Battle of Gettysburg

Battle of Gettysburg

Re-crossing the river, the regiment started on the Gettysburg campaign, and was repeatedly engaged in picket duty while on the march. The weather intensely hot, and the movements at times forced, told heavily upon the endurance of the men, and in a march of eighteen miles on the 16th, twenty-two of the division suffered sun-stroke, from the effects of which six died.

Crossing the Potomac at Edwards' Ferry, Sedgwick's Corps marched via Poolesville, New Market and Manchester to Westminster, where it arrived on the 30th of June. Here it remained in camp until the evening of the 1st of July, when, at eight o'clock, orders to march were received, with intelligence that a battle was in progress at Gettysburg, thirty miles away, and that Reynolds had fallen.

The corps was at once put in motion, the men in high spirits, cheering and singing as they went. Without pausing for a moment's rest, the column hastened on over the weary miles, and arriving on the battle-field at four o'clock on the evening of the 2d, was immediately ordered to the support of the Fifth Corps, which had been desperately engaged during the day. Forming in mass it started at a double quick, every man cheering to the full capacity of his lungs. The enemy dispirited by the appearance of fresh troops soon fell back, and only one brigade of the Sixth became engaged.

On the morning of the 3d, the Twentythird was ordered to reinforce General Geary's Division of the Twelfth Corps, at Culp's Hill, on the extreme right. At ten o'clock, A.M., Lieutenant Colonel Glenn, commanding in the absence of Colonel Ely, was ordered to detail two hundred men and eight officers to advance as skirmishers and test the significance of the lull in the enemy's fire. Colonel Glenn, detaching the right wing, companies A, D, G, H and F, leaving the left under command of Major Wallace, advanced about fifteen paces beyond the breast-works, when they were met by so terrific a fire that they were compelled to lie down under protection of the line occupying the works. Soon afterwards, an order was received from General Geary to return, which was executed in good order and with small loss.

The regiment remained in line, firing at short range, until relieved by an Ohio regiment, when it retired about one hundred yards under shelter of a small ravine. Soon after, the enemy opened with all his artillery - prelude to his last grand charge - when it was ordered to reinforce the left centre, upon which the whole rebel fire was concentrated. In executing this order, it was compelled to cross an open plain, under as heavy a fire of artillery as ever rocked a battle field. The Twenty-third suffered little, though the balance of the brigade lost heavily.

After marching from point to point during the day, it finally rested for the night on the line where the First Division of the Second Corps grappled with the foe in his last desperate struggle. The 4th was spent in skirmishing with the enemy, bringing in the wounded, and burying the dead. The loss during the battle was two officers and twenty-nine men, killed and wounded.

Discovering on the morning of the 5th, that the enemy were retreating, the Sixth Corps was ordered in pursuit, and coming up with his rear guard on the Chambersburg pike, five miles from Gettysburg, commenced skirmishing. At daylight on the morning of the 5th, the regiment moved to the support of the cavalry, and was at once placed on the skirmish line. The corps encamped near the town of Fairfield, and the Twenty-third was detailed for picket duty during the night, capturing and bringing in eighty-three prisoners.

Abandoning the direct line of pursuit, the corps moved to the left, through Emmittsburg, and attempted to cross the mountains with artillery to Middletown; but the road being a difficult one, the night very dark and the rain descending in torrents, the heavy pieces were soon fast in the mud, and had to be taken apart before they could be turned about, and got back upon the main road through Frederick. A fragment of the corps reached the summit at midnight, while the greater portion were resting on the road, or were lost on their march up.

On the 10th it fell in with the enemy near Funkstown, where a spirited engagement ensued, It remained in line during the entire day of the 11th, and in attempting to push forward, the skirmishers lost heavily. On the 12th, it was ascertained that the enemy had fallen back during the previous night to a strong position, and was entrenched. The Union lines were at once formed in front of it, and orders were issued to build breast-works, and be in readiness to attack at daylight.

Morning found the works completed, and the army in line ready for the onset, but at eight o'clock the order to attack was countermanded, and the troops remained inactive during the entire day. On the following night the enemy escaped across the river, and further pursuit was abandoned. An examination of his position, showed it to have been another Malvern Hill, and had the Union army attacked, it would doubtless have shared the fate of the rebels on that memorable field.

Warrenton

Marching back to Berlin, the regiment halted for rest, and was there inspected and supplied with clothing. On the 19th, the corps crossed the Potomac, and proceeding to Manassas Gap, supported the Third and Fifth Corps in their passage, and moved on to Chester Gap, and thence to Warrenton, where it went into Camp, laying out and decorating the grounds in an elaborate and tasteful manner in the hope of permanent occupation. But on the 15th of August, the regiment was ordered to the mouth of the north fork of the Rappahannock. Leaving five companies at the cross roads of the Orleans and Waterloo pike, the remaining five were placed to guard the bridges and fords of the river.

On the 17th of August it was relieved from picket duty, and ordered back to its old camp, where it was reinforced by one hundred and forty-six drafted men, and the brigade was detached from the Third Division, and joined to the Second under Genera1 Howell.

Division drill was ordered for every day in the week, and inspection and review on Sunday, a severe ordea1 for dog-days. Sunstroke was not uncommon, making it necessary for the officers to establish hospitals on the drill ground, the same as if going into action.

Culpepper

Colonel Ely re-joined the regiment on the second of September, and assumed command, and on the 16th it broke camp and moved to the neighborhood of Culpepper. Remaining till the 1st of October, it again struck tents and made a forced march, in a furious rain-storm, to Catlett's station, and, with the corps, was posted as guard to the Orange and Alexandria railroad, the army still at Culpepper. Here the regiment remained doing fatigue duty upon breast-works, and picketing the lines, till the 12th, when all the rolling stock of the road, filled with government property, arrived at Warrenton Junction, and four companies under command of Captain Rees, were sent to guard them.

Late in the evening a report was received that the enemy was advancing, when the balance of the regiment, and one company of the Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, were ordered to reinforce the guard, and during the night the rest of the brigade, under General Shaler, was sent to its succor. At daylight, the army began to arrive and the stores were safe.

Bristoe Campaign

On the morning of the 15th the brigade marched to Centreville, and formed in line of battle, at the same time that the Second Corps was engaged at Bristoe Station. Remaining until three o'clock on the following morning, it moved to Chantilly and again formed in line. The rebel army refusing to accept the wager of battle offered, and, beginning to retire, the Union army was ordered forward, the Sixth Corps reaching Warrenton on the 21st, after considerable skirmishing, the regiment going into camp in its old quarters.

Advance to line of the Rappahannock

On the morning of November 7th it again struck tents, and marching to Rappahannock station, was in line during the brilliant engagement of the Sixth Corps at that place, resulting in the capture of two thousand prisoners with all their small arms,severa1 colors and four pieces of artillery.

On the 8th it moved to Kelly's ford, and crossing the river on the following day, was detailed to destroy rebel fortifications. One of these forts had a checkered history. It was first built by General Pope and faced to the south. When Lee approached the right bank of the river, he changed it to face to the north. Upon the advance of Meade to Culpepper, "about face", was the order, and it again looked to the south. As Lee advanced on the retreat of the Union army to Centreville it was elaborately reconstructed and made to frown upon the north; and now, for the fifth time, spade and pick are busy on its surface, and it again faces with the advancing column.

Mine Run Campaign

Proceeding to Brandy station on the 13th , it remained in camp till the 27th, when it started on the Mine Run expedition, crossing the Rapidan at Germania ford. At half a mile from the river it formed in line, where French's troops had already engaged the enemy.

On the following day it marched to Robinson's tavern and took position on the right of the line, and Sunday morning, 29th, was ordered to support General Gregg's Cavalry. On the 30th it was assigned to the extreme left of the army, with orders to prepare for a charge, which was to be made at eight o'clock. The charge was never made, and lying exposed to intense cold without fire until the night of December 1st, the whole army fell back, the regiment re-crossing the river at Ely's ford, and proceeding to its old camp. The loss in the campaign was one killed and seven wounded.

On the 6th of December Colonel Ely resigned, on account of wounds and sickness contracted in the line of duty, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Colonel John F. Glenn, who was commissioned Colonel. Major William Wallace received the commission of Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain Henry Rees that of Major. Brigadier General Alexander Shaler commanded the brigade. The friends of the regiment in Philadelphia gave a ball for its benefit, and with the proceeds, six hundred pairs of woolen gloves and a beautiful stand of colors, bearing the names of the battles in which the regiment had been engaged were procured.

A short time previous ear-comforters for the men had been provided by patriotic ladies in Bucks county. As an incentive to heroism, Colonel Ely had distributed in September previous, one hundred silver medals for that number of enlisted men who were designated by their company officers as most deserving of merit in the bayonet charge at Marye's Heights, May 3d, 1863.

Regiment reenlisted

Veterans on furlough

On the 30th of December, in compliance with the proposition of the government, two hundred of the regiment re-enlisted as veteran volunteers, and proceeded under command of Colonel Glenn, to Philadelphia, on a veteran furlough.

Johnson's Island - Guarding Rebel Prisoners

The balance of the regiment, under Major Wallace, remained in camp at Brandy Station until the 6th of January, when, with the brigade, it was ordered to Johnson's island, Lake Erie, and proceeded thither via Wheeling and Sandusky. From the latter place, the troops marched across the lake to the island on the ice. Here they remained guarding prisoners consisting of four thousand two hundred rebel officers and enjoyed a period of repose, having comfortable quarters, and abundant rations. On he 11th of February they were joined by the veterans under Colonel Glenn.

Belle Plains - Guarding Rebel Prisoners

On the 9th of May, the Twenty-third and Eighty-second Pennsylvania regiments were ordered to the front, and arriving at Washington on the 13th, proceeded on the following day to Belle Plain. The campaign in the Wilderness had already opened, and, as the first fruits of the desperate encounters, seven thousand rebel prisoners were gathered in at this point.

The newly arrived regiments were ordered to report to General Abercrombie, in command of prisoners, and were assigned to guard them. Colonel Isaac C. Bassett of the Eighty-second, was placed in command of both regiments, and Colonel Glenn was made commissary of prisoners. The prisoners were formed into companies. Of one hundred each, men from the same State being kept together and separate from the others. Rolls were made and the companies were sent to Point Lookout, Fort Delaware and other depots.

Train Escort

After completing this work, the regiment was ordered to join the brigade, which, since the breaking up of the Third Division, had become the Fourth Brigade, First Division of the Sixth Corps. It marched to Fredericksburg, and was detailed to guard a supply train of five hundred wagons on the way to the front. Delivering the train near Bowling Green, it crossed the North Anna River and joined the brigade.

North Anna River

Moving with the division for the destruction of the Virginia Central railroad, it reached its destination after a hard march, and the work of burning ties, heating and twisting rails, and demolishing bridges, was commenced. In the midst of a heavy storm, the division bivouacked, but at ten o'clock was ordered out to throw up breast-works, toiling nearly the entire night.

Pamunkey

On the morning of the 26th, the division returned, and re-crossing the North Anna, after a march of forty miles, reached the Pamunky, and on the 29th proceeded to Hanover Court House, where the Twenty-third was immediately placed on the skirmish line, remaining out a1l night and losing two men wounded.