First New Jersey Brigade
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry
Premier among Union combat organizations at Crampton's Gap stands the First New Jersey Brigade commanded by Col. Alfred T.A. Torbert. The Jersey Brigade held left center of the Union line. The assault on Col. Thomas Munford's primary Confederate position was intended as a simultaneous attack all along the line of battle. Instead Torbert's brigade charged forward first, quickly dispersing Virginia infantry holding a thin line of defense in Mountain Church Road. Here the Jerseymen struck an empty void on the mountainside and kept going uphill until they reached the gap road, 1st and 3rd regiments in front, 2nd and 4th regiments close behind.
Reaching the road, Col. Henry Brown of the 3rd New Jersey sighted the flank of Gen. Howell Cobb's newly arrived support regiments just getting into place below him in the woods to his lower right. Brown wheeled his line on the road, coming down directly behind the Cobb Legion Infantry. Meanwhile the balance of Torbert's regiments inclined to their right, enveloping the Legion front and flank. Surrounded on three sides, the Legion line was nearly doubled back upon itself as it fought for survival. Within twenty minutes the Legion suffered 72 percent casualties, most accounted for as prisoners of war. Two stands of colors were captured.
Somewhat disarrayed, the 1st and 3rd sorted out their conquest while elements of the 2nd and 4th continued up the gap road where they assisted in reduction of Cobb's last stand in the gap. Soldiers of the 4th New Jersey were largely responsible for flanking the final Confederate position at twilight. Crampton's Gap had been won largely through the efforts of Torbert's unstoppable juggernaut
[That is the 1st New Jersey Brigade].
History of the 1st New Jersey Brigade [FULL]
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Originally Posted by Murch
