New Jersey Monuments at Antietam
The 13th New Jersey has three small monuments at Antietam showing its different positions during the course of the battle. The first is on the north side of Cornfield Avenue, the second on the east side of Hagerstown Turnpike north of Cornfield Avenue, and the third on Confederate Avenue behind the Dunker Church. (see maps below) The monuments were dedicated on September 17, 1903. The 13th New Jersey is also honored at Antietam on the State of New Jersey monument and by its own individual monument at Gettysburg.
The regiment was under the command of Colonel Ezra Ayres Carman. It had been mustered in just three weeks before, and it loaded its muskets for the first time at Antietam.
In the 1890’s Carman was a vital member of the Antietam Battlefield Board, where he documented the positions and movements of units in the battle and certified the placement of each monument.
13th New Jersey Monument on Cornfield Avenue
Monument to the 1st position of the 13th New Jersey on Cornfield Avenue.
Text from the Cornfield Avenue monument (Cornfield Avenue East tour map):
13th New Jersey Infantry
September 17, 1862
First position under artillery fire, about 150
yards north of this point. At 10 a.m. advanced to
the Hagerstown Road and became closely engaged.
Map to the 13th New Jersey Infantry monument on the north Side of Cornfield Avenue.
(39°28’52.9″N 77°44’30.4″W)
13th New Jersey Monument on Hagerstown Pike
Monument to the 2nd position of the 13th New Jersey on the Old Hagerstown Pike.
Text from the Hagerstown Pike monument (Hagerstown Pike tour map:
13th New Jersey Infantry
September 17, 1862
Center of Regiment at 10:20 a.m. facing West.
Part of the right wing was across the road.
Map to the 13th New Jersey Infantry monument on the Hagerstown Turnpike.
The monument is on the east side of Hagerstown Turnpike north of Cornfield Avenue. (39°28’52.2″N 77°44’54.3″W)
13th New Jersey Monument on Confederate Avenue
Monument to the 3rd position of the 13th New Jersey on Confederate Avenue.
Text from the Confederate Avenue monument (Visitor Center-Dunker Church tour map:
13th New Jersey Infantry
September 17, 1862
Engaged in this position facing West
from 11:20 a.m. to about 12 noon.
Map to the 13th New Jersey Infantry monument on Confederate Avenue.
The third monument is on the north side of Confederate Avenue behind the Dunker Church. (39°28’30.9″N 77°44’57.5″W)
See more about the history of the 13th New Jersey Infantry Regiment in the Civil War
View northwest from the Cornfield Avenue Monument of the 13th New Jersey