Bridging the Historical Gap: Fort Lee and the Civil War

When it comes to Fort Lee’s history, its seminal role in both the Revolutionary War and the early film industry are well documented, but little is known about the years in between. In honor of the 150^th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, the Fort Lee Historical Society hosted a free lecture by Fort Lee Historical Society member, and local Civil War historian Al Palzer at the Fort Lee Museum Tuesday evening. With his presentation, “Fort Lee’s Civil War Soldiers,” Palzer is seeking to bridge the gap and provide a landscape for Fort Lee in the mid-to-late nineteenth century.

Palzer’s quest for information began with the tombstone of Private James Conway that rests in Madonna Cemetery. Conway was killed in action at Antietam in 1862. Were there any other men from Fort Lee who fought in the Civil War? This simple question led Palzer on a search in which he unearthed a part of history that cannot be found in any history book. Because the information he was seeking is obscure and not readily found in any of the tomes written about Civil War history, Palzer conducted painstaking research, reviewing 19th century government census reports, newspaper accounts and obituaries in an effort to connect the dots back to Fort Lee. What he found is remarkable.

In the course of his research Palzer discovered Edward Jardine’s obituary, a find that led to further discoveries. Jardine, a Fort Lee resident, was commissioned as an officer in the Union Army at the start of the war and rose to the rank of General by the time of his discharge in 1865.  

Shortly after war was declared, there was a patriotic outpouring from the men in New Jersey and many militias were raised. On September 22, 1862 a regiment from Bergen County was raised, comprised in part of men from Fort Lee. At that time Fort Lee was part of Hackensack Township. It was approximately four square miles and encompassed not only the southern part of Englewood Cliffs, but sections of Edgewater as well. Because so many militias were raised and federalized, many regiments were sent to fight under the banner of other northern states, which is where the difficulty lies in trying to decipher who was from where. Jardine’s New Jersey regiment was assigned to the 9^th New York Volunteers, an infantry regiment also known as the Hawkins Zouaves. It was here that Jardine was commissioned an officer.

According to the 1899 New York State Adjutant General’s Report these men were listed as members of the 9^th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment Co. G who resided in Fort Lee:

Captain Edward Jardine

Sgt. Charles W. Glaser

Private Frederick Brinkman

The report lists the names of other men who may have been from Fort Lee, but their residence is listed only as Hackensack Township. More research is needed to determine where within the Hackensack Township they resided.

In 1862 Jardine’s regiment joined the Army of the Potomac and saw action in many places including Antietam and Fredericksburg where Jardine was twice wounded.

After his unit was disbanded in 1863, having served the two-year enlistment term, Jardine returned to New York. During the summer of 1863, he called upon former Hawkins Zouaves members to help control the rioters during the violent New York Draft Riots. It was here that Jardine was severely wounded when he was shot in the hip.

Two years after being honorably discharged from service he returned to Fort Lee (to Parker Avenue), where he was the editor and publisher of the Daily Times in Jersey City until he took the position of clerk for the New Jersey Legislature in 1869. Jardine was very active in local politics and ran for public office several times when in 1871 he was elected as the first freeholder. President Ulysses S. Grant gave him an appointment at the New York U.S. Custom House where he worked for the next two decades until his previous war injuries forced him to retire. Jardine was issued money for his war wounds and he used it to help build Fort Lee’s Church of the Good Shepherd.

Palzer concluded his presentation with a video montage of Civil War Images put to song. About Town is happy to report that the presentation was well attended; it was standing room only.

FORT LEE FILM COMMISSION ANNOUNCES SPRING CLIFFHANGER SERIES TO HONOR FALLEN WWII MARINE

The Fort Lee Film Commission has announced that its Spring Cliffhanger Series will be a screening of HBO’s The Pacific. The Pacific, a five part series that focuses on the United States Marine Corps’ actions in the Pacific theater of WWII, will be shown over the course of five weeks from May 7 to June 4 in honor of WWII Marine Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone who is to be inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame on June 5.  

The series begins on May 7 with New Jersey Hall of Fame Executive Director Don Jay Smith and Fort Lee V.F.W. Commander James Viola opening this series to honor the induction of Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone into New Jersey’s Hall of Fame. Basilone, the only enlisted Marine in WWII who was killed in action on Iwo Jima and recipient of the Medal of Honor, the Navy Cross, and the Purple Heart, had previously been passed over for induction into New Jersey’s Hall of Fame. Although Basilone was not from Fort Lee, Commander Viola successfully spearheaded the efforts to have Basilone inducted. Viola also dedicated a section of the V.F.W.’s Wall of Fame on Center Avenue to Basilone. 

The series will be shown on consecutive Saturday evenings May 7 through June 4 at 7pm at the Jack Alter Community Center, 1355 Inwood Terrace, second floor. This series is free and open to the public.