Good New Jersey Soldiers.

Henry W. Sawyer.
New Jersey 1st., cavalry, Companies D. & K.

Birth: Mar. 16, 1829, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.
Death: Oct. 16, 1893, Cape May, Cape May County, New Jersey.
Burial: Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cape May, Cape May County, New Jersey.

In youth he received a plain education, and, as he was advanced in years, he learned the carpenter's trade. In 1848 he removed to Cape Island, where he worked at his trade until the Rebellion broke out. On April 15, 1861, when President Lincoln issued his proclamation calling for volunteers, he was among the first to offer his services.

Henry W. Sawyer, 1st Lieut. enlisted April 7, '62, mustered in April 7, '62, for 3 Yrs, Remarks. 2d Lieut. Aug. 14, '61; 1st Lieut. vice Worsley resigned; promoted Capt. Co. K, Oct. 8, '62.

Henry W. Sawyer, Captain enlisted Oct. 8, '62 mustered in Oct. 8, '62, for 3 Yrs, Remarks. 1st Lieut. Co. D, April 7, '62; Capt. vice Broderick promoted; promoted Maj. Oct. 12, '63.

In a report of July 12, 1863, Henry W. Sawyer, and another officer had been selected by lot and reserved for execution, later it was found that two other officer took their place.
Note. There’s a lot more information and two photo’s of him at the site of ( Find a grave.)
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Captain Thomas K. Eckings. New York
New Jersey 3rd., infantry, Companies A. C. & H.

In a statement given by Captain Frank E. Moran, of the 23rd. New York Volunteers, he states that a Captain Ecking, of the 3rd., Cavalry, was murdered by a guard whom he had bribed to allow him to escape.
It should be noted that Captain Moran was in error Captain Eckings was not in the cavalry but the infantry.

Co. A. Thomas K. Ekings, 2d Lieut. enlisted Oct. 19, '62, mustered in Nov. 10, '62, for 3 Yrs. Remarks. Serj. Co. C; 2d Lieut. vice Hewitt resigned; promoted 1st Lieut, Co. H, Aug. 6, '63.

Co. C. Thomas K. Ekings, Sergeant, enlisted May 25, '61, mustered in May 25, '61, for 3 Yrs, Remarks. Corp. May 25, '61; Serj. Sept. 29, '62; promoted 2d Lieut. Co. A, Oct. 19, '62.

Co. H. Thomas K. Ekings, 1st Lieut. enlisted Aug. 6, '63, mustered in Nov. 13, '63, for 3 Yrs, Remarks. 2d Lieut. Co. A, Oct. 19, '62; 1st Lieut. vice Wahl promoted; killed Nov. 25, '64, while attempting to escape from rebel prison at Columbia, S. C.

Update 8-15-2013.

The following information on Thomas K. Ekings, is given by Tere Pistole.

I am transcribing a manuscript written by Reuben Bartley who was a Signal Corps Officer from Pennsylvania and beside Dahlgren when he was shot and killed in King and Queen County, Va. He wrote this about Thomas K. Eckings 3d NJ Inft..."was trying to make his way out through the line of guards having made arrangments with one of them to let him pass when about half way bet the dead line and the sentinels he was shot and Instantly Killed by the guard that gave him the signal that all was right. He was shot through the heart with a musket ball and never groaned. he was one of the finest young men in the army, an enthusastic soldier and a staunch patriot. he always said a soldier should not to be exchanged but use every exertion to make his escape and in that way injure the enemy. Poor Fellow! he was one more victim to Rebel treachery. for the signal was given him to come out and he was deliberatly murdered but he recd a double exchange he was releaved of all his earthly trouble at the same time he was released from the rebel outrages. The next day some of his friends were allowed to go out and BUry him. We dug his grave on a small hill near our camp overlooKing the Saluda River at the foot of a small Persimmon Tree. His was the third grave of our camp one before him having been shot through carlesness of the guards on duty. some of which were only fifteen and others sixty years old. The funeral service was performed by Lieut Abbot a young Methodist minister who was in our camp and any who thinK the American citizen Soldier devoid of feeling ought to have been there and I think they would have their notion...
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A George B. Halsted, give a statement that Lieutenant William B. Hatch was promoted in command of the 4th., New Jersey, as bravely as he nobly suffered in rebel prison, “died December 18, 1862, of wounds received at the battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862.”

William B. Hatch.

William B. Hatch.
Birth: 1838.
Death: Dec. 15, 1862.
Burial: Evergreen Cemetery, Camden, Camden County, New Jersey.

William B. Hatch, Colonel enlisted Aug. 28, '62, mustered in Aug. 28, '62, for 3 Yrs, Remarks. Maj. Aug. 17, '61; Lieut. Col. Sept. 7, '61; Col. vice Simpson re-called; died at Field Hosp., near Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 15, '62, of wounds received in action at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, '62.
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Colonel James H. Simpson & Major William M. Birney.
Field and Staff, Fourth, New Jersey Regiment.

James H. Simpson Colonel Aug. 12, '61 Aug. 17, '61 3 Yrs Maj. Topographical Engineers, U. S. Army; re-called to Regular Army Aug. 26, '62.

William M. Birney, Colonel enlisted Jan. 8, '63, mustered in Jan. 13, '63, for 3 Yrs, Remarks. Capt. Co. C, 1st Reg., May 22, '61; Maj. Sept. 27, '61; Lieut. Col. Aug. 26, '62; Col. vice Hatch died; resigned June 7, '63, to accept appointment as Col. 2d Reg., U. S. C. T.; promoted Brig. Gen. U. S. Vols., to date May 22, '63.
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George B. Halsted, was of Newark New Jersey, was a soldier and a Assistant Adjutant General to General Christopher C. Augur… Mr. Halsted also give a statement about two other New Jersey soldiers and how he felt about prison life and the war, which reads;

“of many Union men, whose only crime was refusal to join in treason against the United States, I recall a father, quite old, and his two sons, about middle age, names forgotten. They were originally from the North; residence for many years near Norfolk, Virginia. It was painful to see that old man suffering in that confined, over crowded room, with so little of food to nourish him, and clothing day or night.

The heroism which could endure for months and months, ( then notice of such cases had not been taken by our government), with little prospect of release, except by swearing allegiance to the bogus and traitor government of that damnable miscreant and villain, Jeff Davis, and his equally detestable compeers. This courage and heroism I felt was more worthy of protection by our government then any I could exhibit as a soldier.

Yet those men remained in that prison long after we were paroled. Others suffering for the same were there, I will state their names; First Lieutenant William B. Hatch, Fourth New Jersey Volunteers, and Colonel James H. Simpson, a graduate of West Point and Major William Birney and others of the Fourth New Jersey, were in apartments appropriated to officers.”
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William B. Mitchell.

William B. Mitchell, give his statement, at the time he was 25, years and resided at Port Elizabeth, Cumberland county, New Jersey, his occupation at that time was that of a glass blower. He enlisted on the 14th., of September of 1861, in the New Jersey 10th., infantry Volunteers of company K. as a private. He was captured in the Wilderness on the morning of the 7th., of May 1864, by Ewell’s Corps., which he thought was of the twenty-second Virginia. He was mustered out on May 28, 1865, he was discharged at Trenton New Jersey.
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Authors Note.  As you may have noteiced there has been a lot of talk about statements, these statements were given for a report called; ( Treatment of Prisoners of War by the Rebel Authorities) this information can be found in the 40th., Congress 1867-1869, which was also known as No. 1391 -- House Report No. 45.  Pages 470, 975-977, 978-985, 1089-1090.