Civil War Union Army Officer. Isaac Miller Tucker was born on February 27, 1825, in Springfield Township, Essex County (now Union County), New Jersey, the son of Charles & Harriet Tucker. He was baptized on July 31, 1825, at the First Presbyterian Church of Springfield. Unfortunately, very few details exist regarding his childhood and early life.
On March 16, 1847, Isaac M. Tucker, aged 22, married Abigail L. Andruss, aged 20, in Essex County, New Jersey. Sometime after their marriage, it seems that Isaac and Abigail had relocated to Richmond, Virginia, where their only child, Isaac Andruss Tucker, was born sometime in 1849. The 1850 U.S. Census shows Tucker, his wife, and his son as residing in Richmond, with Tucker's occupation being listed as what seems to be "Soda Manufacturer." By 1852, Tucker and his family had moved back to New Jersey, and were living in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. However, tragedy struck the family when Tucker's son died at the age of 3 on January 19, 1852. After the death of their 3-year-old son, Isaac and Abigail would never have another child.
By 1853, it seems that Isaac Tucker had attained a degree in law and was working as a lawyer in Newark. That same year he was appointed clerk of Common Council of the City of Newark. Tucker was also quite active in politics and was an early member and supporter of the Republican Party. In 1856, Tucker was a member of New Jersey's Republican Executive Committee. It is also known that Isaac M. Tucker was "an active city militiaman in Newark" for several years leading up to the Civil War. The 1860 U.S. Census shows Tucker and his wife as living in "Ward 2" of Newark, with his occupation listed as "Lawyer," and his personal estate valued at $200. Additionally, Isaac Tucker was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), specifically Protection Lodge, No. 28, of Newark.
Upon the outbreak of the Civil War, Isaac Miller Tucker enlisted in the Union Army as a Lieutenant-Colonel on May 22, 1861. On May 26, 1861, Tucker was mustered in as the Lieutenant-Colonel of the 2nd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Regiment. On June 27, 1861, the 2nd New Jersey Infantry left their home-state for Washington, D.C., with 38 officers and 1,006 enlisted men.
On July 21, 1861, although the regiment was present at the First Battle of Bull Run, it was held in reserve and suffered no casualties. From August 1861 to March 1862, the 2nd N.J. Infantry was on duty at the defenses of Washington, D.C., and was attached to Brigadier General Philip Kearny's First New Jersey Brigade.
On January 20, 1862, shortly after Colonel George W. McLean resigned from his position in the 2nd N.J., Isaac Miller Tucker was promoted to the rank of Colonel. Based on accounts of men who served with the 2nd New Jersey Infantry, Tucker was quite an effective leader. One soldier later said of Colonel Tucker: "He entered the service as Lieutenant-Colonel of the Second Regiment, but from the first, owing to the incapacity or indifference of the commanding officer, was practically the controlling spirit of the command. He possessed fine soldierly accomplishments, having been for many years connected with the military organizations of Newark, and was in some respects peculiarly fitted for the position to which he was soon advanced, as Colonel of his regiment. As a disciplinarian, he lacked, perhaps, that firmness which in some cases is necessary to the enforcement of authority; but happily, he had the unbounded confidence of his men, and there being, therefore, little occasion for rigid severity, this one defect in his military character was little more, in actual outcome, than a foible. In personal courage, fertility of resource, and readiness of apprehension, Colonel Tucker had few superiors; and from the first, his eminent social qualities, joined with his high intellectual attainments, made him a favorite with the best class of officers in the field."
A few months after Tucker's promotion, the 2nd New Jersey Infantry was deployed to fight in the Peninsula campaign, with the regiment participating in the Siege of Yorktown from April 19 to May 4, 1862, albeit on transports, the Battle of Eltham's Landing on May 7, 1862, and eventually the Battle of Gaines' Mill, sometimes known as the Battle of Chickahominy River, on June 27, 1862, which would prove to be the last battle of Colonel Tucker's life.
During the Battle of Gaines' Mill, Colonel Isaac M. Tucker, with Companies D, H, I, and K of the 2nd N.J., were ordered with the Brigade to cross the Chickahominy River. Soon after, Tucker and his men were ordered to the front to relieve a full regiment, and upon nearing the regiment they were to relive, Colonel Tucker "smilingly" remarked, "It is rather hot in there, and some of us will never come out, but the Jersey boys will do their duty."
Upon entering the fight, the four companies of the 2nd N.J. were, as recounted by Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel L. Buck, the men of 2nd New Jersey were not "daunted at the smallness of their numbers they formed with perfect order and fought the unequal contest with a cool determination worthy of all praise." Shortly after entering the fight, Colonel Tucker and his men were "exposed to the full force of the rebel onset, suffering a most galling fire… With all the odds against them, the 'Jersey Blues' fought steadily on till nightfall, their ranks terribly thinned, indeed, but the survivors still bravely keeping heart. Three times the enemy was driven from the woods, but as often returned, reinforced, to renew the contest."
However, continuing Buck's account, "Soon the superior numbers of the enemy enabled him to turn their [the 2nd New Jersey's] flanks; under this cross fire the remaining few, headed by Colonel Tucker, assisted by Major Ryerson, Captains Bishop and Tay, and Lieutenant Buckley rallied around the colors, when a shower of balls poured upon the small force, wounding our brave Colonel in the breast."
With Colonel Tucker having sustained a wound to his breast, his men, one of whom was Lieutenant Root of Co. K, attempted to carry him to the rear. At this moment, Colonel Tucker told these men, "Don't mind me, but go ahead and give it to them." However, as he was being carried to the rear, Tucker sustained two more wounds, one of which struck him in the chest near his heart. Due to the severity of his injuries, Colonel Isaac Miller Tucker "soon breathed his last, and it became necessary to abandon his remains. Sergeant Charles Pierson remained with the Colonel until the last, thoughtfully removing his papers." Colonel Tucker was 37 years old at the time of his death.
Many eyewitnesses to the battle praised Colonel Tucker after his death at the Battle of Gaines' Mill, with some saying that he was just "on the threshold, comparatively, of his military career" and that "Colonel Tucker, who fell while rallying his men, was cool and brave to the last."
Another account states, "His bearing when he met death spoke eloquently for his altogether heroic nature. He was universally beloved by his men and esteemed by his superiors. He met a soldier's death, met it like the brave and manly spirit he was… Before entering the service, he had been prominently identified for some years with the political movements of his State [New Jersey], exerting, especially in his own city, a commanding influence in the party to which he belonged; and had he remained in civil life, many honors must undoubtedly have been his. But he was a believer in the principles which the rebellion imperiled; he had helped largely to establish the Administration which was called upon to suppress the revolt; and at the first call for men, he prepared to defend in the field the cause he had consistently maintained by pen, voice and vote during all the agitations of recent years. He fell, as brave men choose to fall, with his face to the foe, fighting with a bare handful of men against overwhelming numbers; and his memory is revered by all who knew him as he was, and how much he sacrificed in the country's cause."
Due to Colonel Tucker's body having been left on the field, frequent attempts were made immediately and sometime after the Battle of Gaines' Mill to recover his remains, but without success. To this very day, the exact spot where his remains are located is unknown. In the absence of a body, his family erected a cenotaph to him in their plot [Section H, Lot 21] in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Newark, New Jersey.
On March 16, 1847, Isaac M. Tucker, aged 22, married Abigail L. Andruss, aged 20, in Essex County, New Jersey. Sometime after their marriage, it seems that Isaac and Abigail had relocated to Richmond, Virginia, where their only child, Isaac Andruss Tucker, was born sometime in 1849. The 1850 U.S. Census shows Tucker, his wife, and his son as residing in Richmond, with Tucker's occupation being listed as what seems to be "Soda Manufacturer." By 1852, Tucker and his family had moved back to New Jersey, and were living in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. However, tragedy struck the family when Tucker's son died at the age of 3 on January 19, 1852. After the death of their 3-year-old son, Isaac and Abigail would never have another child.
By 1853, it seems that Isaac Tucker had attained a degree in law and was working as a lawyer in Newark. That same year he was appointed clerk of Common Council of the City of Newark. Tucker was also quite active in politics and was an early member and supporter of the Republican Party. In 1856, Tucker was a member of New Jersey's Republican Executive Committee. It is also known that Isaac M. Tucker was "an active city militiaman in Newark" for several years leading up to the Civil War. The 1860 U.S. Census shows Tucker and his wife as living in "Ward 2" of Newark, with his occupation listed as "Lawyer," and his personal estate valued at $200. Additionally, Isaac Tucker was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), specifically Protection Lodge, No. 28, of Newark.
Upon the outbreak of the Civil War, Isaac Miller Tucker enlisted in the Union Army as a Lieutenant-Colonel on May 22, 1861. On May 26, 1861, Tucker was mustered in as the Lieutenant-Colonel of the 2nd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Regiment. On June 27, 1861, the 2nd New Jersey Infantry left their home-state for Washington, D.C., with 38 officers and 1,006 enlisted men.
On July 21, 1861, although the regiment was present at the First Battle of Bull Run, it was held in reserve and suffered no casualties. From August 1861 to March 1862, the 2nd N.J. Infantry was on duty at the defenses of Washington, D.C., and was attached to Brigadier General Philip Kearny's First New Jersey Brigade.
On January 20, 1862, shortly after Colonel George W. McLean resigned from his position in the 2nd N.J., Isaac Miller Tucker was promoted to the rank of Colonel. Based on accounts of men who served with the 2nd New Jersey Infantry, Tucker was quite an effective leader. One soldier later said of Colonel Tucker: "He entered the service as Lieutenant-Colonel of the Second Regiment, but from the first, owing to the incapacity or indifference of the commanding officer, was practically the controlling spirit of the command. He possessed fine soldierly accomplishments, having been for many years connected with the military organizations of Newark, and was in some respects peculiarly fitted for the position to which he was soon advanced, as Colonel of his regiment. As a disciplinarian, he lacked, perhaps, that firmness which in some cases is necessary to the enforcement of authority; but happily, he had the unbounded confidence of his men, and there being, therefore, little occasion for rigid severity, this one defect in his military character was little more, in actual outcome, than a foible. In personal courage, fertility of resource, and readiness of apprehension, Colonel Tucker had few superiors; and from the first, his eminent social qualities, joined with his high intellectual attainments, made him a favorite with the best class of officers in the field."
A few months after Tucker's promotion, the 2nd New Jersey Infantry was deployed to fight in the Peninsula campaign, with the regiment participating in the Siege of Yorktown from April 19 to May 4, 1862, albeit on transports, the Battle of Eltham's Landing on May 7, 1862, and eventually the Battle of Gaines' Mill, sometimes known as the Battle of Chickahominy River, on June 27, 1862, which would prove to be the last battle of Colonel Tucker's life.
During the Battle of Gaines' Mill, Colonel Isaac M. Tucker, with Companies D, H, I, and K of the 2nd N.J., were ordered with the Brigade to cross the Chickahominy River. Soon after, Tucker and his men were ordered to the front to relieve a full regiment, and upon nearing the regiment they were to relive, Colonel Tucker "smilingly" remarked, "It is rather hot in there, and some of us will never come out, but the Jersey boys will do their duty."
Upon entering the fight, the four companies of the 2nd N.J. were, as recounted by Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel L. Buck, the men of 2nd New Jersey were not "daunted at the smallness of their numbers they formed with perfect order and fought the unequal contest with a cool determination worthy of all praise." Shortly after entering the fight, Colonel Tucker and his men were "exposed to the full force of the rebel onset, suffering a most galling fire… With all the odds against them, the 'Jersey Blues' fought steadily on till nightfall, their ranks terribly thinned, indeed, but the survivors still bravely keeping heart. Three times the enemy was driven from the woods, but as often returned, reinforced, to renew the contest."
However, continuing Buck's account, "Soon the superior numbers of the enemy enabled him to turn their [the 2nd New Jersey's] flanks; under this cross fire the remaining few, headed by Colonel Tucker, assisted by Major Ryerson, Captains Bishop and Tay, and Lieutenant Buckley rallied around the colors, when a shower of balls poured upon the small force, wounding our brave Colonel in the breast."
With Colonel Tucker having sustained a wound to his breast, his men, one of whom was Lieutenant Root of Co. K, attempted to carry him to the rear. At this moment, Colonel Tucker told these men, "Don't mind me, but go ahead and give it to them." However, as he was being carried to the rear, Tucker sustained two more wounds, one of which struck him in the chest near his heart. Due to the severity of his injuries, Colonel Isaac Miller Tucker "soon breathed his last, and it became necessary to abandon his remains. Sergeant Charles Pierson remained with the Colonel until the last, thoughtfully removing his papers." Colonel Tucker was 37 years old at the time of his death.
Many eyewitnesses to the battle praised Colonel Tucker after his death at the Battle of Gaines' Mill, with some saying that he was just "on the threshold, comparatively, of his military career" and that "Colonel Tucker, who fell while rallying his men, was cool and brave to the last."
Another account states, "His bearing when he met death spoke eloquently for his altogether heroic nature. He was universally beloved by his men and esteemed by his superiors. He met a soldier's death, met it like the brave and manly spirit he was… Before entering the service, he had been prominently identified for some years with the political movements of his State [New Jersey], exerting, especially in his own city, a commanding influence in the party to which he belonged; and had he remained in civil life, many honors must undoubtedly have been his. But he was a believer in the principles which the rebellion imperiled; he had helped largely to establish the Administration which was called upon to suppress the revolt; and at the first call for men, he prepared to defend in the field the cause he had consistently maintained by pen, voice and vote during all the agitations of recent years. He fell, as brave men choose to fall, with his face to the foe, fighting with a bare handful of men against overwhelming numbers; and his memory is revered by all who knew him as he was, and how much he sacrificed in the country's cause."
Due to Colonel Tucker's body having been left on the field, frequent attempts were made immediately and sometime after the Battle of Gaines' Mill to recover his remains, but without success. To this very day, the exact spot where his remains are located is unknown. In the absence of a body, his family erected a cenotaph to him in their plot [Section H, Lot 21] in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Newark, New Jersey.
Civil War Union Army Officer. Isaac Miller Tucker was born on February 27, 1825, in Springfield Township, Essex County (now Union County), New Jersey, the son of Charles & Harriet Tucker. He was baptized on July 31, 1825, at the First Presbyterian Church of Springfield. Unfortunately, very few details exist regarding his childhood and early life.
On March 16, 1847, Isaac M. Tucker, aged 22, married Abigail L. Andruss, aged 20, in Essex County, New Jersey. Sometime after their marriage, it seems that Isaac and Abigail had relocated to Richmond, Virginia, where their only child, Isaac Andruss Tucker, was born sometime in 1849. The 1850 U.S. Census shows Tucker, his wife, and his son as residing in Richmond, with Tucker's occupation being listed as what seems to be "Soda Manufacturer." By 1852, Tucker and his family had moved back to New Jersey, and were living in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. However, tragedy struck the family when Tucker's son died at the age of 3 on January 19, 1852. After the death of their 3-year-old son, Isaac and Abigail would never have another child.
By 1853, it seems that Isaac Tucker had attained a degree in law and was working as a lawyer in Newark. That same year he was appointed clerk of Common Council of the City of Newark. Tucker was also quite active in politics and was an early member and supporter of the Republican Party. In 1856, Tucker was a member of New Jersey's Republican Executive Committee. It is also known that Isaac M. Tucker was "an active city militiaman in Newark" for several years leading up to the Civil War. The 1860 U.S. Census shows Tucker and his wife as living in "Ward 2" of Newark, with his occupation listed as "Lawyer," and his personal estate valued at $200. Additionally, Isaac Tucker was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), specifically Protection Lodge, No. 28, of Newark.
Upon the outbreak of the Civil War, Isaac Miller Tucker enlisted in the Union Army as a Lieutenant-Colonel on May 22, 1861. On May 26, 1861, Tucker was mustered in as the Lieutenant-Colonel of the 2nd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Regiment. On June 27, 1861, the 2nd New Jersey Infantry left their home-state for Washington, D.C., with 38 officers and 1,006 enlisted men.
On July 21, 1861, although the regiment was present at the First Battle of Bull Run, it was held in reserve and suffered no casualties. From August 1861 to March 1862, the 2nd N.J. Infantry was on duty at the defenses of Washington, D.C., and was attached to Brigadier General Philip Kearny's First New Jersey Brigade.
On January 20, 1862, shortly after Colonel George W. McLean resigned from his position in the 2nd N.J., Isaac Miller Tucker was promoted to the rank of Colonel. Based on accounts of men who served with the 2nd New Jersey Infantry, Tucker was quite an effective leader. One soldier later said of Colonel Tucker: "He entered the service as Lieutenant-Colonel of the Second Regiment, but from the first, owing to the incapacity or indifference of the commanding officer, was practically the controlling spirit of the command. He possessed fine soldierly accomplishments, having been for many years connected with the military organizations of Newark, and was in some respects peculiarly fitted for the position to which he was soon advanced, as Colonel of his regiment. As a disciplinarian, he lacked, perhaps, that firmness which in some cases is necessary to the enforcement of authority; but happily, he had the unbounded confidence of his men, and there being, therefore, little occasion for rigid severity, this one defect in his military character was little more, in actual outcome, than a foible. In personal courage, fertility of resource, and readiness of apprehension, Colonel Tucker had few superiors; and from the first, his eminent social qualities, joined with his high intellectual attainments, made him a favorite with the best class of officers in the field."
A few months after Tucker's promotion, the 2nd New Jersey Infantry was deployed to fight in the Peninsula campaign, with the regiment participating in the Siege of Yorktown from April 19 to May 4, 1862, albeit on transports, the Battle of Eltham's Landing on May 7, 1862, and eventually the Battle of Gaines' Mill, sometimes known as the Battle of Chickahominy River, on June 27, 1862, which would prove to be the last battle of Colonel Tucker's life.
During the Battle of Gaines' Mill, Colonel Isaac M. Tucker, with Companies D, H, I, and K of the 2nd N.J., were ordered with the Brigade to cross the Chickahominy River. Soon after, Tucker and his men were ordered to the front to relieve a full regiment, and upon nearing the regiment they were to relive, Colonel Tucker "smilingly" remarked, "It is rather hot in there, and some of us will never come out, but the Jersey boys will do their duty."
Upon entering the fight, the four companies of the 2nd N.J. were, as recounted by Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel L. Buck, the men of 2nd New Jersey were not "daunted at the smallness of their numbers they formed with perfect order and fought the unequal contest with a cool determination worthy of all praise." Shortly after entering the fight, Colonel Tucker and his men were "exposed to the full force of the rebel onset, suffering a most galling fire… With all the odds against them, the 'Jersey Blues' fought steadily on till nightfall, their ranks terribly thinned, indeed, but the survivors still bravely keeping heart. Three times the enemy was driven from the woods, but as often returned, reinforced, to renew the contest."
However, continuing Buck's account, "Soon the superior numbers of the enemy enabled him to turn their [the 2nd New Jersey's] flanks; under this cross fire the remaining few, headed by Colonel Tucker, assisted by Major Ryerson, Captains Bishop and Tay, and Lieutenant Buckley rallied around the colors, when a shower of balls poured upon the small force, wounding our brave Colonel in the breast."
With Colonel Tucker having sustained a wound to his breast, his men, one of whom was Lieutenant Root of Co. K, attempted to carry him to the rear. At this moment, Colonel Tucker told these men, "Don't mind me, but go ahead and give it to them." However, as he was being carried to the rear, Tucker sustained two more wounds, one of which struck him in the chest near his heart. Due to the severity of his injuries, Colonel Isaac Miller Tucker "soon breathed his last, and it became necessary to abandon his remains. Sergeant Charles Pierson remained with the Colonel until the last, thoughtfully removing his papers." Colonel Tucker was 37 years old at the time of his death.
Many eyewitnesses to the battle praised Colonel Tucker after his death at the Battle of Gaines' Mill, with some saying that he was just "on the threshold, comparatively, of his military career" and that "Colonel Tucker, who fell while rallying his men, was cool and brave to the last."
Another account states, "His bearing when he met death spoke eloquently for his altogether heroic nature. He was universally beloved by his men and esteemed by his superiors. He met a soldier's death, met it like the brave and manly spirit he was… Before entering the service, he had been prominently identified for some years with the political movements of his State [New Jersey], exerting, especially in his own city, a commanding influence in the party to which he belonged; and had he remained in civil life, many honors must undoubtedly have been his. But he was a believer in the principles which the rebellion imperiled; he had helped largely to establish the Administration which was called upon to suppress the revolt; and at the first call for men, he prepared to defend in the field the cause he had consistently maintained by pen, voice and vote during all the agitations of recent years. He fell, as brave men choose to fall, with his face to the foe, fighting with a bare handful of men against overwhelming numbers; and his memory is revered by all who knew him as he was, and how much he sacrificed in the country's cause."
Due to Colonel Tucker's body having been left on the field, frequent attempts were made immediately and sometime after the Battle of Gaines' Mill to recover his remains, but without success. To this very day, the exact spot where his remains are located is unknown. In the absence of a body, his family erected a cenotaph to him in their plot [Section H, Lot 21] in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Newark, New Jersey.
On March 16, 1847, Isaac M. Tucker, aged 22, married Abigail L. Andruss, aged 20, in Essex County, New Jersey. Sometime after their marriage, it seems that Isaac and Abigail had relocated to Richmond, Virginia, where their only child, Isaac Andruss Tucker, was born sometime in 1849. The 1850 U.S. Census shows Tucker, his wife, and his son as residing in Richmond, with Tucker's occupation being listed as what seems to be "Soda Manufacturer." By 1852, Tucker and his family had moved back to New Jersey, and were living in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. However, tragedy struck the family when Tucker's son died at the age of 3 on January 19, 1852. After the death of their 3-year-old son, Isaac and Abigail would never have another child.
By 1853, it seems that Isaac Tucker had attained a degree in law and was working as a lawyer in Newark. That same year he was appointed clerk of Common Council of the City of Newark. Tucker was also quite active in politics and was an early member and supporter of the Republican Party. In 1856, Tucker was a member of New Jersey's Republican Executive Committee. It is also known that Isaac M. Tucker was "an active city militiaman in Newark" for several years leading up to the Civil War. The 1860 U.S. Census shows Tucker and his wife as living in "Ward 2" of Newark, with his occupation listed as "Lawyer," and his personal estate valued at $200. Additionally, Isaac Tucker was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), specifically Protection Lodge, No. 28, of Newark.
Upon the outbreak of the Civil War, Isaac Miller Tucker enlisted in the Union Army as a Lieutenant-Colonel on May 22, 1861. On May 26, 1861, Tucker was mustered in as the Lieutenant-Colonel of the 2nd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Regiment. On June 27, 1861, the 2nd New Jersey Infantry left their home-state for Washington, D.C., with 38 officers and 1,006 enlisted men.
On July 21, 1861, although the regiment was present at the First Battle of Bull Run, it was held in reserve and suffered no casualties. From August 1861 to March 1862, the 2nd N.J. Infantry was on duty at the defenses of Washington, D.C., and was attached to Brigadier General Philip Kearny's First New Jersey Brigade.
On January 20, 1862, shortly after Colonel George W. McLean resigned from his position in the 2nd N.J., Isaac Miller Tucker was promoted to the rank of Colonel. Based on accounts of men who served with the 2nd New Jersey Infantry, Tucker was quite an effective leader. One soldier later said of Colonel Tucker: "He entered the service as Lieutenant-Colonel of the Second Regiment, but from the first, owing to the incapacity or indifference of the commanding officer, was practically the controlling spirit of the command. He possessed fine soldierly accomplishments, having been for many years connected with the military organizations of Newark, and was in some respects peculiarly fitted for the position to which he was soon advanced, as Colonel of his regiment. As a disciplinarian, he lacked, perhaps, that firmness which in some cases is necessary to the enforcement of authority; but happily, he had the unbounded confidence of his men, and there being, therefore, little occasion for rigid severity, this one defect in his military character was little more, in actual outcome, than a foible. In personal courage, fertility of resource, and readiness of apprehension, Colonel Tucker had few superiors; and from the first, his eminent social qualities, joined with his high intellectual attainments, made him a favorite with the best class of officers in the field."
A few months after Tucker's promotion, the 2nd New Jersey Infantry was deployed to fight in the Peninsula campaign, with the regiment participating in the Siege of Yorktown from April 19 to May 4, 1862, albeit on transports, the Battle of Eltham's Landing on May 7, 1862, and eventually the Battle of Gaines' Mill, sometimes known as the Battle of Chickahominy River, on June 27, 1862, which would prove to be the last battle of Colonel Tucker's life.
During the Battle of Gaines' Mill, Colonel Isaac M. Tucker, with Companies D, H, I, and K of the 2nd N.J., were ordered with the Brigade to cross the Chickahominy River. Soon after, Tucker and his men were ordered to the front to relieve a full regiment, and upon nearing the regiment they were to relive, Colonel Tucker "smilingly" remarked, "It is rather hot in there, and some of us will never come out, but the Jersey boys will do their duty."
Upon entering the fight, the four companies of the 2nd N.J. were, as recounted by Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel L. Buck, the men of 2nd New Jersey were not "daunted at the smallness of their numbers they formed with perfect order and fought the unequal contest with a cool determination worthy of all praise." Shortly after entering the fight, Colonel Tucker and his men were "exposed to the full force of the rebel onset, suffering a most galling fire… With all the odds against them, the 'Jersey Blues' fought steadily on till nightfall, their ranks terribly thinned, indeed, but the survivors still bravely keeping heart. Three times the enemy was driven from the woods, but as often returned, reinforced, to renew the contest."
However, continuing Buck's account, "Soon the superior numbers of the enemy enabled him to turn their [the 2nd New Jersey's] flanks; under this cross fire the remaining few, headed by Colonel Tucker, assisted by Major Ryerson, Captains Bishop and Tay, and Lieutenant Buckley rallied around the colors, when a shower of balls poured upon the small force, wounding our brave Colonel in the breast."
With Colonel Tucker having sustained a wound to his breast, his men, one of whom was Lieutenant Root of Co. K, attempted to carry him to the rear. At this moment, Colonel Tucker told these men, "Don't mind me, but go ahead and give it to them." However, as he was being carried to the rear, Tucker sustained two more wounds, one of which struck him in the chest near his heart. Due to the severity of his injuries, Colonel Isaac Miller Tucker "soon breathed his last, and it became necessary to abandon his remains. Sergeant Charles Pierson remained with the Colonel until the last, thoughtfully removing his papers." Colonel Tucker was 37 years old at the time of his death.
Many eyewitnesses to the battle praised Colonel Tucker after his death at the Battle of Gaines' Mill, with some saying that he was just "on the threshold, comparatively, of his military career" and that "Colonel Tucker, who fell while rallying his men, was cool and brave to the last."
Another account states, "His bearing when he met death spoke eloquently for his altogether heroic nature. He was universally beloved by his men and esteemed by his superiors. He met a soldier's death, met it like the brave and manly spirit he was… Before entering the service, he had been prominently identified for some years with the political movements of his State [New Jersey], exerting, especially in his own city, a commanding influence in the party to which he belonged; and had he remained in civil life, many honors must undoubtedly have been his. But he was a believer in the principles which the rebellion imperiled; he had helped largely to establish the Administration which was called upon to suppress the revolt; and at the first call for men, he prepared to defend in the field the cause he had consistently maintained by pen, voice and vote during all the agitations of recent years. He fell, as brave men choose to fall, with his face to the foe, fighting with a bare handful of men against overwhelming numbers; and his memory is revered by all who knew him as he was, and how much he sacrificed in the country's cause."
Due to Colonel Tucker's body having been left on the field, frequent attempts were made immediately and sometime after the Battle of Gaines' Mill to recover his remains, but without success. To this very day, the exact spot where his remains are located is unknown. In the absence of a body, his family erected a cenotaph to him in their plot [Section H, Lot 21] in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Newark, New Jersey.
Bio by: Robert Mayer III
Advertisement
