23rd Illinois Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > Illinois

The 23rd Illinois Infantry Regiment lost 4 officers and 50 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 93 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War.

1861
Organized at Chicago, Ill.
June 15 The 23rd Illinois Infantry Regiment mustered in
July 14 Moved to Quincy, Ill.
July 21 To St. Louis, Mo., and to Jefferson City
September 8-11 March to Lexington
September 12-20 Siege of Lexington
September 20 Captured by Confederate General Sterling Price and paroled.
October 8 The regiment was mustered out by order of General Fremont
December 10 Restored by order of General McClellan
1862
December-June Reassembled at Chicago and assigned to guard prisoners at Camp Douglas
June 14 Moved to Harper’s Ferry. Attached to R. R. District, Mountain Department, Harper’s Ferry and New Creek.
July Duty at New Creek, Va. assigned to R. R. District, 8th Corps, Middle Department
September Assigned to R. R. District West Va.
September 1 Relief of Clarksburg, Va.
September 3 Relief of Parkersburg
November 9 Action at Moorefield, South Fork of the Potomac (Companies B, D, K).
1863
January Assigned to New Creek, Va., Defenses Upper Potomac, 8th Corps, Middle Department
January 3-4 Relief of Colonel Washburn at Moorefield
March Assigned to 5th Brigade, 1st Division, 8th Corps
April 25 Moved to Grafton
April 25 Company G in skirmish at Greenland Gap
April 26 Phillippi and Altamont (Detachment)
April 28 Rowlesburg (Companies B, F, I)
April 29 Fairmont (Company K)
June Assigned to Mulligan’s Brigade, Scammon’s Division Dept. of West Virginia
July Pursuit of Lee
July 6 Hedgesville and Back Creek
August 16 At Petersburg, W. Va.
September 4 Petersburg Gap
September 11 South Fork (Co. I)
November 8-9 Moorefield
December Assigned to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, West Virginia
December 8-25 Demonstration from Kanawha Valley, W. Va.
1864
December 31-
January 5		 Operations In Hampshire and Hardy Counties
January 27 – February 7 Operations In Hampshire and Hardy Counties
January 29-30 Medley
February 21-22 Scout to Moorefield (Detachment)
April Regiment veteranized at New Creek and on furlough until June. Assigned to Kelly’s Command, Reserve Division, West Virginia
May 5 Raid on Baltimore & Ohio Railroad between Bloomfield and Piedmont (Non-Veterans)
July 3 Leetown
July 4-7 Operations about Harper’s Ferry assigned to 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry, Division West Virginia
July 4-6 Bolivar Heights
July 6-7 Maryland Heights
July 17-18 & July 20 Snicker’s Ferry
July 24 Kernstown (or Winchester)
July 30 Medley
August 7 –
November 28

Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign

Assigned to 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, West Virginia
August 12 Cedar Creek
August 17 Winchester
August 22-23 Halltown
September 3 Berryville
September 19

Third Battle of Winchester (Battle of Opequan)
September 22

Battle of Fisher’s Hill

Private John Creed of Company D was awarded the Medal of Honor “for extraordinary heroism” for capturing a Confederate flag.
September-December Duty In the Shenandoah Valley
December 30

Siege of Petersburg

Moved to Petersburg front for siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond and duty in the trenches before Richmond and on the Bermuda Hundred front. Attached to 2nd Brigade, Independent Division, 24th Corps, Army of the James.
1865
March 27-28 Moved to Hatcher’s Run
March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign
April 1

Hatcher’s Run
April 2

Assault on Fort Gregg and fall of Petersburg
April 3-9 Pursuit of Lee
April 9

Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.
April-July Duty in the Department of Virginia
June Assigned to 1st Brigade, Independent Division, 24th Army Corps
July 24 The 23rd Illinois Infantry Regiment mustered out at Richmond, Va.
July 30 Discharged at Chicago, Ill.