Civil War Union Army Officer. He began his Civil War military service when he enlisted in the 3rd New Jersey Militia regiment soon after the Confederate bombardment of Fort Sumter. Mustered in as a Private in Company B on April 27, 1861, he served with the 3rd Militia through the July 1861 First Bull Run Campaign, where it was held in reserve. Mustered out at the expiration of his enlistment on July 31, 1861, he re-enlisted in the Union Army a few days later, joining the 6th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry on August 7, 1861. Mustered in as a Sergeant in Company B on August 26, 1861, he served in this role through the regiment's garrison duty in 1861, and in the intial May 1862 battles of General George McClellan's Penninsular Campaign. On May 26, 1862 he was promoted to the 1st Sergeant of Company B, and held this position through the August 1862 Battle of Second Bull Run. On September 1, 1861 he was promoted to the Sergeant Major of the 6th New Jersey Infantry, replacing the promoted Joseph C. Lee. His time as the unit's top enlisted man did not last long, for after the December 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg, he was commissioned on January 16, 1863 as a 2nd Lieutenant in Company E, filling the vacancy caused by the promotion of Lieutenant Frederick Homer. After serving through the May 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville, he was promoted for a final time, this time to 1st Lieutenant of Company F, replacing the also promoted Lieutenant Joseph Hayes. He served through the July 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, the May 1864 Battles of The Wilderness and Spotsylvania, and the Summer 1864 Battles around Petersburg, Virginia before being honorably mustered out on September 7, 1864 at the expiration of his enlistment.