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J.W. Plume
(1839 - 1918)
Home State: New Jersey
Command Billet: AAG
Branch of Service: Staff
Unit: 3rd Division, 2nd Corps
Before Antietam
In 1857 he enlisted in Company C of the Newark City Battalion (militia), and was in the banking business. At the start of the War he enrolled as First Lieutenant and Adjutant, 2nd New Jersey Infantry on 29 May 1861. He was detached as aide-de-camp (ADC) to Brigadier General French on 15 February 1862, was appointed acting Assistant Adjutant-General (AAG) of the 3d Brigade, Sumner's Division on 1 June 1862; and acting AAG of the Division under General French on 9 September.
On the Campaign
He was acting AAG of French's Division on the Maryland Campaign.
The rest of the War
He resigned his commission on 19 December 1862, seeking a permanent staff commission. He was offered a Captaincy, but declined, believing he was "justly entitled to at least the rank of major". He was commissioned Major and brigade inspector, NJ National Guard in November 1863. He declined a commission as Lieutenant in the Regular Army later that year. He was offered the Colonelcy of the new 37th New Jersey Infantry for 100 days' service in mid-1864, but declined that also. He was appointed Colonel, 2nd Regiment, NJ Rifle Corps 6 July 1865.
After the War
He was commissioned Colonel, 2nd Regiment, NJ National Guard on 26 April 1869, and Brigadier General, First Brigade 8 May 1869. He was one of the organizers and cashier of the Manufacturer's National Bank of Newark from its founding in 1871 to at least 1892, rising to being the President. He was promoted Major General, commanding NJ NG on 4 April 1885. He was commissioned Brigadier General of Volunteers on 20 June 1898 for Spanish-American War service, and commanded the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Corps. His unit did not see combat, being largely at Camp Alger, VA, and he was honorably discharged on 31 October 1898. He resigned his National Guard command in 1899.
References & notes
Birth
08/23/1839; Troy, NY
Death
01/12/1918; Newark, NJ; burial in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Newark, NJ
1 Heitman, Francis Bernard, Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army 1789-1903, 2 volumes, Washington DC: US Government Printing Office, 1903, Vol. 1, pg. 795 [AotW citation 14616]
2 State of New Jersey, Adjutant-General's Office, and William Scudder Stryker, Adjutant General, Record of Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Civil War, 1861-1865, 2 volumes, Trenton: John L. Murphy, Steam Book and Job Printer, 1876, Vol. 1, pg. 102 [AotW citation 14615]
3 State of New Jersey, New Jersey Archives, Civil War Cartes de Visite, first accessed 01 January 2005, <http://www.nj.gov/state/archives/sdea4010.html>, Source page: /state/archives/sdea4010images6.html [AotW citation 14617]