Born on September 30, 1825, a native of Scotland. Campbell arrived in New York City on June 30, 1828, and was naturalized on October 20, 1848. He resided in Watertown, NY and when he was 37 years old he enlisted at Watertown, New York on September 11, 1862, as a Captain in the 10th New York Heavy Artillery, and was commissioned into Co. "M" New York 10th Heavy Artillery on September 11, 1862.   He was later promoted to the rank of Major, one source says on January 14, 1863, another says  on February 4, 1863, and then to Lieutenant Colonel on June 27, 1865; but was not mustered.   On February 4, 1865 Campbell was transferred within the regiment from Company M to Field and Staff and Campbell was wounded in action on April 2, 1865.  

On July 18, 1865 Campbell was transferred out of Field and Staff of his Regiment into the Field & Staff of the New York 6th Heavy Artillery. He was finally mustered out of service completely on August 24, 1865 at Washington, DC.  The 10th New York Heavy Artillery in which  a  3-years enlistment was standard, was organized in December 31, 1862 at Sackett’s Harbor, New York, under Colonel Alexander Piper, of the 4th, 5th and 7th Battalions of Artillery.
 
The consolidation came about from orders of the War Department, on December 27, 1862. Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G and M were consolidated and mustered into the service on September 11th, with H and I following on September 12th. On November 12th Company K was mustered at Staten Island, followed by Company L on December 27, 1862 at Fort Schuyler.   They began their tour in March 1863 with the defence of the Potomac under the Department of Washington D.C.. The 4th Battalion served at Fort Richmond and Sandy Hook in New York Harbour from September 1862 until June 1863, when it left to join the other battalions.  

The 5th and 7th Battalions left New York on September 17, 1862, and served in the Defences of Washington, D. C. along with the 3rd Brigade, Haskins' Division, 22nd Corps.   The regiment left Washington on May 24, 1864 and in June 1864 was assigned to the Army of the James and served in the 4th Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Corps, from June 5, 1864; in the 1st Brigade, 2d Division, 18th Corps, from June 24, 1864; in the 1st Brigade, DeRussy's Division, transferred back to the defence of the Potomac in July 1864, to the 22d Corps, from August, 1864; in the 2d Brigade, Provisional Division, with the Army of the

 

Shenandoah, from September 27, 1864; back again to defending the Potomac in December 1864 and in the 2d Brigade, Ferrero's Division, Army of the James, at Bermuda Hundred, from December, 1864, as heavy artillery and infantry; with the Army of the James in April 1865 and Campbell wound up the war in an Infantry Division Defending Bermuda Hundred. Campbell’s battalion remained in service until June 23, 1865.  On June 23d, 1865 the regiment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George DePeyster Arden, was honorably discharged and mustered out of service at Petersburg, Virginia. Those men not entitled to a discharge were transferred to Companies E, F and G which were assigned to the 6th New York Volunteer Artillery, a second organization, as Companies E, F and G; on July 19, 1865.   During their tour of duty the New York 10th Heavy Artillery lost none of its officers but had 47 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 218 die of disease or accidents.

Like many soldiers James Brown Campbell returned home after the war remaining in and around New York State until his appearance in Melbourne in1878 or 1879. Not much is known about his life after the war, except that he resided in Melbourne and was scalded by hot water at the City Bath, on March 19, 1905 and died of shock on March 30, 1905. James Brown Campbell today is buried in Boroondara Cemetery in Kew, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. His obituary stated that he was a widower, with a grown up family in Chicago, Illinois.

 
         
 
 

Melbourne City Public Baths

Boroondara Cemetery, Kew, Victoria

Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. vol 1.

Lyman Baker, Commander, Sydney Camp 41, Ithaca, NY

The Union Army, Vol. 2

War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and

      Confederate Armies, Washington, Series I, Vol. 36 & 46

PHOTOS

Tom Jones & Floyd DeWitt

Lyman Baker, Commander, Sydney Camp 41, Ithaca, NY