The following historical information is about the service of both the company, regiment, and the men, of "Company B, Zouave Light Guard" and the "Gidding's Zouave" of the Twenty-Third (23rd) Ohio Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, which served in the American Civil War from June 1861 to July 1865. If you have any corrections, suggestions, or additional information that you wish to contribute, feel free to submit the information to the Webmaster.

This was one of the first regiments organized at the commencement of the war for the Union, and had for its commander one who, shortly after his entrance into the service, became one of the most distinguished leaders of the National forces. The Twenty-Third was organized at Camp Chase, Ohio, in the month of June, 1861, under Colonel William S. Rosecrans, and was mustered into the United States service for three years on the 11th day of June, 1861. Before leaving for the field Colonel Rosecrans received a commission as Brigadier-General in the regular army of the United States, and Colonel E. P. Scammon succeeded to the command of the Twenty-Third. On the 25th of July, 1861, the regiment was ordered to Clarksburg, West Virginia, where it arrived on the 27th.

It was at once launched into the arena of war, receiving orders on the 28th to proceed to Weston. From this point it operated against the numerous guerrillas infesting the country in that quarter, performing many days and nights of excessively hard duty, marching and counter marching over the rugged spurs of Rich Mountain range, and drenched by the almost continual rains of that season.

For the purpose of operating with greater facility against the scattered bands of the enemy, the regiment had been divided five companies being placed under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Stanley Mathews as a movable force, to be used exclusively against the guerrillas, and constituting the right wing. The left wing remained at Weston, sending out occasional foraging and scouting expeditions against guerrillas and other disaffected inhabitants of that wild region.

On the 1st of September the two wings of the regiment united at Bulltown, whence, with the main body of General Rosecrans's army, the Twenty-Third marched on Carnifex Ferry, where the Rebels, under General Floyd, were posted in a strong position. The evening of the 10thfound the Twenty-Third in line of battle, engaged in sharp skirmishing with the enemy. In the night Floyd abandoned his position and retreated across the Gauley River. Heavy rains rendered the pursuit of the Rebels almost impossible, but it was attempted, and with much success in capturing prisoners. The chase was continued to the enemy's intrenchments at the foot of Big Sewell Mountain. Remaining here but a few days, the Twenty-Third fell back to Camp Ewing, on New River. This camp proved a very unhealthy one, and the ranks of the regiment were rapidly thinned diarrheas, fevers, etc., proving fatal in many cases.

The winter of 1861 was devoted to recruiting, drill, and discipline. Two companies (F and G) joined a detachment under Major Comly, which, on December 31, 1861, occupied Raleigh Courthouse without opposition. Over three hundred stand of arms, twenty-seven prisoners, and a quantity of supplies were captured. Companies A and B were added to this detachment; and, on the 10th of February, Major Comly marched his command from Raleigh Courthouse to the mouth of Blue Stone River, a distance of twenty-eight miles, through a snow-storm, driving a regiment of the enemy's infantry and a small force of cavalry, with considerable loss, across the river. The camps, tents, and forage of this force were captured. The detachment received the thanks of General Rosecrans, commanding department, in general orders, for its bravery and efficiency.

On the 17th of April, 1862, orders were received to quit winter-quarters and go into camp. The command, on the 22d, moved in the direction of Princeton, the Twenty-Third, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hayes, being in the advance all the way through. Princeton was reached on the 1st of May, the enemy leaving the town on the approach of our forces, after having doomed it to the flames. From this date until the 8th of May nothing but foraging and skirmishing occurred.

On the morning of the 8th the regiment was attacked by four regiments of the enemy's infantry and six pieces of artillery, under command of the Rebel General Heth. Only nine companies of the Twenty-Third were present and three small companies of cavalry. All of the cavalry except Gillmore's dragoons disappeared after the first fire. The regiment, however, made a determined stand, and, when overwhelmed and forced to retire, did so in good order, fighting as it went. It fell back to East River, being pursued by the enemy to the narrows of New River. Meeting re-enforcements at Adair's farm, after destroying tents, camp, and garrison equipage, on the 18th of May, the command left Princeton and returned to Flat Top Mountain, after having endured excessive hardships and almost starvation, the enemy having cut off all supplies.

The regiment remained at Flat Top Mountain until the 13th of July, when it was ordered to Green Meadows, seven miles from Pack's Ferry, on New River. Orders were received on the 15th of August to march, with all possible dispatch, to Camp Piatt, on the Great Kanawha, where the regiment arrived on the morning of the 18th, and embarked on board transports, having marched one hundred and four miles in a little more than three days. Its officers claim this to be the fastest march on record, as made by any considerable force. Here the Twenty-Third went on board transports to Parkersburg, where it took the cars for Washington City, arriving on the 24th of August. From Washington the regiment marched with General McClellan's army toward Frederick City, from which place the Rebels were driven, with slight loss on both sides. Middletown was reached on the 13th. Here was commenced the battle of South Mountain, culminating in the great battle of Antietam, on the 17th of September, in both of which the Twenty-Third participated.

At South Mountain the regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Hayes (General J. D. Cox commanding division), was the first infantry engaged, being the advance of the column on that day. It was ordered at an early hour to advance by an unfrequented road leading up the mountain, and to attack the enemy. Posted behind stone walls, the enemy, in greatly superior force, poured a destructive fire of musketry, grape, and canister into our ranks at very short range and in a very short space of time. Lieutenant-Colonel Hayes, Captain Skiles, and Lieutenants Hood, Ritter, and Smith were each badly wounded (Colonel Hayes's arm broken; Captain Skiles shot through the elbow, arm amputated ; Ritter, leg amputated) ; and over one hundred dead and wounded lay upon the field, out of the three hundred and fifty who went into the action. The command now devolved upon Major Comly, and remained with him from that time forward. The enemy suddenly opened fire from the left, and the regiment changed front on first company. Lieutenant-Colonel Hayes soon after again made his appearance on the field, with his wound half dressed, and fought, against the remonstrances of the whole command, until carried off. Soon after, the remainder of the brigade came up, a gallant charge was made up the hill, and the enemy was dislodged and driven into the woods beyond. In this charge a large number of the enemy were killed with the bayonet. During the remainder of the day the regiment fought with its division. Three bayonet charges were made by the regiment during the day, in each of which the enemy were driven with heavy loss.

During the day the Twenty-Third lost nearly two hundred, of whom almost one-fourth were killed on the field or afterward died of their wounds. Only seven men were unaccounted for at the roll-call after the action. The colors of the regiment were riddled, and the blue field almost completely carried away by shells and bullets.

At Antietam the regiment fought with the Kanawha Division. Near the close of the day a disastrous charge was made by the division (the Twenty-Third occupying the right of the First Brigade), by which the left of the division was exposed to a large force of the enemy, who suddenly emerged from a cornfield in rear of the left. The colors of the regiment were instantly shot down. At the same time a feint was made in the front. A battery in the rear opened fire on the advancing column of the enemy, by which also the National forces sustained more loss than the enemy. After a moment's delay the colors were planted by Major Comly on a new line at right angles with the former front, and, without waiting for any further order, the regiment, at a run, formed a line in the new direction, and opened fire on the enemy, who, for some cause, retired. Little damage was done by the enemy except a few captures from the left. The division soon after withdrew; but, through some inadvertency, no order reached the Twenty-Third, and it remained on the field until Colonel Scammon (commanding the division) came back and ordered it to the rear.

Almost exhausted by several days hard fighting, the regiment was ordered to support a battery of General Sturgis's division during the night, and was not relieved until the afternoon of the next day.

On the 8th of October the Twenty-Third received orders to return, with the Kanawha Division, to West Virginia, It marched via Hagerstown, and arrived there on the 10th. Before embarking, however, on the cars for Clarksburg, information was received of Stuart's raid into Pennsylvania, and, of course, a 'double-quick' into that quarter was the result. The report was premature. No enemy was discovered. The regiment returned to Hancock on the 13th of October, having eaten breakfast in Pennsylvania, dinner in Maryland, and supper in Virginia. It arrived at Clarksburg on the 15th of October. Here a change was made in the command of the regiment. Colonel Scammon was appointed Brigadier-General, and Lieutenant-Colonel Hayes appointed Colonel; Major Comly promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, and Captain Mcllrath to Major. The division was ordered to the Kanawha Valley, where it arrived on the 10th of November, having marched the entire distance over nearly the same route as in 1861. On the 18th of November the Twenty-Third went into winter-quarters at the Falls of the Great Kanawha. During the campaign of 1862 it marched about six hundred miles; but now, with the exception of occasional scouting, its duties were light.

On the 15th of March, 1863, the regiment was ordered to Charleston, Virginia, where it lay in camp during March, April, May, June, and part of July, performing little or no duty, with the exception of a few scouts, and an advance as far as Raleigh, Virginia, and its participation in the movements against the Morgan raid in July. In the last-named affair the Twenty-Third performed good service in heading off Morgan's band on the line of the Ohio River, at Buffing-ton Bar, and near Hockingport, picking up a number of the guerrillas as they attempted to cross the Ohio River.

The regiment then returned to Charleston, Virginia, and lay there in camp during the remainder of 1863, and up to April 29, 1864, when a movement was made to a point two miles above Brownstown, on the Kanawha, preparatory to joining the forces gathering under General Crook for a raid on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. This expedition was something worthy of their mettle. Their long inaction had not hardened their sinews or made them impervious to fatigue; but, as was their custom, the rank and file of the Twenty-Third entered into the expedition with cheerfulness, and a determination, if possible, to make it signally successful. Without detailing their daily marches, it is sufficient to say that the regiment toiled on over the rugged mountains, up ravines, and through the dense woods, meeting with snows and rains in sufficient volumes to appall the stoutest hearts; but they toiled patiently, occasionally brushing the enemy out of their way, until, on the 9th of May, 1864, the battle of Cloyd Mountain was fought.

In this engagement the Twenty-Third was on the right of the First Brigade. About noon they were ordered to charge the enemy, who occupied the first crest of the mountain, with artillery and infantry, behind rudely-constructed breastworks. The hill itself was thickly wooded, steep and difficult of ascent, and was skirted by a stream of water from two to three feet deep. The approach was through a beautiful meadow five or six hundred yards in width. At the word of command the regiment advanced at double-quick across the meadow, under a very heavy fire of musketry and artillery, to the foot of the mountain, across the stream. The regiment advanced steadily to this point, without returning the fire of the enemy; and, after a short pause, a furious assault was made upon the enemy's works, carrying them, and capturing two pieces of artillery, which were brought off the field by Lieutenant Austin. The enemy fell back to the second crest or ridge of the mountain, where a determined attempt was made to form a line, but, after a short struggle, lie was driven from there in full retreat. Re-enforcements arriving on the field, a third attempt was made to make a stand, but unsuccessfully. The struggle at the guns was of the fiercest description. The Rebel artillerymen attempted to reload their pieces when our line was not more than ten paces distant. Private Kosht, company G, a recruit, eighteen years of age, was the first to reach the guns. With a boyish shout he sprang from the ranks, and hung his hat over the muzzle of one of the guns.

In this charge Captain Hunter, company K, and Lieutenant Seaman, commanding company D, were both killed. Captain Rice, company A, was slightly wounded, but rejoined his company before the action was over. Lieutenant Abbott, company I, a valuable officer, was severely wounded, and left in hospital at Dublin Depot.

On the 10th of May there was another affair at New River Bridge, in which artillery was mostly used. The enemy were driven, and the bridge destroyed. The forces marched to Peppers Ferry, and crossed without opposition a tediously-slow process, however, as the whole army was crossed in one small ferry-boat, of very limited capacity, with the rain pouring down and dashing in the men's faces all night. The trains crossed at Rocky Ford a short distance above, at the expense of some men and a number of horses drowned.

On May 11th the march was continued to Blacksburg, skirmishing by the way, with two Rebels killed, two of our men wounded, and four of company F captured. On May 12th Salt Pond Mountain was crossed, the Twenty-Third acting as train-guard. The constant rains for several days had put the road in wretched condition. Most of the way it was wide enough for only one team to pass at a time. The animals were much fagged by heavy work and insufficient forage, and many of them dropped dead in the harness, so that loads had to be shifted and a number of wagons abandoned and burned. To add to the confusion a large number of 'contrabands,' who had joined the column with all sorts of conveyances, and a great many with no conveyance at all, began to lose horses and wagons, which clogged the road, and many of the poor wretches had to walk through the mud and rain, carrying children and supplies, and whatever household goods they were unwilling to leave.

On the morning of the 13th camp was reached at twenty minutes past five, greatly exhausted by the fatigues of the crossing. After an hour's rest the march was resumed, and prosecuted day by day, the troops almost constantly harassed by the enemy, encountering great obstacles in swollen streams, rocky, muddy roads, and semi-starvation.

At Staunton, June 8th, the Twenty-Third joined General Hunter's command. The first terms of service of the regiment expiring on the 11th, those not re-enlisting as veterans were sent home, also the old colors, which were no longer in condition for service. The depot, rail road, bridges, and some of the public buildings and machine-shops of Staunton were destroyed by fire, and a beautiful stone arch spanning one of the streets where the railway passed, was blown up. Private property was respected.

On June 10th the regiment marched to Brownsburg, twenty-three miles from Staunton, skirmishing nearly all the way. The enemy was driven with ease. Lexington was reached about noon of the 11th, the Rebels burning a bridge at the approach of the National forces, and a pretty sharp artillery duel being kept up, while White's brigade effected a crossing about two miles, above the town, compelling the enemy to retire. General Hunter's column came up in great haste just as the town was captured. By General Hunter's orders, the Military Academy, Washington College, and Governor Letcher's residence were burned. Good discipline only secured the execution of this order, which was protested against, formally, by Generals Crook and Averill, and, tacitly, by nearly every officer and man of the command.

On the 14th the Twenty-Third marched- twenty-five miles to Buckhannon, thence to within two miles of Lynchburg; and, while moving up the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, met the enemy and drove them pell-mell for two miles, capturing four pieces of their artillery. It was supposed our forces would immediately push on into Lynchburg after this success, but, after moving about until a short time after dark, they were ordered into camp. One brigade camped so near the enemy in the dark that the men commenced taking rails from the same fence. Some men of Gordon's (Rebel) brigade having exposed themselves, a lively little skirmish sprang up about midnight, but was quelled by withdrawing a short distance from each other.

On the 18th, at two A. M., Crook's command set off on a flanking expedition to the right to cross James River and attack Lynchburg in the rear. The cavalry, at the same time, were sent to the left to make a diversion. The Twenty-Third had not commenced crossing, however, when a messenger came from General Hunter with information that the enemy had received heavy re-enforcements, and was preparing to attack the lines in the center. It, with other forces, marched back rapidly, and soon after received information that the enemy was about to attack in overwhelming force, and that the artillery was in danger. It then moved double-quick to the exposed point, in the advance, led by General Crook in person. The roar of artillery and the crash of shell prevented any orders from being heard, but the command always followed such lead. The attack was soon repulsed, with trifling loss. The troops lay in line of battle at this point until sometime after dark, when, finding the enemy heavily re-enforced from Richmond, a skirmish-line was left on the front, while the rest quietly withdrew and commenced the retreat from Lynchburg, marching rapidly toward the town of Liberty. The fighting was all done in a dense thicket where the light of the sun could not be seen. The men had had no sleep for two days and nights, and scarcely anything to eat. In this condition they marched, falling down frequently asleep in the road, it being with the utmost difficulty that they could be kept on their feet. About ten A. M. the regiment rested an hour and twenty minutes, and then pushed on without any more halts. Of the subsequent march, the following extracts from the diary of an officer of the regiment form a fitting record:

"June 19. Marched all day, dragging along very slowly. The men had nothing to eat, the trains having been sent in advance. It is almost incredible that men should have been able to endure so much, but they never faltered, and not a murmur escaped them. Often men would drop out silently, exhausted, but not a word of complaint was spoken. Shortly after dark, at Liberty, had a brisk little fight with the enemy's advance; reached Buford's Gap about ten A.M. of the 20th. General Crook remained here with Hayes's brigade, holding the gap until dark, inviting an attack. The army was, however, too cautious to do more than skirmish. After dark we withdrew, and marched all night to overtake the command in the advance. Reached Salern about nine A. M. Hunter had passed through Salem, and a body of the enemy's cavalry fell upon his train and captured the greater part of his artillery. About the same time Crook was attacked in front and rear, and, after a sharp fight, pushed through, losing nothing. Heavy skirmishing all day, and nothing to eat, and no sleep. Continued the march until about ten P.M., when we reached the foot of North Mountain, and slept.

At four A. M. next morning (22d) left in the advance, the first time since the retreat commenced. By a mistake a march of eight miles was made for nothing. Thus we toiled on, suffering intensely with exhaustion, want of food, clothing, etc. On the 27th a supply-train was met on Big Sewell Mountain. Men all crazy. Stopped and ate; marched and ate; camped about dark, and ate all night. Marched one hundred and eighty miles in the last nine days, fighting nearly all the time, and with very little to eat."

The column reached Charleston July 1st, and remained there refitting and resting until July 10th, when the Twenty-Third embarked for Parkersburg, en route for Martinsburg, General Crook's command having been ordered East to meet Early, who had invaded Maryland and Pennsylvania, It reached Martinsburg on the 14th, lay in camp there until the 18th, and then marched to Cabletown, ten miles beyond Harper's Ferry, driving in the enemy's pickets. Still under the immediate command of General Hunter, General Crook being at Snicker's Gap, Hayes's brigade (including the Twenty-Third) was sent, without cavalry and with two sections of a howitzer battery of the oldest and clumsiest pattern, to attack Early's army of twenty thousand or more, in flank, with no other force on this side of the Shenandoah and no possibility of communicating. The enemy had already whipped the First Division, with the whole Sixth Corps to back them, and they lay on the opposite bank of the river at Snicker's Ferry. After pretty heavy skirmishing the Twenty-Third, with the Thirty-Sixth Ohio, were entirely surrounded by two divisions of the enemy's cavalry, but fought their way out and returned to camp. Marching toward Harper's Ferry, on the 22d of July, they joined General Crook at Winchester.

On the 24th a battle was fought at Winchester, in which the National forces were defeated after a well-contested fight from early in the morning until nine o clock at night. The Twenty-Third Ohio lost in this engagement one hundred and fifty-three men, ten of whom were commissioned officers. General Mulligan and his brother-in-law were killed, and Lieutenant-Colonel Comly and many others wounded.

The forces moved toward Martinsburg early next morning, the enemy following closely. At Martinsburg the enemy's cavalry charged into the town, when General Crook made a sudden advance with his whole force, drove them badly and captured a number of prisoners. He then withdrew, and under cover of the feint of numerous camp-fires, moved off quietly toward the ford at Williamsport, and camped on the south bank of the Potomac.

On the 26th of July a series of marches and countermarches were inaugurated which was kept up until the evening of the 14th of August, when Duvall's brigade had quite a battle with a considerable force of Rebel infantry and artillery. The enemy's artillery gave them such an advantage that they drove our forces back five or six hundred yards, but a charge was made and in turn they were driven back, with the loss of some prisoners and a fine lot of beef cattle. Then followed another dance up and down the Valley, fighting and retreating. At Front Royal Sheridan's cavalry made a saber charge and captured two hundred and sixty of the enemy.

At Halltown, on the 23d of August, the enemy attacked at daylight but did not follow it up. At six P. M. Hayes's brigade, the Twenty-Third and Thirty-Sixth Ohio, with part of the Fifth West Virginia, sallied out and drove in the enemy's skirmish-line, capturing a lot of prisoners from Kershaw's Rebel division. This charge was brilliantly executed, and excited astonishment among the Rebel prisoners. The universal inquiry was: “Who the hell are 'uns." On the23d another sortie was made, and six officers and one hundred prisoners taken, all from Kershaw's (South Carolina) division.

Nothing of importance transpired until the 3d of September at Berryville, where the Twenty-Third was sent out on picket. A general engagement was brought on just before dark, in which was desperate fighting the most of it after dark. As the Twenty-Third formed line and went into battle, the boys were received with loud cheers. Colonel Hayes, commanding brigade, went out of the line to meet and lead his old regiment. The cannonade was very rapid and continuous, and the exploding shells and the blaze of the discharge from guns and small arms made a diabolic display. At ten o clock both parties withdrew, apparently satisfied, and the Twenty-Third returned to picket-duty. It lost in this affair Captains Austin and Gillis, both brave and accomplished officers.

After the usual amount of marching and countermarching, from the 4th to the 18th of September, the battle of Opequan was fought on the 19th. General Crook's command was in reserve, but was very soon brought into action and sent to the extreme right of the line to make a flank attack. Hayes's brigade had the extreme right of the infantry. The position was reached under cover of an almost impenetrable growth of cedar, crossing a swampy stream. Here the division was halted and formed First Brigade (Hayes s) in front, and the Second (Johnson's) in rear. Throwing out a light line of skirmishers the brigade advanced rapidly to the front, driving the enemy's cavalry. The National cavalry at the same time advanced out of the woods on the right. After advancing in this way across two or three open fields, under a scattering fire, the crest of a slight elevation was reached, when the enemy's infantry line came into view, off diagonally to the left front, and he opened a brisk artillery fire.

Moving forward double-quick under this fire, the brigade reached a thick fringe of underbrush, dashing through which it came upon a deep slough, forty or fifty yards wide and nearly waist deep, with soft mud at the bottom, overgrown with a thick bed of moss, nearly strong enough to bear the weight of a man. It seemed impossible to get through it, and the whole line was staggered for a moment. Just then Colonel Hayes plunged in with his horse, and under a shower of bullets and shells, with his horse sometimes down, he rode, waded, and dragged his way through the first man over. The Twenty-Third was immediately ordered by the right flank and over the slough at the same place. In floundering through this morass men were suffocated and drowned, still the regiment plunged through, and, after a pause long enough to partially re-form the line, charged forward again, yelling and driving the enemy. Sheridan's old cavalry kept close up on the right, having passed around the slough, and every time the enemy was driven from cover charged and captured a large number of prisoners. This plan was followed throughout the battle, by which the cavalry was rendered very effective. In one of these charges Colonel Duvall, the division commander, was wounded and carried from the field, leaving Colonel Hayes in command. He was everywhere exposing himself recklessly as usual. He was the first over the slough; he was in advance of the line half the time afterward; his Adjutant-General was severely wounded; men were dropping all around him, but he rode through it all as if he had a charmed life.

No re-enforcements no demonstration as promised. Something must be done to stop the murderous concentrated fire that is cutting the force so dreadfully. Selecting some Saxony rifles in the Twenty-Third, pieces of seventy-one caliber with a range of twelve hundred yards, Lieutenant McBride was ordered forward with them to kill the enemy's artillery horses, in plain sight. They moved forward rapidly under cover as much as possible. At the first shot a horse drops; almost immediately another is killed; a panic seems to seize the artillery and they commence limbering up. The infantry take the alarm, and a few commence running from the intrenchments. The whole line rises, and with a tremendous yell the men rush frantically for the breastworks; and thus, without stopping to fire another shot, the enemy ran in utter confusion that terrible cavalry, which had been hovering like a cloud on the flanks, sweeping down on the Rebels and capturing them by regiments. Eight battle-flags were captured and a large number of prisoners. The graybacks soon looked as numerous as the blue coats. The enemy's artillery in the Star fort was obliged to stop firing and fall back, and the battle was at an end.

About this time the Sixth Corps emerged from the woods in the rear and started forward in magnificent style, lines all well dressed, and everything in striking contrast with the shattered condition of the troops just engaged. Thus ended the battle of Opequan (pronounced O-pee-can). The result was a complete and decisive victory. Lieutenant McBride with his party, sent to kill artillery horses, brought in one hundred and two prisoners, of whom he captured Colonel Edgar and forty-two others himself. The regiment captured about two hundred men. The artillery was captured by the combined force, and therefore the credit does not belong to either in particular.

The battle of North Mountain occurred September 20, 1864. It was more of an impetuous charge than a regular battle. The Twenty-Third, with its companions of the brigade, charged with perfect fury up the whole line of intrenchments, the enemy scarcely making a stand at all, flying in utter rout and terror as Crook's command gained their rear, abandoning gun after gun to their hands. The loss of the regiment was only one killed and one mortally wounded.

From this time forward until October 19th no regular battle was fought. The usual amount of hard marching from point to point in the Valley was gone through with, with occasional skirmishes and one or two artillery duels to vary the monotony of camp-life.

On the 19th, however, the battle of Cedar Creek was inaugurated. The Nineteenth and Sixth Corps and the cavalry occupied positions on a parallel line with the enemy's front as he lay in camp, or nearly so. General Crook's First Division (Thoburn s) occupied works about a mile further to the front and on the left of the main line, and the works from their left flank rearward were entirely empty, except that the Ninth Virginia, from the Second Division, occupied a small portion of them about half a mile back, where they had been at work the day before. Crook's Second Division (Duvall's, commanded by Hayes), or as much of it as was left from details for cattle-guards, pickets, etc., occupied a camp about one mile and a quarter in rear of the First Division, and in rear of the Manchester Pike. An independent brigade (Kitching's) occupied a camp to the left and rear of that. The Rebel attacking column crossed the North Fork of the Shenandoah from the left of Fisher's Hill, passed down near the base of the Massanutten Mountain, beyond the picket-line, and recrossed the river at Buxton Ford, well to the rear of Crook's command. From there they passed again toward the front, just outside the National lines, through the darkness and fog, forming a line of battle extending from Thoburn's right to a point about opposite Middletown, beyond the extreme left. (Prisoners reported that this movement was commenced at dark the preceding night.) The night was very dark, and even after daylight a thick fog obscured everything and added to the effect of the enemy's attack. The nearest force of National cavalry on the left was at Front Royal, eight miles distant. The reader will please note this fact particularly. It may be well to state that a feint was made in Custer's front on the extreme right, before the attack, and that a small column of the enemy accompanied by General Early in person, crossed Cedar Creek, on the Winchester Pike, after the left was turned.

General Sheridan was absent in Washington, and, by seniority, the command devolved upon Major-General Wright, commanding Sixth Corps. As soon as the lines were settled into position General Crook discovered the weak point on the left, a ford across the North Fork of the Shenandoah, accessible from the Massanutten Mountain, and which could not be covered by his infantry. He applied immediately for a division of cavalry to cover this ford and picket the front of the mountain. This request was immediately granted. For some unexplained reason the cavalry had not yet been placed there on the nights of the 18th and 19th. It was generally supposed that it was there, and the division officer of the day for the Second Division was instructed that it was there, as was also the corps officer of the day Colonel Brown, of the Thirteenth West Virginia. When the division officer of the day for the Second Division (Colonel Furney, of the Thirty-Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry), made the grand rounds, it was reported to him it was suspected that troops were moving through the woods in that direction; and while he was on the picket-line he discovered cavalry there, and supposing it to be National cavalry patrolling, rode out to see what news they had, and was quietly gobbled up. (He afterward escaped at Mount Jackson and arrived safely in camp.)

Nearly the whole flanking force of the enemy crossed at this ford. With the cavalry in position this would have been simply impossible; and sufficient notice of any such event would have been given to have placed not only the Army of West Virginia, but the whole of Sheridan's Army, in the works at the left, to oppose the enemy after he had crossed. The enemy's line, when the attack opened, extended from the front of Crook's First Division all the way round to a point about opposite Middletown, they having gained their position under cover of the fog and darkness, as above stated. To meet this force lying quietly there under cover, waiting for the feint on the right of the line (which was the signal for the attack), General Crook had about four thousand men. If placed in skirmish-line they would not more than cover the front of the enemy's attacking force. The Second Division (Hayes) had but fourteen hundred and forty-five men in camp for duty. This was the situation when, at about half-past four A. M., the enemy advanced in heavy force against the works of the First Division, pushing in rapidly whatever of the picket-line they failed to capture. Although the forces were promptly in line, the enemy had it all their own way, and overwhelmed and overlapped the lines so as to push them back rapidly.

The situation in a few minutes after the attack was about this: Crook's command, overpowered and driven from their advanced position, were forming on the left of the Nineteenth Corps, which corps was just getting into action, the left being hotly engaged, but not so much so as Crook's command yet. The right of the line had not been engaged at all, and was not for sometime after. While the line was in this situation the trains were all slowly moving off. A desperate stand was made by the shattered lines of Crook's command to save the headquarters train of the army, which came last from the right, and it succeeded. Many brave men lost their lives in this - Colonel Thoburn, commanding First Division; Captain Bier, General Crook's Adjutant-General, and others. Colonel Hayes, commanding the First Division, had his horse shot under him, and narrowly escaped with his life. Lieutenant-Colonel Hall, of the Thirteenth Virginia, was killed, but the train was saved.

From this time the whole line fell slowly back, fighting stubbornly, to a new position which had been selected. There they halted, and the enemy seemed content with shelling us.

General Crook lay a couple of rods away from the line, in a place which seemed to be more particularly exposed than any other part of the line. Colonel Hayes lay close by, badly bruised from his fall, and grumbling because the troops did not charge the enemy's line, instead of waiting to be charged. Suddenly there is a dust in the rear, on the Winchester Pike; and, almost before they are aware, a young man, in full Major-General's uniform, and riding furiously a magnificent black horse, literally "flecked with foam' reins up and springs off by General Crook's side. There is a perfect roar as everybody recognized SHERIDAN! He talks with Crook a little while, cutting away at the tops of the weeds with his riding-whip. General Crook speaks a half-dozen sentences that sound a great deal like the crack of the whip; and by that time some of the staff are up. They are sent flying in different directions. Sheridan and Crook lie down and seem to be talking, and all is quiet again, except the vicious shells of the different batteries and the roar of artillery along the line. After awhile Colonel Forsyth comes down in front and shouts to the General: "The Nineteenth Corps is closed up, sir." Sheridan jumps up, gives one more cut with his whip, whirls himself around once, jumps on his horse, and starts up the line. Just as he starts he says to the men: "We are going to have a good thing on them now, boys!" And so he rode off, and a long wave of yells rolling up to the right with him. The men took their posts, the line moved forward, and the balance of the day is a household word over a whole nation.

On October 7th the regiment was detailed as train-guard to Martinsburg, and marched to Winchester, where a brigade of the enemy's cavalry was reported to be. On the march the men voted at the Presidential election. It was impossible to take all the votes, as the train required vigilant watching. The votes were collected by the judges of election as the column was in march, from among the wagons, etc. There were seven anti-war votes, the first ever cast in the regiment, principally from among the teamsters. The regiment reached Martinsburg about nine P. M., with the weather very cold, raining, and no wood.

On the 13th of November it returned to Winchester with a supply-train of seven hundred wagons. On the 14th it marched to camp at Kernstown, where the Army of the Shenandoah was lying, and went into camp in a dense thicket. The next day the regiment re-commenced drill and ordinary camp routine, and kept it up until the middle of December, when it was transferred from the extreme left to the extreme right of the line. About the 20th of December Hayes's brigade was ordered to Stephenson's Depot, where it remained on duty until the 29th, when it marched to Martinsburg and went into camp.

On January 1, 1865, it embarked for Cumberland at ten A. M., and arrived at six P.M. Colonel Hayes was promoted to a Brigadier-Generalship, and Lieutenant-Colonel Comly to Colonel, both to date from October 19, 1864.

The regiment reached Grafton on the 12th of January. The post at Beverly had been captured, and the regiment was to operate against the enemy and protect the railroad. From the 13th to the 18th it lay at Grafton, without tents and with insufficient bedding. The weather was very cold. Returning to Cumberland on the 19th, the regiment was there occupied down to March 1st with drill and discipline, and the ordinary camp routine.

Thereafter followed the collapse of the Southern Confederacy and the surrender of their armies. The boys became anxious to get home. The rest of April, May, June, and most of July were spent in restive, inglorious ease. The wished-for order came at last, and the Twenty-Third was mustered out on the 26th of July, 1865, at Cumberland, and took the cars for Camp Taylor, near Cleveland, where the men, were paid and discharged.