Mustered in Field Staff in 1861

The Second Delaware Regiment—The following are the officers of the Second Delaware regiment, now stationed at Cambridge, MD :
Field, Staff, and non-commissioned Staff Officers
Colonel, H. W. Wharton; Lieutenant-Colonel, W. P. Bailey; Major, Robert Andrews; Surgeon, Dr. Wm. H. White; Assistant Surgeon, Dr. Babb; Quartermaster, George Plunkett; Adjutants, J. H. Knight, C. S. Canby and W. Edwin Appleton, Sergeant Major, W. H. Brady.
Company A.—Captain, D. L. Stricker; First Lieutenant, Thomas M. Wenie; Second Lieutenant, J. Evans.
Company B—Captain, C. H. Christman; First Lieutenant, T. Geyer; Second Lieutenant, W. F. Fennimore.
Company C—Captain, B. Ricketts; First Lieutenant, W. F. Torbert; Second Lieutenant, John G. Sempers.
Company D—Captain, John M. Perry; First Lieutenant, Wm. Helmbold; Second Lieutenant, Andrew Krause.
Company E—Captain, R. Morehouse; First Lieutenant, George Helmbold; Second Lieutenant, John Bogia.
Company F—Captain, Peter McCullough; First Lieutenant, Charles Reynolds; Second Lieutenant, Francis Duke.
Company G—Captain, John Heisley; First Lieutenant, Charles D. Foy; Second Lieutenant, Thomas H. Moore.
Company H—Captain, James Plunkett; First Lieutenant, Lewis Nolen; Second Lieutenant, John Diviney.
There are two companies yet to be added to this Regiment, and officers have been detailed to recruit the proper number.

DELAWARE STATESMAN AND JOURNAL October 4, 1861

Pvt. Henry Cake

Company G 2nd Delaware
Age at Enlistment: 25
Sept. 17th, 1862: Wounded in Action in the side
Sept. 1862 to Feb. 1863: Absent Wounded
May 1863 Provost Guard
June 1863: Company Cook

Mustered out in July 1864

Sounds of Guns for the 1st time in 145 years

This last weekend the 2nd Delaware was represented again on the field that saw the initial fighting of the Battle of Chancellorsville on May 1st, 1863. The unit took part in a reenactment of the May 1st Battle and respresented the US Regulars of the 5th Corps who engaged Confederate troops of Jackson's Corps and Mclaws and Rodes' Divisions. Towards the end of this engagement the Brooke's Brigade of the 2nd Corps was brought up to act as rear guard to cover the withdrawl of the Regulars from the field. The 2nd Delaware was in Brooke's Brigade and spent a majority of the time just to the west of where the modern 2nd Delaware was camped all weekend. It was a incredible experience to know we where camped on the exact field that those we represent had faced the Rebels.

Soldier Profile: Color Sgt. Jacob Boyd

Jacob Boyd,

24 years of age at Enlistment, 5’8”, born in Cecil County MD,

Enlisted 10/23/1861, Company I
Occupation before Enlistment: Blacksmith
Lived in Chester County prior to enlisting in the 2nd Delaware

11/25/1861: Promoted from Private to Sergeant
July to Nov. 1862 (?): Absent Recruiting, (probably not the entire time most likely from after returning from the Seven Days Battles in Early July till near Antietam in September and then from after Antietam till November)
Jan 1863 Promoted to Color Sergeant
July 2, 1863: Wounded in Action
July 7, 1863, Died of Wounds

Buried in Gettysburg National Cemetery


I have been in contact with a ancestor of Sgt. Boyd and have learned that the letters home of Sgt. Boyd are still in possession of the family. I will post more once I receive copies of the letter.

First Uniform of the 2nd Delaware

In 1861, the Regiment was formed in Wilmington, Delaware and went through camp of instruction at Camp Brandywine. At this time, the exact location of Camp Brandywine is not known. The unit at this time was wearing a state militia uniform and not the standard army uniform of the day. The Delaware Republican published a short article on the unit on August 1, 1861 which detailed the militia uniform of the regiment.

"The uniform of the regiment, consisting of army blue jacket and dark blue pantaloons, are made of good material and is vastly superior to the clothing of most of the three months volunteers. Their arms are U.S. muskets new and in good order."

Courtesy of Delaware Newspaper Project holdings in the Delaware Public Archives

Song of Co. G

Dedicated to the Second Delaware Volunteers,
by Sergeant Geo. W. Hass.


The Delaware boys ave atook their stand,
Huzza, Huzza, Huzza!
For God and for their native land,
Huzza, Huzza, Huzza!
They are the men who will not lag,
In fighting for their country’s flag,
Huzza, Huzza, Huzza!
In peace they are their country’s pride,
Huzza, Huzza, Huzza!
In war they’re fighting side by side,
Huzza, Huzza, Huzza!
They seek that spot where Ellsworth died,
And plant that banner our nation’s pride!
Huzza, Huzza, Huzza, Huzza, Huzza!
In Accomac we sought their fire,
Huzza, Huzza, Huzza!
We did advance, they did retire,
Huzza, Huzza, Huzza!
With coward hearts they slunk away,
With Yankee boys they’re afraid to play,
Huzza, Huzza, Huzza, Huzza, Huzza!
We hail from Philadelphia fair,
Huzza, Huzza, Huzza!
To join the Second Delaware,
Huzza, Huzza, Huzza!
And Captain Heishly you may see,
Has the command of Company G,
Huzza, Huzza, Huzza, Huzza, Huzza!


Source: Vol. 3 "Regimental Flag" Courtesy of Delaware Public Archives Collection

Pvt. Frederick Kugel

Pvt. Frederick Kugel

Enlisted in Company G on July 1st 1861 in Philadelphia, PA
Mustered out on June 30, 1864 at City Point, VA
At time of enlistment was 21 years of age,
5'9"
Light Complexion
Grey Eyes
Light Hair
Occupation: Baker
Born in Rottersdam, Germany
Was wounded on June 3, 1864 at the Battle of Cold Harbor