23rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 23rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry
regiment
that fought in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. Known for its colorful uniforms based upon the popular French
Zouave
style, the regiment served in the Eastern Theater
.
. Many members and the organization of the unit was drawn from the 1st Pennsylvania militia
regiment. Both Charles P. Dare and David B. Birney
retained their positions as colonel
and lieutenant colonel
, respectively. Capt. George C. Spear of Company A was elected major
. Three days after recruitment started, the newly formed regiment left for active duty.
After some garrison duty in their native Pennsylvania, the 23rd was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division of General Robert Patterson
's Army of the Shenandoah
. The unit's first fight was at the Battle of Falling Waters in the Shenandoah Valley
on July 21, 1861, although it suffered no casualties. One week later, it was ordered back to Philadelphia, where it was mustered out on July 31. Two days later, three companies were mustered in again for three years service. Dare was forced to resign his position due to disease (from which he would soon die). Birney was promoted to colonel, with Charles Wilhelm taking his place as lieutenant colonel. Spear remained as major.
By August, fifteen new companies had been raised, twelve from Philadelphia and one each from Pittsburg
, Wilkes-Barre
, and Columbia
. It was ordered to Washington, D.C.
, where it was assigned to the IV Corps
of the Army of the Potomac
. In February 1863, Birney was promoted to brigadier general
and Thomas H. Neill
replaced him as colonel. Soon afterwards, four companies were detached and became part of the 61st Pennsylvania Infantry. Spear, promoted to lieutenant colonel, was also assigned to the 61st. Another company was disbanded and its men distributed to the other companies.
The 23rd fought in the Peninsula Campaign
, not seeing much action until the Battle of Seven Pines
, where it lost 143 men in severe fighting. It faced only minor skirmishing
during the Seven Days Battles
, losing only a few men. In July, it was transferred back to Washington too late to fight in the nearby Second Battle of Bull Run
. However, the unit did see action at the subsequent Battle of Chantilly
, losing five men.
During the Maryland Campaign
, the 23rd Pennsylvania guarded the Potomac River
from White's Ferry
to Nolen's Ferry, along with the 36th New York Infantry
. During this time, it lost one officer and twenty-four men captured. In late September, it was transferred to the VI Corps
. The 23rd didn't fight in the first Battle of Fredericksburg
, but did in the Second Battle of Fredericksburg
. The unit had not been assigned an active role in the fighting, but when it saw another regiment rout, it charged in without orders, helping carry Marye's Heights. It saw more action at the subsequent Battle of Salem Church
.
At the Battle of Gettysburg
, the regiment supported Maj. Gen.
John Geary
's division on Culp's Hill
on July 3. In this battle, it suffered only minor losses, and primarily remained in reserve.
In the 1864 spring reorganization of the Army of the Potomac, the 23rd Pennsylvania was reassigned to the 4th Brigade, 1st Division, VI Corps. At the beginning of the Overland Campaign
, it guarded prisoners, rejoining the Army near the end of the Battle of North Anna
. At the Battle of Cold Harbor
, the 23rd lost 4 officers and 71 enlisted men killed, 5 officers and 111 enlisted men wounded, and 3 men captured in the ill-fated June 3 attack on the Confederate
lines. After several days of additional skirmishing, the regiment was transferred with the rest of the corps to Bermuda Hundred and from there crossed the Appomattox River
. Over the next few weeks, the unit fought in various actions during the Siege of Petersburg
.
On July 9, the 23rd was transferred with the rest of the VI Corps to Washington, D.C., in response to Jubal Early
's attack on the city
. After Early's retreat back into the Shenandoah Valley, the regiment, along with the VI and XIX Corps
followed the Confederates. On September 8, the 23rd was mustered out of service, with those men who enlistments had not expired yet being transferred to the 82nd Pennsylvania Infantry.
, portrays Company F. It was founded in March 2001 and has about 60 members. It is part of the 2nd Regiment of Vincent's Brigade.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
that fought in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Known for its colorful uniforms based upon the popular French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Zouave
Zouave
Zouave was the title given to certain light infantry regiments in the French Army, normally serving in French North Africa between 1831 and 1962. The name was also adopted during the 19th century by units in other armies, especially volunteer regiments raised for service in the American Civil War...
style, the regiment served in the Eastern Theater
Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
The Eastern Theater of the American Civil War included the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and the coastal fortifications and seaports of North Carolina...
.
History
Recruiting for the regiment commenced on April 18, 1861, at the Arsenal, at the corner of Sixteenth and Filbert streets in PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. Many members and the organization of the unit was drawn from the 1st Pennsylvania militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
regiment. Both Charles P. Dare and David B. Birney
David B. Birney
David Bell Birney was a businessman, lawyer, and a Union General in the American Civil War.-Early life:Birney was born in Huntsville, Alabama, the son of an abolitionist from Kentucky, James G. Birney. The Birney family returned to Kentucky in 1833, and James Birney freed his slaves...
retained their positions as colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
and lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
, respectively. Capt. George C. Spear of Company A was elected major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. Three days after recruitment started, the newly formed regiment left for active duty.
After some garrison duty in their native Pennsylvania, the 23rd was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division of General Robert Patterson
Robert Patterson
Robert Patterson was a United States major general during the Mexican-American War and at the beginning of the American Civil War...
's Army of the Shenandoah
Army of the Shenandoah (Union)
The Army of the Shenandoah was a Union army during the American Civil War. First organized in 1861 and then disbanded, it is best known for its recreation in 1864 under Philip Sheridan...
. The unit's first fight was at the Battle of Falling Waters in the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
on July 21, 1861, although it suffered no casualties. One week later, it was ordered back to Philadelphia, where it was mustered out on July 31. Two days later, three companies were mustered in again for three years service. Dare was forced to resign his position due to disease (from which he would soon die). Birney was promoted to colonel, with Charles Wilhelm taking his place as lieutenant colonel. Spear remained as major.
By August, fifteen new companies had been raised, twelve from Philadelphia and one each from Pittsburg
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
, and Columbia
Columbia, Pennsylvania
Columbia, once colonial Wright's Ferry, is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles southeast of Harrisburg on the left bank Susquehanna River across from Wrightsville and York County. Originally, the area may have been called Conejohela Flats, for the many islands and islets in the...
. It was ordered to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where it was assigned to the IV Corps
IV Corps (ACW)
There were two corps of the Union Army called IV Corps during the American Civil War. They were separate units, one serving with the Army of the Potomac and the Department of Virginia in the Eastern Theater, 1862–63, the other with the Army of the Cumberland in the Western Theater,...
of the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
. In February 1863, Birney was promoted to brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
and Thomas H. Neill
Thomas H. Neill
Thomas Hewson Neill, a native of Pennsylvania, became a general in the American Civil War, serving in the Army of the Potomac in some of its most important campaigns.-Birth and early years:Neill was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 9, 1826...
replaced him as colonel. Soon afterwards, four companies were detached and became part of the 61st Pennsylvania Infantry. Spear, promoted to lieutenant colonel, was also assigned to the 61st. Another company was disbanded and its men distributed to the other companies.
The 23rd fought in the Peninsula Campaign
Peninsula Campaign
The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...
, not seeing much action until the Battle of Seven Pines
Battle of Seven Pines
The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive up the Virginia Peninsula by Union Maj. Gen....
, where it lost 143 men in severe fighting. It faced only minor skirmishing
Skirmisher
Skirmishers are infantry or cavalry soldiers stationed ahead or alongside a larger body of friendly troops. They are usually placed in a skirmish line to harass the enemy.-Pre-modern:...
during the Seven Days Battles
Seven Days Battles
The Seven Days Battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, away from...
, losing only a few men. In July, it was transferred back to Washington too late to fight in the nearby Second Battle of Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
. However, the unit did see action at the subsequent Battle of Chantilly
Battle of Chantilly
The Battle of Chantilly took place on September 1, 1862, in Fairfax County, Virginia, as the concluding battle of the Northern Virginia Campaign of the American Civil War. Thomas J...
, losing five men.
During the Maryland Campaign
Maryland Campaign
The Maryland Campaign, or the Antietam Campaign is widely considered one of the major turning points of the American Civil War. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the North was repulsed by Maj. Gen. George B...
, the 23rd Pennsylvania guarded the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
from White's Ferry
White's Ferry
White's Ferry is a cable ferry service operating across the Potomac River. It is located six miles west of Poolesville, Maryland, and north of Leesburg, Virginia. It is the only ferry still operating on the Potomac River. The General Jubal A...
to Nolen's Ferry, along with the 36th New York Infantry
36th New York Infantry
The 36th New York State Volunteers was a New York Civil War regiment. It was a unique fighting force, composed of Irishmen and New York Britons. A colorful group known for its antics and in-fighting, it nevertheless made important contributions to the Union cause at such battles as Seven Pines,...
. During this time, it lost one officer and twenty-four men captured. In late September, it was transferred to the VI Corps
VI Corps (ACW)
The VI Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Formation:The corps was organized as the Sixth Provisional Corps on May 18, 1862, by uniting Maj. Gen. William B. Franklin's Division, which had just arrived on the Virginia Peninsula, with Maj. Gen. William F. Smith's...
. The 23rd didn't fight in the first Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
, but did in the Second Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg II
-References:** Catton, Bruce. Glory Road. Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Company, 1952. ISBN 0-385-04167-5.* * -External links:* *...
. The unit had not been assigned an active role in the fighting, but when it saw another regiment rout, it charged in without orders, helping carry Marye's Heights. It saw more action at the subsequent Battle of Salem Church
Battle of Salem Church
The Battle of Salem Church, also known as the Battle of Banks' Ford, took place on May 3–4, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, as part of the Chancellorsville Campaign of the American Civil War....
.
At the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
, the regiment supported Maj. Gen.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
John Geary
John W. Geary
John White Geary was an American lawyer, politician, Freemason, and a Union general in the American Civil War...
's division on Culp's Hill
Culp's Hill
Culps Hill is a Battle of Gettysburg landform south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, with a heavily wooded summit of . The east slope is to Rock Creek , 160 feet lower in elevation, and the west slope is to a saddle with Stevens Knoll with a summit lower than the Culps Hill summit...
on July 3. In this battle, it suffered only minor losses, and primarily remained in reserve.
In the 1864 spring reorganization of the Army of the Potomac, the 23rd Pennsylvania was reassigned to the 4th Brigade, 1st Division, VI Corps. At the beginning of the Overland Campaign
Overland Campaign
The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, directed the actions of the Army of the...
, it guarded prisoners, rejoining the Army near the end of the Battle of North Anna
Battle of North Anna
The Battle of North Anna was fought May 23–26, 1864, as part of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. It consisted of a series of small actions near the North Anna River in central Virginia, rather than a...
. At the Battle of Cold Harbor
Battle of Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 . It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles...
, the 23rd lost 4 officers and 71 enlisted men killed, 5 officers and 111 enlisted men wounded, and 3 men captured in the ill-fated June 3 attack on the Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
lines. After several days of additional skirmishing, the regiment was transferred with the rest of the corps to Bermuda Hundred and from there crossed the Appomattox River
Appomattox River
The Appomattox River is a tributary of the James River, approximately long, in central and eastern Virginia in the United States, named for the Appomattocs Indian tribe who lived along its lower banks in the 17th century...
. Over the next few weeks, the unit fought in various actions during the Siege of Petersburg
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
.
On July 9, the 23rd was transferred with the rest of the VI Corps to Washington, D.C., in response to Jubal Early
Jubal Anderson Early
Jubal Anderson Early was a lawyer and Confederate general in the American Civil War. He served under Stonewall Jackson and then Robert E. Lee for almost the entire war, rising from regimental command to lieutenant general and the command of an infantry corps in the Army of Northern Virginia...
's attack on the city
Battle of Fort Stevens
The Battle of Fort Stevens was an American Civil War battle fought July 11–12, 1864, in Northwest Washington, D.C., as part of the Valley Campaigns of 1864 between forces under Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early and Union Maj. Gen. Alexander McD. McCook. Although Early caused consternation...
. After Early's retreat back into the Shenandoah Valley, the regiment, along with the VI and XIX Corps
XIX Corps (ACW)
XIX Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It spent most of its service in Louisiana and the Gulf, though several units fought in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley....
followed the Confederates. On September 8, the 23rd was mustered out of service, with those men who enlistments had not expired yet being transferred to the 82nd Pennsylvania Infantry.
Reenactors
Currently, a group based in GettysburgGettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg is a borough that is the county seat, part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, and the eponym for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. The town hosts visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park and has 3 institutions of higher learning: Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg College, and...
, portrays Company F. It was founded in March 2001 and has about 60 members. It is part of the 2nd Regiment of Vincent's Brigade.
Casualties
- Killed and mortally wounded: 5 officers, 110 enlisted men
- Wounded: ? officers, ? enlisted men
- Died of disease: 3 officers, 70 enlisted men
- Captured or missing: ? officers, ? enlisted men
- Total casualties: ? officers, ? enlisted men