{"history":[],"article":{"id":"ce7c740e-fa8e-43fa-bc07-285ec80009bf","title":"23rd Illinois Infantry Regiment","slug":"23rd-illinois-infantry-regiment","content":":::summary\n![Illinois state flag](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Flag///of///Illinois.svg)\n**Unit Name:** 23rd Regiment Illinois Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers · \"The First Irish\" \n**Image Size:** 100 \n**Dates:** June 15, 1861, to July 24, 1865 \n**Country:** [United States](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states) \n**Allegiance:** [Union](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-american-civil-war) \n**Branch:** [Infantry](https://bliptext.com/articles/infantry) \n**Battles:** [Siege of Lexington](https://bliptext.com/articles/first-battle-of-lexington)
Relief of [Clarksburg](https://bliptext.com/articles/clarksburg-west-virginia)
Relief of [Parkersburg](https://bliptext.com/articles/parkersburg-west-virginia)
Relief of [Moorefield](https://bliptext.com/articles/moorefield-west-virginia)
[Pursuit of Lee](https://bliptext.com/articles/retreat-from-gettysburg)
[Hedgesville](https://bliptext.com/articles/hedgesville-west-virginia) and Back Creek
[Kanawha Valley](https://bliptext.com/articles/kanawha-valley)
[Hampshire](https://bliptext.com/articles/hampshire-county-west-virginia) and [Hardy Counties, West Virginia](https://bliptext.com/articles/hardy-county-west-virginia)
Scout to [Moorefield](https://bliptext.com/articles/moorefield-west-virginia)
Raid on [Baltimore and Ohio Railroad](https://bliptext.com/articles/baltimore-and-ohio-railroad)
[Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign](https://bliptext.com/articles/valley-campaigns-of-1864)
[Second Battle of Kernstown](https://bliptext.com/articles/second-battle-of-kernstown)
[Third Battle of Winchester](https://bliptext.com/articles/battle-of-opequon)
[Siege of Petersburg](https://bliptext.com/articles/siege-of-petersburg)
[Assault on Ft Gregg-Fall of Petersburg](https://bliptext.com/articles/third-battle-of-petersburg)
[Appomattox Campaign](https://bliptext.com/articles/appomattox-campaign)
[Surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia](https://bliptext.com/articles/battle-of-appomattox-court-house) \n:::\n\n# \nThe **23rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment**, known as the \"First Irish\" or \"Irish 'Brigade'\", was an [infantry](https://bliptext.com/articles/infantry) [regiment](https://bliptext.com/articles/regiment) that served in the [Union Army](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-army) during the [American Civil War](https://bliptext.com/articles/american-civil-war).\nThe 23rd Illinois Infantry was organized at [Chicago, Illinois](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-illinois) and mustered into Federal service on June 15, 1861.\nInitially assigned to garrison the town of [Lexington, Missouri](https://bliptext.com/articles/lexington-missouri), the regiment surrendered to a much larger force of pro-secession [Missouri State Guard](https://bliptext.com/articles/missouri-state-guard) commanded by State Guard [Major General](https://bliptext.com/articles/major-general) [Sterling Price](https://bliptext.com/articles/sterling-price) at the [Siege of Lexington](https://bliptext.com/articles/first-battle-of-lexington) in September 1861.\nAfter being paroled, General [John C. Fremont](https://bliptext.com/articles/john-c-fremont) (commanding the Department of Missouri) had the 23rd Illinois mustered out of service, but in December General [George McClellan](https://bliptext.com/articles/george-mcclellan) (now supreme commander in chief of all Union armies) had it restored.\nAfter being reconstituted, the regiment left camp in the spring of 1862 for western Virginia, where it spent most of the rest of the war stationed there.\nIn 1864, it joined General [Philip Sheridan](https://bliptext.com/articles/philip-sheridan)'s army in the Valley Campaign.\nAt the end of the year, the 23rd headed to the Richmond area for the Siege of Petersburg and was present at Appomattox.\nThe regiment was mustered out on July 24, 1865.\n\n# Service\nOrganized at Chicago, Ill., and mustered on June 15, 1861.\nMoved to Quincy, Ill., July 14, thence to St. Louis, Mo., and to Jefferson City July 21, and duty there until September 8.\nMarch to Lexington September 8–11.\nSiege of Lexington September 12–20.\nCaptured by Price September 20 and paroled.\nRegiment mustered out by order of General Fremont October 8, 1861, but restored by order of General McClellan, December 10, 1861.\nReassembled at Chicago and guard prisoners at Camp Douglas until June 14, 1862.\nMoved to Harper's Ferry, West Va., June 14.\nAttached to R. R. District, Mountain Department, Harper's Ferry and New Creek to July, 1862.\nR. R. District, 8th Army Corps, Middle Department, to September, 1862.\nR. R. District West Va. to January, 1863.\nNew Creek, Va., Defenses Upper Potomac, 8th Army Corps, Middle Department, to March, 1863.\n5th Brigade, 1st Division, 8th Army Corps, to June, 1863.\nMulligan's Brigade, Scammon's Division Dept. of West Virginia to December, 1863.\n2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, West Virginia, to April, 1864.\nKelly's Command, Reserve Division, West Virginia, to July, 1864.\n1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry, Division West Virginia, to July, 1864.\n3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, West Virginia, to December, 1864.\n2nd Brigade, Independent Division, 24th Army Corps, Army of the James, to June, 1865.\n1st Brigade, Independent Division, 24th Army Corps, to July, 1865.\n\n# Detailed Service (after reconstitution)\nDuty at New Creek, West Va., until April, 1863.\nRelief of Clarksburg, W. Va., September 1, 1862.\nRelief of Parkersburg September 3.\nAction at Moorefield, South Fork of the Potomac, November 9 (Cos. \"B,\" \"D,\" \"K\").\nRelief of Colonel Washburn at Moorefield January 3–4, 1863.\nMoved to Grafton April 25, 1863.\nSkirmish at Greenland Gap April 25 (Co. \"G\").\nPhillippi April 26.\nAltamont April 26 (Detachment).\nRowlesburg April 28 (Cos. \"B,\" \"F,\" \"I\").\nFairmont April 29 (Co. \"K\").\nPursuit of Lee July, 1863.\nHedgesville and Back Creek July 6.\nAt Petersburg, W. Va., August 16.\nPetersburg Gap September 4.\nSouth Fork September 11 (Co. \"I\").\nMoorefield November 8–9.\nDemonstration from [Kanawha Valley](https://bliptext.com/articles/kanawha-valley), W. Va., December 8–25.\nOperations In Hampshire and Hardy Counties December 31, 1863, to January 5, 1864, and January 27 to February 7.\nMedley January 29–30.\nRegiment veteranize at New Creek April, 1864, and on furlough until June.\nScout to Moorefield February 21–22 (Detachment).\nRaid on Baltimore & Ohio Railroad between Bloomfield and Piedmont May 5 (Non-Veterans).\nLeetown July 3.\nOperations about Harper's Ferry July 4–7.\nBolivar Heights July 4–6.\nMaryland Heights July 6–7.\nSnicker's Ferry July 17–18 and July 20.\nKernstown (or Winchester) July 24.\nMedley July 30.\nSheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7 to November 28.\nCedar Creek August 12.\nWinchester August 17.\nHalltown August 22–23.\nBerryville September 3.\nBattle of Winchester September 19.\nFisher's Hill September 22.\nDuty In the Shenandoah Valley until December.\nMoved to Petersburg front December 30.\nSiege operations against Petersburg and Richmond January to April, 1865.\nDuty in trenches before Richmond and on the Bermuda Hundred front until March 27.\nMoved to Hatcher's Run March 27–28.\nAppomattox Campaign March 28-April 9.\nHatcher's Run March 30–31 and April 1.\nAssault on Fort Gregg and fall of Petersburg April 2.\nPursuit of Lee April 3–9.\nAppomattox Court House April 9.\nSurrender of Lee and his army.\nDuty in the Department of Virginia until July.\nMustered out at Richmond, Va., July 24, and discharged at Chicago, Ill., July 30, 1865.\n\n# Total strength and casualties\nThe regiment suffered 4 officers and 50 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds and 2 officers and 93 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 149 fatalities.\n\n# Commanders","current_revision":null,"created_by":"kACnuQmH5k9Nr5VNVEpVeg7XpvUmMctD","created_at":"2025-01-26T09:44:31.454Z","updated_at":"2025-01-26T09:44:31.454Z","search_vector":"'23rd':1 'illinoi':2 'infantri':3 'regiment':4","search_content":" \n \n**Unit Name:** 23rd Regiment Illinois Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers · \"The First Irish\" \n**Image Size:** 100 \n**Dates:** June 15, 1861, to July 24, 1865 \n**Country:** [United States](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states) \n**Allegiance:** [Union](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-american-civil-war) \n**Branch:** [Infantry](https://bliptext.com/articles/infantry) \n**Battles:** [Siege of Lexington](https://bliptext.com/articles/first-battle-of-lexington) Relief of [Clarksburg](https://bliptext.com/articles/clarksburg-west-virginia) Relief of [Parkersburg](https://bliptext.com/articles/parkersburg-west-virginia) Relief of [[Moorefield](https://bliptext.com/articles/moorefield-west-virginia)](https://bliptext.com/articles/moorefield-west-virginia) [Pursuit of Lee](https://bliptext.com/articles/retreat-from-gettysburg) [Hedgesville](https://bliptext.com/articles/hedgesville-west-virginia) and Back Creek [Kanawha Valley](https://bliptext.com/articles/kanawha-valley) [Hampshire](https://bliptext.com/articles/hampshire-county-west-virginia) and [Hardy Counties, West Virginia](https://bliptext.com/articles/hardy-county-west-virginia) Scout to [[Moorefield](https://bliptext.com/articles/moorefield-west-virginia)](https://bliptext.com/articles/moorefield-west-virginia) Raid on [Baltimore and Ohio Railroad](https://bliptext.com/articles/baltimore-and-ohio-railroad) [Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign](https://bliptext.com/articles/valley-campaigns-of-1864) [Second Battle of Kernstown](https://bliptext.com/articles/second-battle-of-kernstown) [Third Battle of Winchester](https://bliptext.com/articles/battle-of-opequon) [Siege of Petersburg](https://bliptext.com/articles/siege-of-petersburg) [Assault on Ft Gregg-Fall of Petersburg](https://bliptext.com/articles/third-battle-of-petersburg) [Appomattox Campaign](https://bliptext.com/articles/appomattox-campaign) [Surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia](https://bliptext.com/articles/battle-of-appomattox-court-house) \n \n\n# \nThe **23rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment**, known as the \"First Irish\" or \"Irish 'Brigade'\", was an [infantry](https://bliptext.com/articles/infantry) [regiment](https://bliptext.com/articles/regiment) that served in the [Union Army](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-army) during the [American Civil War](https://bliptext.com/articles/american-civil-war).\nThe 23rd Illinois Infantry was organized at [Chicago, Illinois](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-illinois) and mustered into Federal service on June 15, 1861.\nInitially assigned to garrison the town of [Lexington, Missouri](https://bliptext.com/articles/lexington-missouri), the regiment surrendered to a much larger force of pro-secession [Missouri State Guard](https://bliptext.com/articles/missouri-state-guard) commanded by State Guard [Major General](https://bliptext.com/articles/major-general) [Sterling Price](https://bliptext.com/articles/sterling-price) at the [Siege of Lexington](https://bliptext.com/articles/first-battle-of-lexington) in September 1861.\nAfter being paroled, General [John C. Fremont](https://bliptext.com/articles/john-c-fremont) (commanding the Department of Missouri) had the 23rd Illinois mustered out of service, but in December General [George McClellan](https://bliptext.com/articles/george-mcclellan) (now supreme commander in chief of all Union armies) had it restored.\nAfter being reconstituted, the regiment left camp in the spring of 1862 for western Virginia, where it spent most of the rest of the war stationed there.\nIn 1864, it joined General [Philip Sheridan](https://bliptext.com/articles/philip-sheridan)'s army in the Valley Campaign.\nAt the end of the year, the 23rd headed to the Richmond area for the Siege of Petersburg and was present at Appomattox.\nThe regiment was mustered out on July 24, 1865.\n\n# Service\nOrganized at Chicago, Ill., and mustered on June 15, 1861.\nMoved to Quincy, Ill., July 14, thence to St. Louis, Mo., and to Jefferson City July 21, and duty there until September 8.\nMarch to Lexington September 8–11.\nSiege of Lexington September 12–20.\nCaptured by Price September 20 and paroled.\nRegiment mustered out by order of General Fremont October 8, 1861, but restored by order of General McClellan, December 10, 1861.\nReassembled at Chicago and guard prisoners at Camp Douglas until June 14, 1862.\nMoved to Harper's Ferry, West Va., June 14.\nAttached to R. R. District, Mountain Department, Harper's Ferry and New Creek to July, 1862.\nR. R. District, 8th Army Corps, Middle Department, to September, 1862.\nR. R. District West Va. to January, 1863.\nNew Creek, Va., Defenses Upper Potomac, 8th Army Corps, Middle Department, to March, 1863.\n5th Brigade, 1st Division, 8th Army Corps, to June, 1863.\nMulligan's Brigade, Scammon's Division Dept. of West Virginia to December, 1863.\n2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, West Virginia, to April, 1864.\nKelly's Command, Reserve Division, West Virginia, to July, 1864.\n1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry, Division West Virginia, to July, 1864.\n3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, West Virginia, to December, 1864.\n2nd Brigade, Independent Division, 24th Army Corps, Army of the James, to June, 1865.\n1st Brigade, Independent Division, 24th Army Corps, to July, 1865.\n\n# Detailed Service (after reconstitution)\nDuty at New Creek, West Va., until April, 1863.\nRelief of Clarksburg, W. Va., September 1, 1862.\nRelief of Parkersburg September 3.\nAction at Moorefield, South Fork of the Potomac, November 9 (Cos. \"B,\" \"D,\" \"K\").\nRelief of Colonel Washburn at Moorefield January 3–4, 1863.\nMoved to Grafton April 25, 1863.\nSkirmish at Greenland Gap April 25 (Co. \"G\").\nPhillippi April 26.\nAltamont April 26 (Detachment).\nRowlesburg April 28 (Cos. \"B,\" \"F,\" \"I\").\nFairmont April 29 (Co. \"K\").\nPursuit of Lee July, 1863.\nHedgesville and Back Creek July 6.\nAt Petersburg, W. Va., August 16.\nPetersburg Gap September 4.\nSouth Fork September 11 (Co. \"I\").\nMoorefield November 8–9.\nDemonstration from [Kanawha Valley](https://bliptext.com/articles/kanawha-valley), W. Va., December 8–25.\nOperations In Hampshire and Hardy Counties December 31, 1863, to January 5, 1864, and January 27 to February 7.\nMedley January 29–30.\nRegiment veteranize at New Creek April, 1864, and on furlough until June.\nScout to Moorefield February 21–22 (Detachment).\nRaid on Baltimore & Ohio Railroad between Bloomfield and Piedmont May 5 (Non-Veterans).\nLeetown July 3.\nOperations about Harper's Ferry July 4–7.\nBolivar Heights July 4–6.\nMaryland Heights July 6–7.\nSnicker's Ferry July 17–18 and July 20.\nKernstown (or Winchester) July 24.\nMedley July 30.\nSheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7 to November 28.\nCedar Creek August 12.\nWinchester August 17.\nHalltown August 22–23.\nBerryville September 3.\nBattle of Winchester September 19.\nFisher's Hill September 22.\nDuty In the Shenandoah Valley until December.\nMoved to Petersburg front December 30.\nSiege operations against Petersburg and Richmond January to April, 1865.\nDuty in trenches before Richmond and on the Bermuda Hundred front until March 27.\nMoved to Hatcher's Run March 27–28.\nAppomattox Campaign March 28-April 9.\nHatcher's Run March 30–31 and April 1.\nAssault on Fort Gregg and fall of Petersburg April 2.\nPursuit of Lee April 3–9.\nAppomattox Court House April 9.\nSurrender of Lee and his army.\nDuty in the Department of Virginia until July.\nMustered out at Richmond, Va., July 24, and discharged at Chicago, Ill., July 30, 1865.\n\n# Total strength and casualties\nThe regiment suffered 4 officers and 50 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds and 2 officers and 93 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 149 fatalities.\n\n# Commanders","revisionCount":0},"hasMore":false,"nextCursor":null}

History