23RD OHIO REGIMENT
OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY

Source: History of Ashland Co., OH, Publ. 1880
(Transcribed by Sharon Wick)

     The Twenty-third was commanded by Colonel E. P. Scammon.  Under the call of July 22, 1861, for five hundred thousand men, Ohio furnished eighty-four thousand one hundred and sixteen men.  These volunteers were divided among the various counties in the ratio of draftable men.  Ashland count raised two full companies, which were incorporated in the Twenty-third regiment.  The roster shows the following officers, promotions and men:

     The company was organized in Ashland, by Captain Willard Slocum, and went to Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, Jun. 7, 1861; and on the 11th, was mustered into service.  July 25th, it was ordered to West Virginia.  It participated in nearly all the engagements against Generals Lee, Jackson and Floyd.  In 1862, it was at the engagement at Jumping Branch.  In May, it was at the battle of Pearisburg.  It was next in Pope's campaign.  In September, it helped expel the enemy from Frederick City, and participated in the great battles at South Mountain, and Antietam.  In October, it returned to the Kanawha valley, and aided in expelling the Confederate forces.  In February, 1863, it was engaged in watching the approach of the noted Confederate raider, General John Morgan.
     In the long and arduous service of this company, the wounded and morality list is quite heavy.  The following members of the company died in hospital or were killed during engagements:

COMPANY H - THREE YEARS SERVICE.

     This company was organized by Captain James L. Drake, and recruited in Hanover, Lake and Green townships, and was mustered in at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, June 12, 1861.  The officers and privates were:
 

THE TWENTY-THIRD REGIMENT

     The Twenty-third was organized at Camp Chase, Ohio.  Colonel William S. Rosecranz commanded.  During the campaign in West Virginia he was promoted to the position of brigadier general, and Lieutenant Colonel Scammon promoted to the vacancy.
     On the twenty-fifty of July, 1861, the regiment was ordered to Clarksburgh, West Virginia.  On the twenty-seventh of July, it was ordered to Weston.  Here it performed arduous duty in fighting guerillas.  The regiment next marched to Carnifax Ferry, where General Rosecranz found the Confederates under General Floyd, who retreated to Gauley river.  Long marches in counter-marches ensued, in which the Twenty-third suffered severely.  The regiment returned to Camp Ewing, on New river, and the winter of 1861-2 was devoted to drill and discipline.  In the spring of 1862, Rosecranz advanced to Princeton.  On the eighth of May, General Heth attacked and defeated the Northern forces.  The Twenty-third fell back to Flat-top mountain, suffering severely from exposure, sickness, and want of healthy food.  It subsequently returned to Parkersburgh and took the cars for Washington city.  It marched under General McClellan toward Frederick city, from which the Confederates were driven.  General McClellan then marched to Middletown, where the battle of South Mountain began, and was succeeded by the great battle of Antietam, which took place Sept. 17, 1862.  The Twenty-third participated in both battles.  It lost, in wounded and killed, nearly two hundred men, and its colors were riddled with bullets.  In October, the Twenty-third returned to West Virginia.  During the campaign of 1862 it marched about six hundred miles.  It wintered at the falls of the Great Kanawha, in West Virginia.  In 1863 the Twenty-third was quartered, for some time, at Charleston, to which the operations of General Morgan and the Confederate cavalry.  In the spring of 1864, the Twenty-third entered upon an expedition that terminated in a battle at Cloyd Mountain on the ninth of May.  The regiment then returned to Staunton, enduring many hardships; thence to Brownsburgh, and thence to Lexington, where another engagement took place.  Here the military academy and residence of Governor Letcher were burned against the protests of the officers of the Twenty-third.  The affair at Lynchburgh soon followed, and the Twenty-third retreated to Liberty; thence to Salem; thence to Big Sewell mountain, and thence to Charleston, enduring many hardships the entire route.  On the tenth of July, 1864, the Twenty-third accompanied the division of General Crooks to Martinsburgh, to aid in repelling the invasion of General Early.  The battle of Snicker's Ferry ensued, and the Twenty-third being surrounded, cut its way out.  The battle of Winchester took place July 24th, and the Twenty-third lost one hundred and fifty men and ten officers, and retreated to Martinsburgh.  It next participated in the battles of Berryville, Opequan, North Mountain and Cedar Creek, in September and October, 1864.  It then returned to Cumberland, and to Grafton, where it remained on duty until March, 1865.  July 26, 1865, it returned to Camp Taylor, near Cleveland, Ohio, where the men were paid and mustered out.
 

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