23rd Indiana Infantry Regiment in the American Civil War

Overview

The 23rd Indiana Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment from Indiana that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Organized at New Albany, Indiana, the regiment was mustered into Federal service on July 29, 1861. The unit participated in major campaigns across the Western and Southern theaters, including actions in Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, and the Carolinas.

The regiment is noted for its involvement in significant battles such as Shiloh, Vicksburg, and Bentonville, as well as its participation in the Atlanta Campaign and the March to the Sea. The 23rd Indiana Infantry reenlisted as a veteran organization during its service and was mustered out on July 23, 1865, at Louisville, Kentucky.

Organization & Service

The 23rd Indiana Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized at New Albany, Indiana, and mustered in on July 29, 1861. Shortly after organization, the regiment departed for St. Louis, Missouri, and was then ordered to Paducah, Kentucky. During the attack on Fort Henry in February 1862, the regiment was placed on gunboats; several members of Company B were killed when a boiler exploded on the USS Essex.

The regiment fought on the second day at the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862, suffering 52 casualties. It served in the reserve during the siege of Corinth and spent the summer of 1862 at Bolivar, Tennessee. In September, the 23rd participated in the recapture of Iuka, Mississippi, and was involved in various movements until February 1863, when it moved to Vicksburg, Mississippi.

During the Vicksburg Campaign, the regiment fought at Port Gibson and Raymond, making a notable charge at Raymond where it lost a third of its engaged men but captured prisoners. The 23rd Indiana was also present at Champion’s Hill and participated in the attack and capture of Jackson, Mississippi. At the siege of Vicksburg, the regiment was in the front line and lost 55 men killed and wounded.

After Vicksburg, the regiment was not actively engaged during the fall and winter of 1863 but joined a raid through Mississippi in February 1864. The unit reenlisted as veterans at Hebron, Mississippi, during the winter. After furlough, the regiment moved through Bird’s Point, Missouri; Clifton, Tennessee; and Acworth, Georgia. It was engaged almost daily during the advance on Atlanta in 1864, pursued Confederate forces under Hood through Alabama and Georgia in October, and then participated in the campaign toward Savannah, Georgia.

In early 1865, the 23rd Indiana Infantry marched with its corps to Beaufort, South Carolina, and took part in the Carolinas Campaign, including the Battle of Bentonville. The regiment reached Goldsboro, North Carolina, on March 4, 1865. Following the surrender of Confederate General Johnston, the regiment marched to Washington, D.C., and then to Louisville, Kentucky, where it was mustered out on July 23, 1865.

Engagements & Campaigns

• Attack on Fort Henry (February 1862)
• Battle of Shiloh (April 1862)
• Siege of Corinth (April–May 1862)
• Recapture of Iuka (September 1862)
• Vicksburg Campaign (1863), including Port Gibson, Raymond, Champion’s Hill, Jackson, and the Siege of Vicksburg
• Raid through Mississippi (February 1864)
• Atlanta Campaign (May–September 1864)
• Pursuit of Hood through Alabama and Georgia (October 1864)
• March to the Sea (November–December 1864)
• Carolinas Campaign, including Battle of Bentonville (March 1865)

Casualties

The 23rd Indiana Infantry had an original strength of 1,050 men. During its service, it gained 477 recruits, 277 reenlistments, and 36 unassigned recruits, totaling 1,840 men. The regiment lost 154 men by death, 99 by desertion, and 273 were unaccounted for. Specific breakdowns of killed, wounded, and died of disease are not fully detailed in available primary sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

• Colonel William L. Sanderson
• Colonel George S. Babbitt
• Lieutenant Colonel DeWitt C. Anthony
• Lieutenant Colonel William P. Davis
• Lieutenant Colonel George S. Babbitt
• Major William P. Davis
• Major Henry C. Ferguson

Regimental Roster

The complete roster of the 23rd Indiana Infantry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and service details for those who served in the regiment.

To view the full roster, visit the 23rd Indiana Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.

Sources & References

• Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes 7, 10, 17, 24, 32, 39, 47 (various reports and correspondence)
• Indiana Adjutant General’s Report
• Dyer, Frederick H. “A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion”
• Fox, William F. “Regimental Losses in the American Civil War”
• The Union Army, Vol. 3 (Federal Publishing Company, 1908)