Henry Heinrich Bickhardt, my 3rd Great Grandfather, was born in the Lohlbach, Frankenburg area of Germany on June 1, 1827, and died on Dec. 9, 1893, in West New York, New Jersey. Sometime after 1850, Henry migrated to the United States, married Louisa Dapper in 1852, and settled in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, to start a family. Shortly before 1861, Henry moved his growing family to Hudson County, New Jersey.
As the Civil War broke out, Henry enlisted in the Union Army on July 30,1861 and was mustered into the1st New Jersey Light Artillery, Battery A (Hexamer’s Battery), on August 12, 1861, as a Private, but was shortly promoted to Corporal. Battery A, 1st New Jersey Light Artillery was organized at Hoboken, New Jersey, under the command of Captain William (Wilhelm) Hexamer. Many of its members were of German descent. The Battery left New Jersey for duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C., on August 20,1861. It participated in the Peninsula Campaign of 1862 (April-July 1862), 2nd Bull Run Campaign (August-September 1862), the Maryland Campaign (September 1862), and the Battle of Antietam (Sept. 17, 1862). On Nov. 8, 1862, Henry Bickhardt was promoted to Sergeant. The Battery then moved on to Virginia and participated in the Battle of Fredericksburg (December 12-15th, 1862), and the disastrous Mud March (January 20-24th, 1863). The Battery continued with the Chancellorsville Campaign (April 27-May 6,1863), the Gettysburg Campaign (June 11-July 24, 1863), Bristoe Campaign (October 9-22, 1863), and the Mine Run Campaign (November 26-December 2, 1863). On January 29, 1864, Henry Bickhardt was transferred from Battery A to 1st New Jersey Light Artillery, Battery C. Bickhardt was promoted to Sergeant on Sept. 1, 1864. Battery C participated in the Siege of Petersburg (June 1864 - April 1865) and the Appomattox Campaign (March 25-April 9, 1865). After the fall of Petersburg and Richmond, Battery C initially pursued after Lee’s retreating Confederate army but stopped at Ford’s Station on April 7, 1865. It was not present at Appomattox Court House for the Confederate surrender. The Battery then moved to Washington D.C. and participated in the Grand Review on May 23, 1865.
On June 19, 1865, Battery C and Henry Bickhardt were mustered out of service at Trenton, New Jersey. After Henry returned from the War, he settled with his family in the town of West New York, New Jersey and helped start the first all-volunteer fire department for the town. He began to invest in land in West New York and bought several properties on Polk and Madison Streets. And this is where the story begins to cross my own past. I spent the first seven years of my life in West New York, New Jersey (born in Jersey City). I was raised on Madison Street and my parents, two brothers, and I lived next to our family homestead. Only after doing extensive Ancestry research on the Haller/Bickhardt side of my maternal grandmother, did I find Henry. Growing up, my relatives never mentioned Henry and his family, or his service in the Union Army. I’m sure they didn’t even know he existed. Using information from the Hudson County Genealogical Society in New Jersey, I was able to obtain land deeds and surveyor maps of West New York. After carefully inspecting the land deeds, I realized my Madison Street family homestead land, next door to my parent’s house, was owned by Henry and eventually sold to a family member. Henry also owned property across the street from my parent’s house. In the late 1870’s Henry’s brother, Conrad, built the first public school in West New York on Madison Street. Years later it burned to the ground and was rebuilt with brick. My two brothers, myself, and most of my family members went to that new school down the block during our own elementary years. Lastly, I want to mention that I now live in Powhatan, Virgina, on 20 acres of land. Down the road, approximately three miles from my house, Lee made his last camp with his Army, right after fleeing from Richmond. There is a good chance Henry, and the men of Battery C walked on my property as they pursued Lee and his Army.
Provided by Jill Cucaz
As the Civil War broke out, Henry enlisted in the Union Army on July 30,1861 and was mustered into the1st New Jersey Light Artillery, Battery A (Hexamer’s Battery), on August 12, 1861, as a Private, but was shortly promoted to Corporal. Battery A, 1st New Jersey Light Artillery was organized at Hoboken, New Jersey, under the command of Captain William (Wilhelm) Hexamer. Many of its members were of German descent. The Battery left New Jersey for duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C., on August 20,1861. It participated in the Peninsula Campaign of 1862 (April-July 1862), 2nd Bull Run Campaign (August-September 1862), the Maryland Campaign (September 1862), and the Battle of Antietam (Sept. 17, 1862). On Nov. 8, 1862, Henry Bickhardt was promoted to Sergeant. The Battery then moved on to Virginia and participated in the Battle of Fredericksburg (December 12-15th, 1862), and the disastrous Mud March (January 20-24th, 1863). The Battery continued with the Chancellorsville Campaign (April 27-May 6,1863), the Gettysburg Campaign (June 11-July 24, 1863), Bristoe Campaign (October 9-22, 1863), and the Mine Run Campaign (November 26-December 2, 1863). On January 29, 1864, Henry Bickhardt was transferred from Battery A to 1st New Jersey Light Artillery, Battery C. Bickhardt was promoted to Sergeant on Sept. 1, 1864. Battery C participated in the Siege of Petersburg (June 1864 - April 1865) and the Appomattox Campaign (March 25-April 9, 1865). After the fall of Petersburg and Richmond, Battery C initially pursued after Lee’s retreating Confederate army but stopped at Ford’s Station on April 7, 1865. It was not present at Appomattox Court House for the Confederate surrender. The Battery then moved to Washington D.C. and participated in the Grand Review on May 23, 1865.
On June 19, 1865, Battery C and Henry Bickhardt were mustered out of service at Trenton, New Jersey. After Henry returned from the War, he settled with his family in the town of West New York, New Jersey and helped start the first all-volunteer fire department for the town. He began to invest in land in West New York and bought several properties on Polk and Madison Streets. And this is where the story begins to cross my own past. I spent the first seven years of my life in West New York, New Jersey (born in Jersey City). I was raised on Madison Street and my parents, two brothers, and I lived next to our family homestead. Only after doing extensive Ancestry research on the Haller/Bickhardt side of my maternal grandmother, did I find Henry. Growing up, my relatives never mentioned Henry and his family, or his service in the Union Army. I’m sure they didn’t even know he existed. Using information from the Hudson County Genealogical Society in New Jersey, I was able to obtain land deeds and surveyor maps of West New York. After carefully inspecting the land deeds, I realized my Madison Street family homestead land, next door to my parent’s house, was owned by Henry and eventually sold to a family member. Henry also owned property across the street from my parent’s house. In the late 1870’s Henry’s brother, Conrad, built the first public school in West New York on Madison Street. Years later it burned to the ground and was rebuilt with brick. My two brothers, myself, and most of my family members went to that new school down the block during our own elementary years. Lastly, I want to mention that I now live in Powhatan, Virgina, on 20 acres of land. Down the road, approximately three miles from my house, Lee made his last camp with his Army, right after fleeing from Richmond. There is a good chance Henry, and the men of Battery C walked on my property as they pursued Lee and his Army.
Provided by Jill Cucaz