PA Civil War > Regiments > 23rd

23rd Pennsylvania Regiment - Birney's Zouaves *

Three Years' Service - Recruited in Philadelphia, PA


23rd PA Regiment Newspaper Articles




23rd PA Regiment Photographs




23rd PA Regiment Books




23rd PA Regiment Companies




23rd PA Regiment Organization, Service & Battles

    Organization
  • Organized at Philadelphia August 31, 1861.
  • Ordered to Washington, D.C., September.
  • Attached to Buell's (Couch's) Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862.
  • 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to July, 1862.
  • 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, to September, 1862.
  • 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1862.
  • 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 6th Army Corps, to January, 1864.
  • Johnson's Island, Sandusky, Ohio, to May 1864.
  • 4th Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to July, 1864.
  • 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Corps, Army of the Shenandoah, to September, 1864.
    Service & Battles - 1862
  • Duty in the Defences of Washington till March, 1862.
  • Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15.
  • Moved to the Virginia Peninsula March 26.
  • Warwick River April 4.
  • Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4.
  • Battle of Williamsburg May 5.
  • Operations about Bottom's Bridge May 20-23.
  • Reconnoissance toward Richmond May 23.
  • Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines, May 31-June 1.
  • Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1.
  • White Oak Swamp and Charles City Cross Roads June 30.
  • Malvern Hill July 1.
  • At Harrison's Landing till August 16.
  • Reconnoissance to Malvern Hill August 5-7.
  • Movement to Alexandria, thence to Chantilly August 16-30, Chantilly September 1.
  • Maryland Campaign September-October.
  • Guard Potomac from White's Ford to Nolan's Ferry September 11-24 during battles of South Mountain and Antietam.
  • White's Ford September 15. (Company "B" captured at Nolin's Ford September 15 by Colonel White's Command.)
  • Moved to Downsville September 24 and picket duty on the Potomac till November 1.
  • Movement to Falmouth, Va., November 1-19.
  • Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15.
    Service & Battles - 1863
  • "Mud March" January 20-24, 1863.
  • At Falmouth till April.
  • Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.
  • Operations at Franklin's Crossing April 29-May 2.
  • Fredericksburg, Maryes Heights, May 3.
  • Salem Heights May 3-4. Banks' Ford May 4.
  • Operations about Depp Run Ravine June 6-13.
  • Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2-4.
  • At Warrenton and Culpeper to October.
  • Bristoe Campaign October 9-22.
  • Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8.
  • Rappahannock Station November 7 (Reserve).
  • Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.
  • Regiment reenlisted December 30, 1863.
    Service & Battles - 1864
  • Veterans on furlough till February 11, 1864.
  • Moved to Johnson's Island, Lake Erie, Ohio, January 6, 1864, and guard Rebel Prisoners at that place till May 6.
  • Moved to Washington, D.C., May 9-13; thence to Belle Plains and guard Rebel Prisoners and escort trains to the front till May 23.
  • Rapidan Campaign May 23-June 12.
  • North Anna River May 23-26.
  • On line of the Pamunkey November 26-28.
  • Totopotomoy May 28-31.
  • Cold Harbor June 1-12.
  • Before Petersburg June 17-19.
  • Ream's Station, Weldon Railroad, June 22-23.
  • Siege of Petersburg till July 9.
  • Moved to Washington July 9-11.
  • Repulse Early's attack on Washington July 11-12.
  • Snicker's Gap Expedition July 14-18.
  • Operations in Shenandoah Valley till September.
  • Charlestown August 21.
  • Ordered home for muster out.
  • Mustered out September 8, 1864.
  • Veterans and Recruits transferred to 82nd PA Regiment September 8. 1864.
    Regimental Losses
  • Regiment lost during service 5 Officers and 110 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 70 Enlisted men by disease. Total 188.




23rd Regiment Medal of Honor Recipients

  • FASSETT, JOHN B.: Philadelphia, Captain, Company F, 23rd Pennsylvania Infantry.. Gettysburg, Pa., 2 July 1863. Citation given: 29 December 1894. While acting as an aide, voluntarily led a regiment to the relief of a battery and recaptured its guns from the enemy.




*Zouaves (pronounced zoo-ahh-vah), patterned after the French Zouaves, were elite units especially popular in the Union Army. They were known for their precision on the drill field and for their colorful uniforms consisting of gaiters, baggy pants, short red jackets with trim, and turbans or fezzes.