23rd Massachusetts Infantry

Regimental History and Service Record

Organized September 28, 1861. Left State for Annapolis, Md., November 11, and duty there until January 6, 1862. Attached to Foster's 1st Brigade, Burnside's Expeditionary Corps, to April, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of North Carolina, to December, 1862. Heckman's Brigade, Dept. of North Carolina, to January, 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Army Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, to February, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Army Corps, Dept. of the South, to April, 1863. District of Beaufort, N. C., Dept. of North Carolina, to July, 1863. Defenses of New Berne, N. C., Dept, of Virginia and North Carolina, to October, 1863. Heckman's Command, Newport News, Va., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to January, 1864. 3rd Brigade, United States Forces, Portsmouth, Va., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to April, 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to September, 1864. Defenses of New Berne, N. C., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to February, 1865. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, District of Beaufort, N. C., Dept. of North Carolina, to March, 1865. District of Beaufort, Dept. of North Carolina, to June, 1865.

SERVICE.--Burnside's Expedition to Hatteras Inlet and Roanoke Island, N. C., January 6-February 7, 1862. Battle of Roanoke Island February 8. On transports off Roanoke Island until March 11. Moved to New Berne, N. C., March 11-13. Battle of New Berne March 14. Duty at New Berne until April 11. and at Batchelor's Creek until May 4. Batchelor's Creek April 29. Provost duty at New Berne, N. C., until November 22. Expedition from New Berne November 2-12. Action at Rawle's Mill November 2 (Cos. "B," "C," "D," "G" and "I"). Demonstration on New Berne November 11. Picket and outpost duty in vicinity of New Berne until December 10. Foster's Expedition to Goldsboro December 11-20. Southwest Creek December 13-14. Kinston December 14. Whitehall December 16. Goldsboro December 17. Moved to Carolina City January 13, 1863; thence to Morehead City and Hilton Head, S.C., January 19-February 2. Camp at St. Helena Island, S.C., February 11-April 3, Expedition against Charleston April 3-10. Moved to New Berne April 12-16. March to relief of Little Washington April 17-19. Moved to Carolina City, N. C., April 25, and duty there until July 2. (Co. "D" detached at Fort Spinola June 26). Reconnaissance toward Swansbore June 27 (Co. "H"). Expedition to Trenton and Pollocksville July 4-8 (Cos. "C," "G," "H" and "K"). Action at Quaker Bridge July 6 (Cos. "A," "B," "E," "F" and "I"). Ordered to New Berne July 2, and duty in the Defenses of the city until October 16. Expedition from Newport Barracks to Cedar Point July 13-16. Moved to Newport News, Va., October 16-18, and duty there until January 22, 1864. Moved to Portsmouth, Va., January 22. Duty there and at Getty's Station, on Norfolk & Suffolk Railroad, until April 26. Demonstration on Portsmouth March 1-5. Expedition to Isle of Wight County April 13-15. Action at Smithfield, Cherry Grove, April 14. Moved to Yorktown April 26. Butler's operations on south side of James River and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-28. Port Walthal Junction, Chester Station, May 6-7. Swift's Creek, Arrowfield Church, May 9-10. Operations against Fort Darling May 12-16. Drury's Bluff May 14-16. Bermuda Hundred May 16-28. Moved to White House, thence to Cold Harbor, May 28-June 1.

• June 1-12, 1864 - The Overland Campaign
  • June 1-12, 1864 - Battles of Cold Harbor, Virginia

Before Petersburg June 15-18. Siege of Petersburg June 15-September 4. Mine Explosion July 30 (Reserve). Duty in the trenches at Bermuda Hundred, Va., August 25-September 4. Moved to New Berne, N. C., September 4-10. Picket, guard and patrol duty there until March 3, 1865. Affair at Currituck Bridge September 9 (Detachment). Non-Veterans mustered out September 28, 1864. Movements on Goldsboro March 3-14. Southwest Creek March 7. Battle of Wise's Forks March 8-10. Occupation of Kinston March 14, and duty there until May 2. Moved to New Berne May 2, and duty there until June 25. Mustered out June 25, 1865.

Regimental Roster

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Regiment Statistical Information

• Regiment lost during service 4 Officers and 80 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 132 Enlisted men by disease. Total 218.

Legacy

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Sources

• Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. The Dyer Publishing Company (Des Moine, 1908). (Pages 932, 941, 1255-1256)