8 5 7 – 5 8 . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁present ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Sul fer ino ▁during ▁the ▁Italian ▁Camp aign s ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 8 – 5 9 . ▁ ▁Civil ▁War ▁service ▁When ▁the ▁Civil ▁War ▁started ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁Re vere ▁tried ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Union ▁Navy ▁but ▁was ▁informed ▁that ▁there ▁were ▁no ▁officer ▁sl ots ▁available ▁for ▁him . ▁Having ▁been ▁appointed ▁as ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Milit ia ▁during ▁the ▁governor ship ▁of ▁Rod man ▁Price , ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁en list ▁in ▁the ▁Union ▁Army . ▁Re vere ▁was ▁appointed ▁Colonel ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Vol unte er ▁Infantry ▁and ▁led ▁it ▁into ▁in ▁the ▁Pen ins ula ▁Camp aign ▁and ▁the ▁Seven ▁Days ▁Battle . ▁Re vere ▁then ▁fought ▁at ▁the ▁Second ▁Battle ▁of ▁Bull ▁Run ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁comm ended ▁for ▁his ▁bra very . ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 8 6 2 ▁Joseph ▁Re vere ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁brig ad ier ▁general ▁of ▁U . S . ▁Vol unte ers . ▁At ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Freder icks burg ▁he ▁led ▁a ▁brig ade ▁but ▁saw ▁little ▁action . ▁He ▁was ▁later ▁named ▁to ▁command ▁the ▁Excel si or ▁Brigade . ▁ ▁Re vere ' s ▁most ▁personally ▁challeng ing ▁moment ▁of ▁his ▁Civil ▁War ▁career ▁came ▁after ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Chan cell ors ville ▁when ▁' bl ame ' ▁was ▁being ▁assigned ▁for ▁the ▁Union ▁Army ' s ▁loss . ▁After ▁charg ing