Henry O. Ryerson, At the Battle of the Wilderness, he was shot in the head by a sharpshooter who had focused on the VI Corps badge on his hat / SOLD

Henry O. Ryerson At the Battle of the Wilderness, he was shot in the head by a sharpshooter who had focused on the VI Corps badge on his hat - Inventory Number: CDV 490 / SOLD

Civil War Union Army Officer. Born the fourth child of Judge Thomas Coxe Ryerson, a Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1834 to 1838 and a War of 1812 New Jersey Militia veteran, his mother was a niece of Aaron Ogden, Revolutionary War officer and 9th New Jersey governor. Henry was educated in local grammar schools and went directly to studying law after graduating, forgoing college. He received his law license in 1847, but decided to travel the country instead of setting up a local practice. From 1847 to 1855 he lived in Chicago, California, and Hawaii. He returned to New Jersey in 1855, residing in Belvidere. In 1857 he returned to Newton to become its public prosecutor. When the Civil War broke out, he helped recruit what was to become Company B of the 2nd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry from Sussex County. He had intended to join them as a private, but was elected captain by the men. He was soon promoted Major of the regiment. The 2nd New Jersey became part of the First Brigade, First Division, 6th Corps. The brigade, known as "First Jersey Brigade" because it consisted of only New Jersey troops throughout the war, became heavily involved in the fighting at the Battle of Gaines Mill on June 27,1862. Ryerson and his commander Colonel Isaac Tucker were sent with a detachment of the 2nd to relieve troops on the battle line. Tucker was mortally wounded and Ryerson, while holding the regiments' battle flag to rally his men, was shot through the thighs. The wound was severe enough that his men thought it mortal, and it was reported as such. The regiments quickly retreated, leaving its' officers on the battlefield. He remained on the field for 10 days before being discovered by Confederate troops. He spent three weeks in a Richmond prison before being exchanged. His wounds and illness contracted while he was interned kept him off the field until October 1, causing him to miss the Battle of Antietam, where the 2nd was lightly engaged in Mummas Wood (sustaining only 9 casualties). When he rejoined his regiment, he was promoted Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment and still had an unhealed wound. The Army of the Potomac had started in its pursuit of General Robert E. Lee after the battle. In November 1862, as his regiment was approaching the old battlefields at Manassas, Virginia, the 23rd New Jersey Voluteer Infantry's commander, Colonel John S. Cox, resigned. Ryerson was promoted to Colonel and was given command of the 23rd, a nine-month regiment. The 23rd was attached to the Jersey Brigade along with the 10th and 15th New Jersey. At the Battle of Fredericksburg the 23rd was involved in a heavy skirmish on the Federal left, although the 6th Corps had been held in a reserve capacity. Ryerson's leadership was commended by brigade commander Brigadier General Albert Torbert in this action. He "was to be seen in the thickest of the fight (mounted), cheering his men on" as noted in Torbert's battle report. Ryerson lead the 23rd in Burnside's "Mud March" before being transferred to command the 10th New Jersey when that regiment's Colonel William Murphy resigned. The 10th, having been detached from First Jersey brigade, helped contain Confederate General James Longstreet's raids around Suffolk, Virginia and was detailed to Philadelphia and eastern Pennsylvania to suppress threatened draft riots. During the second Confederate Invasion of the North the 10th remained stationed in Pennsylvania and missed the engagement at Gettysburg. During this time he was president of a commission that tried those that had incited rioting. By the request of both Ryerson and Brigadier General Torbert the 10th was returned to the First Jersey Brigade in March of 1864. The Army of the Potomac was soon engaged in the climactic battles designed by Ulysses S. Grant to break the Confederates. He lead his regiment in the Battle of the Wilderness. On May 6th, while the VI Corps was involved in the heavy fighting around Wilderness Tavern, he was shot in the head by a sharpshooter who that had focused on the VI Corps badge on his hat. He was taken to the rear and placed in a log cabin with some of his officers who had been wounded. The Union line then was forced back, and the wounded Ryerson was captured. He was taken to Locust Grove Confederate Hospital where he died on May 12th, and was buried nearby in a grave that was well marked by a paroled Vermont surgeon. In 1865 his grave was located and he was re-interred in his family plot in Newton.

Inventory Number: CDV 490 / SOLD