The 23rd New Jersey Infantry Regiment was recruited from various towns within Burlington County, New Jersey, and was mustered into Federal service in August 1862.The regiment trained at Camp Cadwalader in Beverly, before being sent out to join the Army of the Potomac. There, it was brigaded with the New Jersey units that made up the famed "First New Jersey Brigade", which had been reduced to a shadow of its former self due to continual field service and participation in the Battles of Gaines Mill, Second Bull Run, and South Mountain. The arrival of the nearly 1,000-strong 23rd New Jersey and the newly recruited three-year 15th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry greatly replenished the brigade's numbers.
When the 23rd New Jersey's first commander, Colonel John S. Cox, resigned to prevent a court-martial for drunkenness in November 1862, the new commander, Col. Henry O. Ryerson (the former Lieutenant Colonel of the 2nd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry), reviewed the regiment, and disparagingly called them "Yahoos", due to their less than military demeanor and irreverence. The men of the regiment took to the sobriquet, emblazoning it on their regimental flag, and called themselves Yahoos for the rest of their lives.
The regiment fought in two engagements–the December 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg, and the May 1863 Battle of Salem Church. Years after the war was over, the regiment erected a monument—the only one ever erected for a nine-month New Jersey unit—on the Salem Church battlefield, where it stands today. In that engagement, it was led by Col. Edward Burd Grubb, Jr., who took over command when Colonel Ryerson left to lead the 10th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry in March 1863.[1][2]
After serving its nine-month enlistment, the regiment was mustered out in June 1863. Many of the veterans of the 23rd New Jersey went on to serve in other regiments, most notably the 34th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, which is attributed to the fact that Colonel Grubb, much respected by the Yahoos, was rumored to be the commander of the unit (he in fact went on to command the 37th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry instead)
Captain Forrester L. Taylor, commander of Company H, rescued two wounded soldiers while under intense fire from the Confederates during the Salem Church engagement, an act of bravery that would get him awarded the Medal of Honor. This made him one of only two men from New Jersey's 11 nine-month enlistment regiments to be awarded that high honor (the other being Sergeant Major Amos J. Cummings of the 26th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry).
^Bilby, Joseph G. (1982). "SUNSHINE SOLDIERS: New Jersey's Nine Months Regiments at the Battle of Fredericksburg". Military Images. 3 (4): 16–23. JSTOR 44031465.
December 18, 2023
23rd, jersey, infantry, regiment, american, civil, infantry, regiment, from, jersey, that, served, nine, month, enlistment, union, army, flag, jerseyactiveseptember, 1862, june, 1863countryunited, states, americaallegianceunionbranchunion, armytypeinfantryenga. The 23rd New Jersey Infantry Regiment was an American Civil War infantry regiment from New Jersey that served a nine month enlistment in the Union Army 23rd New Jersey Infantry RegimentFlag of New JerseyActiveSeptember 13 1862 to June 27 1863CountryUnited States of AmericaAllegianceUnionBranchUnion ArmyTypeInfantryEngagementsFredericksburg and Battle of Salem Church The 23rd New Jersey Infantry Regiment was recruited from various towns within Burlington County New Jersey and was mustered into Federal service in August 1862 The regiment trained at Camp Cadwalader in Beverly before being sent out to join the Army of the Potomac There it was brigaded with the New Jersey units that made up the famed First New Jersey Brigade which had been reduced to a shadow of its former self due to continual field service and participation in the Battles of Gaines Mill Second Bull Run and South Mountain The arrival of the nearly 1 000 strong 23rd New Jersey and the newly recruited three year 15th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry greatly replenished the brigade s numbers When the 23rd New Jersey s first commander Colonel John S Cox resigned to prevent a court martial for drunkenness in November 1862 the new commander Col Henry O Ryerson the former Lieutenant Colonel of the 2nd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry reviewed the regiment and disparagingly called them Yahoos due to their less than military demeanor and irreverence The men of the regiment took to the sobriquet emblazoning it on their regimental flag and called themselves Yahoos for the rest of their lives The regiment fought in two engagements the December 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg and the May 1863 Battle of Salem Church Years after the war was over the regiment erected a monument the only one ever erected for a nine month New Jersey unit on the Salem Church battlefield where it stands today In that engagement it was led by Col Edward Burd Grubb Jr who took over command when Colonel Ryerson left to lead the 10th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry in March 1863 1 2 After serving its nine month enlistment the regiment was mustered out in June 1863 Many of the veterans of the 23rd New Jersey went on to serve in other regiments most notably the 34th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry which is attributed to the fact that Colonel Grubb much respected by the Yahoos was rumored to be the commander of the unit he in fact went on to command the 37th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry instead Captain Forrester L Taylor commander of Company H rescued two wounded soldiers while under intense fire from the Confederates during the Salem Church engagement an act of bravery that would get him awarded the Medal of Honor This made him one of only two men from New Jersey s 11 nine month enlistment regiments to be awarded that high honor the other being Sergeant Major Amos J Cummings of the 26th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Contents 1 Original Field and Staff 2 Original company commanders 3 See also 4 ReferencesOriginal Field and Staff editMustered in September 1862 Colonel John S Cox Lieutenant Colonel George C Brown major Alfred Thompson Adjutant William G Winans Quartermaster Abel H Nichols Surgeon William Cook Assistant Surgeon David G Hetzell Assistant Surgeon Robert T Elmer Chaplain William T Abbott Sergeant Major John F Mckee Original company commanders editCompany A Captain Francis W Milnor Company B Captain Francis J Higgins Company C Captain Samuel Carr Company D Captain Reading Newbold Company E Captain Augustus W Grobler Company F Captain Samuel B Smith Company G Captain Joseph R Ridgway Company H Captain Henry A McCabe Company I Captain John P Burnett Company K Captain William J ParmentierSee also edit nbsp American Civil War portalList of New Jersey Civil War UnitsReferences edit Civil war new jersey Bilby Joseph G 1982 SUNSHINE SOLDIERS New Jersey s Nine Months Regiments at the Battle of Fredericksburg Military Images 3 4 16 23 JSTOR 44031465 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 23rd New Jersey Infantry Regiment amp oldid 1036676548, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
