When the war began, Edward, age 30, was commissioned as a surgeon to the 3rd NJ Militia April 27, 1861. No detail on Taylor’s activities is available prior to the battle of Bull Run, however, his participation at Old Stone Church, the main Union “hospital” is documented. Bilby and Goble comment, “His compassion earned him the dubious distinction of becoming New Jersey’s first prisoner of war”ⁱⁱⁱ. 

Camile Baquet^iv , an officer of the 1st NJ Volunteers who wrote an extensive history of the First Brigade, quotes Thomas Tillou of Elizabeth NJ:

"I shall always remember them, and the Old Stone Church at Centreville was filled with wounded and those who died….Our surgeon, Taylor, of the First New Jersey regiment, we left to care for and relieve their wants to the best of his ability. When the rebels advanced after our retreat they took possession of the church and denied Surgeon Taylor the right to assist and relieve the wounded. They took away from him all of his instruments and tools, and also stripped him of his coat, vest, hat and his shoes, and made him walk a number of miles barefooted with the bayonets prodding him at every stop to rest. This I got from Surgeon Taylor when he was exchanged as as prisoner of war. He never recovered his health and from the treatment at the hands of the rebels. He was very much emaciated until he passed the great divide.” 

In contrast to this report, an article in the New York Times, August 14, 1861, headlined, 

“Important from Fort Monroe, Arrival of Released Prisoners. 

A flag of truce came down here from Norfolk this afternoon, bringing a number of released prisoners captured the by rebels at Bull Run. The following are the names of a number of surgeons who remained with the wounded after our forces fell back, and who were released on their parole. Edward F. Taylor, first New Jersey regiment, Jacob H. Stewart, First Minnesota, Eugene Peugnet, 71st New York, Foster Swift, 8th NY, Gustavus Winston, 8th NY, Norvell, 79th NY, SC Hunkins, 4th Maine, Dr. Allen, 2nd Maine , BF Braxton, 5th Maine, Dr. Lewis, 2nd Wisconsin. They all declare that they have been most courteously and kindly treated by the military authorities of the confederate States and give a most unqualified denial to all the stories of killing or ill treatment of the wounded national soldiers.”

The contradictory nature of these two reports gives one pause. At some point, Taylor was transferred to a Skeleton Regiment of New Jersey at Camp Parole MD with a muster out date of 6/24/64.

In the 1870 US Census, Taylor is living in Keyport NJ with two persons who appear to be servants. In those days, Keyport was a summer resort popular with New Yorkers trying to escape the heat. There is no indication that Taylor resumed medical practice. In this year, the Monmouth District Medical Society made him an Honorary Member which might be an indication of inability to practice. In the 1880 Census he has returned to Middletown NJ but is still living with two servants. Perhaps he eventually did recover his health as in October, 1896 there is a report of a terrible wagon- train accident in the heart of Middletown which resulted in the death of a town doctor and his granddaughter. Several local doctors responded to the scene, including Edward Taylor. 

Taylor never married and died December 10, 1909. He is buried in Fairview Cemetery in Fairview NJ. ^v 

i Reunion of the Family of Joseph Taylor at Middletown, New Jersey in 1861.  1861.  Wm. Everdell’s Sons Printers, 104 Fulton St. NY.
ii History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Published under the patronage of the Shrewsbury Historical Society.
Published by Polyanthos, Inc. Cottonport LA.  LOC 73-90928.
iii   Joseph Bilby and William Goble, Remember you are Jerseymen.  Longstreet House, Hightstown NJ
iv  Camile Baquet.History of the First Brigade, New Jersey Volunteers from 1861 to 1865,  Published by the State of New Jersey, 1910.  Reprinted by Stan Clark Military Books, Gettysburg PA, page 315
v   C. Eckardt and R. MacAvoy, 2006.“Our Brothers Gone Before”, Longstreet House, PO Box 730, Hightstown, NJ 08520

Submitted by: Valerie Josephson