Overview
The 23rd Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) was a Union regiment organized in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in April 1861. Composed primarily of Philadelphia militia, the regiment was mustered into federal service at the outset of the Civil War for a three-month term. It served in the Eastern Theater and was among the earliest Pennsylvania units to respond to President Lincoln’s call for volunteers.
Organization & Service
The 23rd Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) was organized and mustered into United States service at Philadelphia on April 21, 1861. Colonel Charles P. Dare commanded the regiment, with Lieutenant Colonel David B. Birney and Major George C. Spear as principal officers. Immediately upon muster, the regiment was ordered to Perryville, Maryland, where it was assigned to guard duty along the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad, protecting vital transportation lines.
On May 28, 1861, the regiment was relieved from railroad guard duty and moved to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. There, it was attached to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division of General Robert Patterson’s Army. The 23rd Pennsylvania participated in the advance into the Shenandoah Valley, following the route taken by Patterson’s forces. The regiment engaged Confederate forces at Falling Waters, Virginia, in July 1861. After the expiration of its three-month term, the regiment returned to Philadelphia and was mustered out of service on July 31, 1861.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
- Guard duty along the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad (April–May 1861)
- Advance to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania (May 1861)
- Operations with Patterson’s Army in the Shenandoah Valley (June–July 1861)
- Action at Falling Waters, Virginia (July 2, 1861)
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 23rd Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) are not detailed in the primary sources for this term. Available records do not indicate significant losses during its brief period of service.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Charles P. Dare
- Lieutenant Colonel David B. Birney
- Major George C. Spear
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 23rd Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service), including officers and enlisted men who served during its brief term, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names and, when available, additional service details for genealogical research.
To view the complete roster, visit the 23rd Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 2
- Pennsylvania Adjutant General’s Report, 1861
- Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- The Union Army, Vol. 1 (Federal Publishing Company, 1908)