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23rd USCT Infantry

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Muster In: Organized at Camp Casey, Va., November 23, 1863, to June 30, 1864.1
Muster Out: Mustered out November 30, 1865.2

Commander(s):
Colonel Cleaveland J. Campbell
Commander Image

Lieutenant Colonel Marshall L. Demcy
Commander Image

Major William C. J. Hall
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Commander 3
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Fourth Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army3,4

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Fourth Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army7,8

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Fourth Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army12,13

  • Commander: Colonel Cleaveland J. Campbell (July 31, 1864)14
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Fourth Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army15

  • Commander: Major William C. J. Hall (August 31, 1864)16
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army17

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army18,19

  • Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Marshall L. Demcy (October 31, 1864)20
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle:

Second Brigade | Third Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army (November 1-December 3, 1864?)21

Third Brigade | Third Division | XXV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (December 3-31, 1864)22

  • Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Marshall L. Dempcy (December 31, 1864)23
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: On December 3, 1864, the X Corps and XVIII Corps of the Army of the James were reorganized into the XXIV Corps and the XXV Corps.
  • Note: This regiment and the other USCT regiments which made up the Third Division, Ninth Corps, Army of the Potomac were transferred from the Army of the Potomac to the Army of the James in late November or early December 1864. (Need source)

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Third Brigade | First Division | XXV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army24,25

  • Commander:
    • Major William C. J. Hall (January 31, 1865)26
    • Lieutenant Colonel Marshall L. Dempcy (February 28, 1865)27
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: At some point, apparently in December and probably due to the First Fort Fisher Expedition, the First and Third divisions of the XXV Corps switched places.  The old First Division under Brigadier General Charles A. Paine became the new Third Division and was mostly sent on the First Fort Fisher Expedition.  The old Third Division, under Brigadier General Edward A. Wild, became the new First Division and remained at the Siege of Petersburg.

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Third Brigade | First Division | XXV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army28,29

  • Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Marshall L. Dempcy (March 31, 1865)30
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles31:

  • Before Petersburg June 15-18.
  • Siege of Petersburg and Richmond June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
  • Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864.
  • Weldon Railroad August 18-21.
  • Fort Sedgwick September 28.
  • Poplar Grove Church September 29-30.
  • Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28.
  • Bermuda Hundred December 13.
  • Duty on the Bermuda Hundred front until March, 1865.
  • Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9.
  • Hatcher’s Run March 29-31.
  • Fall of Petersburg April 2.
  • Pursuit of Lee April 3-9.
  • Appomattox Court House April 9.
  • Surrender of Lee and his army.

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    2. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    3. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 231
    4. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 550
    5. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 23rd United States Colored Troops Entry, Page 93; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
    6. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 23rd United States Colored Troops Entry, Page 93; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
    7. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 231
    8. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 550
    9. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 550
    10. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 23rd United States Colored Troops Entry, Page 93; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
    11. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 23rd United States Colored Troops Entry, Page 93; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
    12. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 261
    13. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 735
    14. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 735
    15. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 617: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864”
    16. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 617: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864”
    17. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1301.
    18. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 463: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)”
    19. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 159: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Boydton Plank Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864”
    20. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 463: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)”
    21. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    22. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1127: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864)
    23. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1127: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864)
    24. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 336: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865)
    25. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 750: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865)
    26. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 336: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865)
    27. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 750: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865)
    28. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 579: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865)
    29. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 596: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865”
    30. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 579: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865)
    31. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
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