MAINE TWENTY-THIRD INFANTRY (Nine Months)

Twenty-third Infantry.--Col., William Wirt Virgin; Lieut.Col., Enos T. Luce; Maj., Alfred B. Soule. This regiment was entirely composed of men from the counties of Androscoggin and Oxford, except one company from Cumberland county. Many of its members were graduates of seminaries and colleges and the moral and intellectual qualities of the men were of an exceptionally high order. They went into camp at Portland, and were there mustered in on Sept. 29, 1862, for nine months. The regiment left for Washington Oct. 18, arrived there on the 20th, and on the 25th received orders to report to Gen. Grover at Seneca, Md., where it was assigned the duty of guarding the several fords of the upper Potomac. It performed this duty with care and fidelity until May 24, 1863, when it was ordered to Alexandria, Va., and was there engaged for several weeks in digging rifle-pits, building barricades across the principal streets and patrolling the town, in addition to sending out a large number of men daily for picket duty. On June 17, it moved back to Poolesville, Md., and to Maryland heights opposite Harper's Ferry on the 24th. On the 27th, it was ordered to Portland, Me., where the men were mustered out and discharged on July 15. During its ten months' service, it lost about 50 men by disease, and 2 by accident. By the fortunes of war it was never under fire, but this was no fault of the officers or men, who established a good reputation among all with whom they came in contact for good order, sobriety and excellent discipline.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 1

Maine 23rd Volunteer Infantry (Union)

Muster

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