Historical Sketch:
The 23rd Wisconsin Infantry was organized at Camp Randall in Madison and mustered into service on August 30, 1862. The regiment left Wisconsin for Cincinnati, Ohio, on September 15, 1862. From there it traveled through Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama.
The 23rd Wisconsin Infantry participated in the battles of Port Gibson and Champion Hill, the Siege of Vicksburg, the Red River Campaign, the Western Louisiana Campaign, and the sieges of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely in Alabama. The regiment concluded the war by occupying Mobile, Alabama, where it mustered out of service on July 4, 1865.
The regiment lost 308 men during service. One officer and 40 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded. Five officers and 262 enlisted men died from disease.
Officers:
Colonel Joshua James Guppey (August 30, 1862 – July 4, 1865) was nominal commander through the entire life of the regiment, but was absent for the second half of 1863 and first half of 1864 due to illness and injury. By the time he was well enough to return, in July 1864, he was made an acting brigade commander. After the war he received an honorary brevet to brigadier general.
Lt. Colonel William Freeman Vilas (June 5, 1863 – August 25, 1863) mustered in as captain of Co. A, and was promoted to major then lieutenant colonel. He had command of the regiment in the summer of 1863 when Colonel Guppey was incapacitated by illness. He resigned his commission in August 1863. After the war he became a United States senator.
Lt. Colonel Edgar P. Hill (August 25, 1863 – January 1864, June 1864 – January 1865) was originally captain of Co. C. He was acting commander of the regiment after the resignation of Lt. Colonel Vilas.
Major Joseph E. Green (January 1864 – June 1864, January 1865 – June 1865) was originally captain of Co. D. He was acting commander of the regiment while Lt. Colonel Hill was on leave in Wisconsin.
Assignments:
Attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Army of Kentucky, Dept. of the Ohio, to October, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Army of Kentucky, to November, 1862. 1st Brigade. 10th Division, Right Wing 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, to December, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Sherman's Yazoo Expedition, to January, 1863. 1st Brigade, 10th Division, 13th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to August, 1863. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 13th Army Corps, Dept. of the Gulf, to June, 1864. Defenses of New Orleans, La., to August, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 19th Army Corps, Dept. of the Gulf, August, 1864. Guppy's Brigade, Mobile Bay, Dept. of the Gulf, to October, 1864. District of Eastern Arkansas, 7th Army Corps, Dept. of Arkansas, to February, 1865. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Reserve Corps, Military Division West Mississippi, February, 1865. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 13th Army Corps (New), Military Division West Mississippi, to July, 1865.
Battles:
Vicksburg Campaign
Battle of Chickasaw Bayou
Battle of Arkansas Post
Battle of Champion Hill
Battle of Big Black River Bridge
Operations in West Louisiana
Battle of Bayou Bourbeux
Red River campaign
Battle of Pleasant Hill
Battle of Monett's Ferry
Mobile Campaign
Battle of Spanish Fort
Service:
Duty at Newport, Ky., until October 8, 1862. Moved to Paris, Ky., October 8-15, thence to Lexington and Nicholasville, Ky., October 22-31. Moved to Louisville, thence to Memphis, Tenn., November 8-27. Sherman's Yazoo Expedition December 20, 1862, to January 3, 1863. Expedition from Milliken's Bend to Louisiana & Shreveport Railroad December 25-26. Chickasaw Bayou December 26-28. Chickasaw Bluff December 29. Expedition to Arkansas Post, Ark., January 3-10, 1863. Assault on and capture of Fort Hindman, Arkansas Post, January 10-11. Moved to Young's Point, La., January 15, and duty there until March 8. Expedition to Cypress Bend, Ark., February 14-29. Moved to Milliken's Bend, La., March 8, and duty there until April 25. Movement on Bruinsburg and turning Grand Gulf April 25-30. Battle of Port Gibson May 1 (Reserve). Battle of Champion's Hill May 16. Big Black River May 17. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4. Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 4-10. Siege of Jackson July 10-17. Camp at Vicksburg until August. Ordered to New Orleans, La., August 24. Expedition to New and Amite Rivers September 24-29. Western Louisiana Campaign October 3-November 30. Carrion Crow Bayou November 3. At New Iberia until December 7. Moved to Berwick December 7-10. Moved to Brashear City, thence to Algiers and to Matagorda Peninsula, Texas, December 13, 1863-January 1, 1864. Reconnaissance on Matagorda Peninsula January 21, 1864. Duty at DeCrow's Point until February 22. Moved to Algiers, La., February 22-26. Red River Campaign March 10-May 22. Advance from Franklin to Alexandria March 14-26. Bayou de Paul, Carroll's Mill, and battle of Sabine Cross Roads April 8. Monett's Ferry, Cane River Crossing, April 23. At Alexandria April 26-May 13. Construction of dam at Alexandria April 30-May 10. Retreat to Morganza May 13-20. Mansura May 16. Moved to Baton Rouge May 24, and duty there until July 8. Moved to Algiers, La., July 8, thence to Morganza July 26. Expedition to Mobile Bay August 18-September 2. Operations near Morganza September 16-25. Expedition to Bayou Sara October 3-6. Bayou Sara and Thompson's Creek, near Jackson, October 5. Moved to Helena, Ark., October 10, and duty there until February 23, 1865. Ordered to New Orleans, La., February 23. Campaign against Mobile, Ala., and its defenses March 17-April 12. Siege of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely March 26-April 8. Assault on and capture of Fort Blakely April 9. Occupation of Mobile April 12. Duty at and near Mobile until July. Mustered out July 4, 1865.
Rosters:
The composite rosters of this unit contain the names of 1739 men. The counties where the companies were formed are unknown.
John F. Appleby was a corporal in Co. E throughout the war. During the war, Appleby invented and patented a manual magazine feed breech loading needle gun. After the war, he invented and patented several agricultural devices.
Joseph Bartholomew was an enlisted man in Co. H. He rose to the rank of sergeant with this company, and was then commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the 49th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. After the war he became chief justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court.
Rockwell J. Flint was a sergeant in Co. C, but transferred to the Signal Corps in 1863. After the war became a Wisconsin legislator and U.S. marshal.
Birney Maries Jarvis was enlisted in Co. A and served throughout the war. After the war he became a Wisconsin legislator.
Edmund Jüssen was lieutenant colonel until his resignation in March 1863. After the war served as an American diplomat.
William Seamonson was enlisted in Co. D and rose to the rank of sergeant, serving through the entire war. After the war he became a Wisconsin legislator.
John Starks, son of Argalus Starks, was 1st lieutenant of Co. I. He was wounded in the trenches at the Siege of Vicksburg and later died of his wound. He previously served as an enlisted man in the 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment.
Henry Vilas, brother of William F. Vilas, was 2nd lieutenant of Co. E and later captain of Co. A.
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Historical Sketch:
