Was Recruiting for 9th NJ

[EckertB]

Hello all,

My 4th Gr Grandfather, Valentine Eckert, was mustered in Co. B, 9th NJ Inf. He enlisted 19 Jun 1862 out of Newark, NJ. He transferred to Veterans Reserve Corps 24 Jun 1864 and then was discharged 19 Jun 1865. He would have been about 42 yrs old in 1862, which seems somewhat old for that time period. I found an article, dated Aug 1862, that reads (I'll keep it short):
"Liet A.S. Davis of the 8th Reg and Sergeant Valentine Eckert, of the 9th Regiment, have been instructed to recruit in this city for any of the old regiments, either infanty, cavalry, or artillery....."

My questions are:
1. Only 2 months after mustering in, he is already out recruiting, did he not do battle in the war?
2. Again, only 2 months after mustering in, he is listed as "SERGEANT" Eckert.. How would one received such a ranking so early in their military career?
3. There is another article where he presented a sword to Capt Hopkins of Co H, 7th Reg NJ Vols. He "made the presentation on behalf of the donors in a very neat and appropriate speech"
4. Is it possible that he was soley a recruiter for the Union, and never saw battle?

Just a few questions, and would be grateful for any insight.

Brian Eckert

 

[M E Wolf]

Hello all,

My 4th Gr Grandfather, Valentine Eckert, was mustered in Co. B, 9th NJ Inf. He enlisted 19 Jun 1862 out of Newark, NJ. He transferred to Veterans Reserve Corps 24 Jun 1864 and then was discharged 19 Jun 1865. He would have been about 42 yrs old in 1862, which seems somewhat old for that time period. I found an article, dated Aug 1862, that reads (I'll keep it short):
"Liet A.S. Davis of the 8th Reg and Sergeant Valentine Eckert, of the 9th Regiment, have been instructed to recruit in this city for any of the old regiments, either infanty, cavalry, or artillery....."

My questions are:
1. Only 2 months after mustering in, he is already out recruiting, did he not do battle in the war?
2. Again, only 2 months after mustering in, he is listed as "SERGEANT" Eckert.. How would one received such a ranking so early in their military career?
3. There is another article where he presented a sword to Capt Hopkins of Co H, 7th Reg NJ Vols. He "made the presentation on behalf of the donors in a very neat and appropriate speech"
4. Is it possible that he was soley a recruiter for the Union, and never saw battle?

Just a few questions, and would be grateful for any insight.

Brian Eckert

1. It is possible.
2. Elections were held by the men as to whom wore the ranks from commanding officer to the Lance Corporal.
3. Presenting a sword is a sign of high esteem, as officers would have carried swords which is just as important as their shoulder boards/rank insignia. Though uniforms and retirements put away such clothes, a sword could be hung over the mantel and admired or at the meetings of veterans.
4. Anything is possible. However, your notation that he went to the Veterans Reserve Corps, is that he suffered an injury in the line of duty that would have disabled him from taking the field with more able bodied men. Men who physically could still function often filled in roles that relieved able soldiers, e.g. clerk, guard duty, wagon/baggage train guard detail, prisoner details, hospital details, city patrols, etc.

M. E. Wolf

 

[M E Wolf]

Dyer's Compendium, Pt. 3 (Regimental Histories)
NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS.
9th REGIMENT INFANTRY.
Organized at Camp Olden. Trenton, N.J., September 13 to October 15, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., December 4, 1861. Attached to 3rd Brigade, Casey's Division, Army of the Potomac, to January, 1862. 2nd Brigade, Burnside's North Carolina Expeditionary Corps, to April, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Dept. of North Carolina, to July, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of North Carolina, to December, 1862, Heckman's Brigade, Dept. of North Carolina, to January, 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Army Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, to February, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Army Corps, Dept. of the South, to April, 1863. District of Beaufort, N. C., Dept. of North Carolina, to June, 1863. Jourdan's Independent Brigade, Dept. of North Carolina, to July, 1863. District of Beaufort, N. C., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to October, 1863. Heckman's Command, Newport News, Va., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina,
to January, 1864. 3rd Brigade, Heckman's Division, Portsmouth, Va., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to April, 1864. 2nd Brigade, Portsmouth, Va., April, 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Army Corps, Army of the James, to September, 1864. District of Beaufort, N. C., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to January., 1865. Sub-District of Beaufort, N. C., Dept. of North Carolina, to February, 1865. 1st Brigade, 1st Division. District of Beaufort, N. C., to March, 1865. 2nd Brigade, District of Beaufort, N. C., to April. 1865. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 23rd Army Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, to July, 1865.

SERVICE.--Camp on Bladensburg Pike December 4-14, 1861, and on Meridian Hill, Defences of Washington, D.C., till January 4, 1862. Moved to Annapolis, Md., January 4, 1862. Burnside's Expedition to Roanoke Island and Hatteras Inlet January 5-February 8. Battle of Roanoke Island February 8. Duty at Roanoke Island till March 11. Expedition to Winton February 18-20. Skirmish at Winton February 19. Expedition to New Berne, N. C., March 11-14. Battle of New Berne March 14. At Newport Barracks and siege operations against Fort Macon April 1-26 Newport. N. C., April 7. Bombardment and capture of Fort Macon April 25-26. Expedition to Young's Cross Roads July 26-29 (6 Companies). Young's Cross Roads July 27. Reconnoissance from Newberne to Swansborough August 14-15 (Detachment). Duty at New Berne till December. Expedition to Tarboro November 1-12. Action at Rawle's Mills November 2. Demonstration on New Berne November 11. Foster's Expedition to Goldsboro December 11-20. Southwest Creek December 13-14. Kinston December 14, Whitehall December 16. Goldsboro December 17. Expedition to Port Royal. S.C., January 28-31, 1863. At St. Helena Island, S.C., February 9-April 4. Expedition against Charleston, S.C., April 4-10. Moved from Hilton Head, S.C., to New Berne, N. C., April 12-16. Expedition to relief of Little Washington, N. C., April 17-23. Moved to Carolina City April 25 and duty there till June. Expedition to Trenton July 4-8. Free Bridge Comfort (or Quaker Bridge) July 6. Expedition from Newport Barracks to Cedar Point and White Oak River June 13-16. At New Berne July 26-August 26, and at Carolina City till October 18. Moved to Newport News, Va., October 18-20, and duty there till January 31, 1864. Regiment Veteranize January 21, 1864, and Veterans on furlough January 31-March 17. Skirmishes on Ballahock or Bear Quarter Road and at Deep Creek February 29-March 1. Ballahock Station, near Dismal Swamp, March 1. Deep Creek March 2. At Portsmouth and Getty's Station till April 26. Expedition to Isle of Wight County April 13-15. Smithfield, Cherry Grove, April 14. Moved to Yorktown April 26. Butler's operations on south side of James River and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-28. Occupation of Bermuda Hundred May 5. Port Walthal Junction May 6-7. Swift Creek May 9-10. Operations against Fort Darling May 12-16. Battle of Drury's Bluff May 14-16. Bermuda Hundred May 16-28. Moved to White House, thence to Cold Harbor May 28-June 1. Battles about Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before. Petersburg June 15-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16-September 17. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30 (Reserve). Embarked for North Carolina September 17, arriving at Morehead City and Carolina City September 21, and duty there till December 5. Non-Veterans left front October 21, and mustered out at Trenton, N.J., December 7, 1864. Moved to Newberne, N. C., December 5, thence to Plymouth, N. C. Expedition to Williamston December 9-14. Expedition up the Roanoke December 22-24. At Plymouth, N. C., till January 7. Expedition to Hard's Island February 1-5 (Cos. "B," "E," "H" and "I"). Moved to Carolina City January 7, and duty there till March 4. Campaign of the Carolinas March 1-April 26. Advance on Kinston March 4-14. Battle of Wise's Forks March 8-10. Occupation of Kinston March 14, and garrison there till March 19. Occupation of Goldsbore March 21. Provost duty at Goldsboro till April 10. Advance on Raleigh April 10-14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. At Raleigh till May 2, and at Greensboro till July. (Co. "G" at Charlotte and Co. "I" guard duty at Salisbury.) Mustered out at Greensboro, N. C., July 12, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 7 Officers and 89 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 163 Enlisted men by disease. Total 262.