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23rd Michigan Infantry
in the American Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Twenty-third Michigan Infantry. — Cols., Marshall W.
Chapin, Oliver L. Spaulding; Lieut. -Cols., Gilbert E. Pratt, William W.
Wheeler, Henry S. Raymond; Majs., Benjamin F. Fisher, Benjamin W.
Huston, John Carland. This regiment was organized at East Saginaw and
was mustered in Sept. 13, 1862. It left the state Sept. 18 for Kentucky,
was assigned to the 10th division of Rosecrans' army, and was stationed
at Bowling Green until May 29, 1863. A detachment of 25 men under Lieut.
Wellington, in charge of a train, was attacked by a large force of
guerrillas in April, but repulsed the assault. The regiment moved to
Glasgow and Tompkinsville and in July joined in pursuit of Morgan. It
was in a skirmish at Paris, and left that place on Aug. 4, for New
Market, where it was assigned to the 2nd brigade, 2nd division, 23d
corps. It participated in the advance into East Tennessee, and reached
Loudon Sept. 4, remaining at this point until the middle of November
except for a few minor movements. It was engaged at Huff's ferry, and
was in the retreat to Knoxville, being engaged at Campbell's station for
5 hours on the march. In the retreat its brigade brought up the rear,
and its repeated repulses of the enemy were such as to call forth almost
extravagant praise from the officers present, including Gen. Burnside
himself. It assisted in the defense of Knoxville until the siege ended,
then pursued the enemy, and went into camp at Blain's cross-roads on
Dec. 13. It was ordered to Strawberry plains on the 25th for work on
fortifications and was in an engagement at Dandridge in Jan., 1864. It
was then on picket duty at Knoxville until Feb. 15, suffering an attack
by cavalry in January, and then moved to Strawberry plains, being on
duty at that point, New Market, Morristown and Mossy creek until May. It
participated in the movement towards Atlanta, being engaged at Rocky
Face ridge, Resaca, where it lost 62 men, killed and wounded, at the
Etowah river, before Dallas, at New Hope Church, Lost mountain,
Chattahoochee river, the siege of Atlanta, and Lovejoy's Station. It was
then at Decatur until Oct. 3, when it joined in pursiiit of Hood through
Georgia and Alabama and into Tennessee. It was at Johnsonville, Tenn.,
during November ; was engaged at Columbia, Duck river, Spring Hill and
Franklin, where it repulsed two assaults, the last in a hand-to-hand
struggle. It was in the battle at Nashville, making a daring assault the
first day upon the enemy, posted behind a stone wall on a hill, carrying
the position in a gallant manner and capturing more prisoners than there
were men in the line of the regiment. It joined in pursuit of the enemy
to Columbia and left there on Jan. 1, 1865, for Washington, D. C. It was
at Camp Stoneman until Feb. 9, then proceeded to Smithville, N. C, which
was reached on the 15th, and was in the attack on Fort Anderson,
occupying the fort after its reduction, being the first to enter. It was
engaged at Town creek, taking 350 prisoners, moved then to Wilmington,
thence to Kinston, and occupied Goldsboro on the 22nd. It marched to
Raleigh with Sherman's army, thence to Greensboro and on to Salisbury,
which place was reached May 9. It remained until June 28, upon which
date the regiment was mustered out. Its original strength was 983; gain
by recruits, 434; total, 1,417. Loss by death, 287. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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