmitsburg road and nearly
equidistant from either army having been occupied as a cover by
the Confederate sharpshooters, Cos. B, H, E and G were sent out
to dislodge them, which they did, capturing 6 commissioned
officers and 80 men, but with considerable loss, Capt. Horsfall
of Co. E, a brave officer, being killed, and Lieut. Eastwick
wounded. During the fearful infantry contest of the following
day the regiment was actively engaged, but only lost 5 or 6 men
killed and 1 officer and 30 men wounded. On Oct. 14, when near
Auburn mills, some 2 miles east of Warrenton, the Confederate
cavalry made an attack upon the corps of which the regiment was
a part, evidently hoping to capture its train, but they were
repulsed with loss and the corps continued its retreat toward
Centerville, the point which Lee was straining every nerve to
reach in advance of the Union troops. In the engagement at
Bristoe Station, which lasted for 3 or 4 hours, several men of
the 12th were wounded, Lieut. Lowe, of Co. G, being among the
number. In the skirmishes at Mine Run the regiment did not
sustain any casualties, although under fire on several
occasions. In the affair at Morton's ford, some 10 men of the
regiment were wounded, but only 1 fatally. At the battle of
the Wilderness, although not engaged as a whole, the regiment
suffered considerably, Lieut. John M. Fogg, of Co. H, being
killed, while Lieut. Frank M. Riley, of Co. K, and several
others were wounded. Two days later the regiment lost heavily,
Lieut.-Col. Davis and Capts. Chew and Potter being among the
wounded. In the magnificent assault at Spottsylvania, which
resulted in the capture of over 3,000 prisoners and some 30
guns, the 12th again suffered severely, Lieut.-Col. Davis being
instantly killed while bravely leading the regiment; Capt. H.
M. Brooks and Lieut. E. P. Phipps were severely wounded and
were obliged to quit the service in consequence. In the
assault at Cold Harbor the loss of the regiment was severe,
Capt. McCoomb, commanding the regiment, being mortally wounded
by the explosion of a shell, which also killed or wounded
several privates. Up to June 16 the total loss of the regiment
in this memorable campaign had been some 250 killed, wounded or
missing--a large proportion of the wounded being officers.
From this time forward the regiment was in position at various
points on the line, and in July it participated in the movement
and affair at Strawberry Plains and Deep Bottom, on the north
side of the James. Thence, by a forced march, it returned to
the Petersburg front, arriving in time to support the assault
at the explosion of the mine, July 30, though not actually
engaged. It participated in the second movement to Deep
Bottom, charging the enemy's picket line under Capts. Chew and
Acton, and upon returning marched to the extreme left flank of
the Army of the Potomac, whence it was marched to Reams'
station, on the Weldon railroad, where the 1st division of the
corps had preceded it. In the severe action at the latter
place Lieut.-Col. Thompson, commanding the regiment, was
severely wounded and Lieuts. Rich and Stratton were killed.
After the action at Reams' station the regiment was in various
positions along the Petersburg front, Fort Hell on the
Jerusalem plank road, Fort Morton, and at other points, until
late in October, when it moved out and participated in the
action known as the battle of the Boydton road, where it lost 4
killed and 9 wounded--including Capt. T. O. Slater. In the
winter of 1864-65 it took part in the various actions at
Hatcher's run, where in one instance it charged across the run,
waist deep, and took the enemy's works, upon which its color-
bearer, Ellwood Griscom, was the first to plant the national
colors. It was present in the movements of the army preceding
the main assault on the Petersburg defenses; took part in the
assault, under the command of Maj. Chew, and aided in the
various actions during Lee's retreat until his surrender. It
returned, via Richmond, to Bailey's crossroads, in front of
Washington, where in June, 1865, the old battalion of the
regiment was mustered out of service, and in July the remainder
of the regiment. Its total strength was 1,899, and it lost, by
resignation 14, by discharge 171, by promotion 56, by transfer
206, by death 261, by desertion 216, by dismissal 3, not
accounted for 29, mustered out, 943.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 3
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