Type: Exhibition caption

Detail: Born into wealth in New York, Philip Kearny grew up on his family’s estate outside of Newark. Kearny fought in the Mexican-American War, where he lost an arm, and later as a soldier of fortune in various European conflicts. When the Civil War broke out, Kearny returned home and was one of the first brigadier generals to be appointed by Lincoln as commander of the First New Jersey Brigade. Known for his aggressive fighting style, Kearny earned the moniker “the one-armed devil” from the Confederates. Kearny was one of those officers who believed that McClellan was too cautious and frequently ignored his orders. He rose to command an entire division of the Third Corps and was promoted to Major General on July 4, 1862. After heroic turns at the Battle of Williamsburg and the battles of the Seven Days, Kearny was shot from his horse at Chantilly on September 1, 1862.

Type: Exhibition case

Name: The Early Years

Detail: None of the New Jersey units saw much action in the first year of the war. In August, 1861, they became part of the Army of the Potomac, the new designation for units stationed around Washington under the command of General George B. McClellan. The New Jersey troops began fighting in earnest in the winter and spring of 1862, when McClellan pursued the strategy of trying to capture Richmond by an invasion of the Peninsula of Virginia. By early summer, it became clear that the plan was not a success. Robert E. Lee’s Confederates pushed McClellan’s forces back with heavy casualties, including the loss of New Jersey’s most renowned war hero, Major General Philip Kearny. The campaign ended with the Union’s near rout at the Second Battle of Bull Run in August 1862.