23rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry

First Call for Troops

THE First regiment, 3d Brigade, 1st Division of Pennsylvania militia, was organized under act of Assembly of 1858, and belonged exclusively to Philadelphia. Immediately after the first call for troops to serve for three months, Colonel Charles P. Dare, in behalf of the regiment, offered its services to the Executive of the Commonwealth, which were at once accepted. Recruiting commenced at the Arsenal, corner of Sixteenth and Filbert streets, on the 18th of April, 1861, and three days thereafter, the regiment left for active duty, having been mustered into the service of the United States on Sunday, April 21st, by Major C. F. Ruff, of the U. S. A., as the Twenty-third regiment Pennsylvania volunteers.

The officers were all active in recruiting, and received important aid, both material and moral, from a committee of citizens.The organization of the regiment was substantially preserved, the officers serving under their militia commissions. Colonel Charles P. Dare, Lieutenant Colonel David B. Birney, and Adjutant Casper S. Gillingham remained in the positions which they had for several years held. George C. Spear was elected Major on the 16th of April, from Captain of company A.

The regiment had no camp of rendezvous, having been ordered into active service on the day of its muster. The officers were all well versed in the school of the soldier, and were able to bring their men at once under discipline, and to impart to them skill in the practice of arms.

Defense of Washington

It moved on the evening of April 21st, to Perryville, on the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore railroad, where Colonel Dare was placed in command of the post, and the regiment was stationed, four companies at Perryville, two at Havre-de-Grace, two at Elkton, one at Bush river, and one at Gunpowder river, with intermediate guards along the road. The post and troops at Elkton were under the command of Major T.W. Sherman, U. S. A., afterwards Major General of volunteers, who had been ordered to report with his light battery for duty to Colonel Dare. There were also at Perryville, under Colonel Dare's orders, a fleet, of gunboats and transports, together with a marine battery, stationed on the wharves, and served by U. S. seamen. These were under the immediate command of Lieutenants Steadman and Watmough, U. S. N.

On the 28th of May, the regiment was relieved by the Eleventh Pennsylvania, Colonel Jarrett, and proceeded by rail to Chambersburg, where it was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division of Patterson's army. At this place the Adjutant of the regiment, C. S. Gillingham, was ordered to the staff of Colonel Thomas, as Acting Assistant Adjutant General, and so continued to the close of its term of service. From Chambersburg the Brigade marched to Greencastle, where it encamped, remaining about a week, and from thence to Williamsport, where it was employed in guarding the fords of the Potomac.

The enemy, at this time, were posted at Harper's Ferry, under command of General Joseph E. Johnston. When he perceived that General Patterson's army, which had been organized at Chambersburg, was about to cross the Potomac, he evacuated that post and retreated to Bunker Hill. On the 17th of June, Colonel Thomas' Brigade crossed the river, and advanced to Falling Waters in pursuit of the enemy, Cadwalader's entire Division being ordered to follow. At this juncture the regular cavalry and all the artillery, together with Colonel Thomas, were, by the command of General Scott, ordered away, and re-crossed the river, leaving the three regiments and City Troop under command of Colonel Dare, with orders to follow the next day. At daylight the retreat commenced, with a large body of rebel cavalry hanging on the flanks and rear, but re-crossed the river without an engagement, and encamped on the old ground at Williamsport.

Two days later, the cavalry and artillery which had been ordered away returned, and Colonel Thomas again assumed command of the Brigade. The Twenty-third remained at Williamsport until the 2d of July, when it again crossed the Potomac, with the entire army of General Patterson. Advancing to Falling Waters, fire was opened upon the head of the column by a body of rebels concealed in a wheat field and wood. During the skirmish which ensued, the Twenty-third supported Captain Perkins' battery, and although some few were killed and wounded in other regiments, it had no casualities.

Advancing on the following day to Martinsburg, four companies were selected for provost duty, Major Spear, by order of Colonel Thomas, assuming command in the town. On the 4th of July, at twelve o'clock M., the troops of the Brigade were drawn up on dress parade, while Captain Perkins' battery fired a salute, the regimental bands playing National airs. The column again advanced to Bunker Hill, where the twenty-third was sent out on three occasions, in conjunction with the cavalry, for reconnoissances.

On the 17th of June, the entire column moved to Charlestown, and encamped around the town, when the provost guard was again taken from the Twentythird. Its term of service having expired, it was ordered to Philadelphia, where it arrived on the 29th of July, and on the 31st was mustered out of service. The discipline and soldierly conduct of the regiment throughout its entire term was excellent, receiving the commendation of the commanding General. Nearly the entire regiment re-enlisted for three years, and was permitted to retain its old number, the Twenty-third Pennsylvania volunteers

Three Year Volunteers

THE campaign in the Shenandoah Valley had scarcely terminated, when the Twenty-third Regiment was re-organized for three years or the war. In the three months' service it formed part of the Brigade commanded by Colonel Thomas, and was a well drilled and efficient body. Lieutenant Colonel David B. Birney, with the approval of Colonel Dare, then suffering from a disease from which he soon after died, had received authority from the Secretary of War to recruit its ranks, and the Governor had given permission to retain its former number. The old regiment was mustered out on the 31st of July, and two days thereafter three Companies were mustered in for three years.

By the 14th of August it as filled to the maximum number, and went into camp near the Falls of Schuylkill. David B. Birney was commissioned Colonel, Charles Wilhelm, Lieutenant Colonel, George C. Spear, Major, and John Ely, Junior Major; James E. Collins was made Adjutant. Remaining but a few days in camp, it was ordered to Washington, and reported to General Burnside, in command of troops stationed in the neighhorhood of the Capital not brigaded.

On the 8th of September the regiment was transferred to Camp Graham, on Queen's farm, four miles north of Washington. Here, by authority of the War Department, it was recruited to fifteen companies, twelve of which were from Philadelphia, one from Pittsburg, one from Wilkesbarre and one from Columbia. Its first colors were presented by friends in Philadelphia, before proceeding to the field in the three months' service.

The State flag was presented on the 14th of December, on behalf of Gov. Curtin, by Hon. Galusha A. Grow, Speaker of the Lower House of Congress, and was responded to by Hon. Wm. D. Kelley, of the same body, from Philadelphia, and by Col. Birney. Extensive preparations had been made for this ceremony, the camp having been elaborately decorated with evergreens, an elegant dinner provided, and the occasion was honored by the presence of the Secretary of War, distinguished members of Congress, and influentia1 citizens of Philadelphia.

The Twenty-third was assigned to the First Brigade, First Division, Fourth Corps, and received careful instruction and discipline from Colonel Birney. The Division was drilled in evolutions of the line once a week by Gen. Buell, while he remained in command. In these exercises the regiment always paraded as two battalions, each battalion numbering as many men as any other single regiment in the Brigade. In addition to regular drill, the men were employed in building fortifications, cutting timber, and doing picket and guard duty. Forts Lincoln, Totten, Stevens and Cedar Hill, are witnesses of their industry.

About the middle of December typhoid fever prevailed, and one ofiicer and fifty men died. Subsequently the camp was moved to high and airy ground, near Bladensburg, and the disease disappeared. A large number of blankets and stockings, and fifteen hundred pairs of woolen mittens were presented to the men by their friends in Philadelphia.

On the 17th of February, 1862, Colonel Birney was appointed a Brigadier General, and Captain Thomas H. Neill, of the Fifth Infantry, succeeded him as Colonel. He assumed command on the 20th, and almost immediately after, was ordered to detach five companies, and to transfer four of them, L, O, P and R, with Major Spear as Lieutenant Colonel, to the Sixty-first Pennsylvania, Colonel Rippey, and to disband company M, distributing the men among the remaining ten companies, and mustering the officers out of service. This order was obeyed with much reluctance and under protest.