Fallen Ohioan's of the 23rd Ohio

Regimental Colors, 23rd Ohio

The 23rd Ohio Volunteer infantry was part of Colonel Eliakim Scammon's brigade of the Kanawha Division. On the morning of September 14, 1862, the 23rd Ohio was encamped just outside of Middletown, Maryland and at about 6 A.M., the regiment began its march towards Turner's Gap in support of Alfred Pleasonton's cavalry division. Upon reaching what is today Marker Road, General Jacob Cox ordered his division to proceed up this road and onto the Old Sharpsburg Road to outflank the Confederates in position at Turner's Gap from the south. This sent the 23rd Ohio and their commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes on a collision course with the 5th North Carolina Infantry of Samuel Garland's Brigade, which was at the moment marching with all speed towards Fox's Gap. Marching up the Old Sharpsburg Road and then up a mountain path called the Loop Road, the 23rd Ohio constituted the left flank of Scammon's brigade. Going into line of battle about a mile south of Fox's Gap, the regiment advanced out of the woods and at 9:00 a.m., slammed into the skirmishers of the 5th North Carolina, touching off what would become the Battle of South Mountain. For the next two hours, the 23rd battled North Carolina's sons in the fields south of the important intersection at Fox's Gap. After George Crook's brigade was ordered into the fray, the Ohioan's pushed back the North Carolinian's and began advancing on Fox's Gap itself before being halted by a determined Confederate counterattack. The 23rd had suffered terribly in its morning fight losing Lt. Colonel Hayes with a shattered arm. The regiment would participate in some skirmishing during the afternoon fighting and for the day it would lose 32 killed, 95 wounded, and 3 missing. Below are those known casualties pulled from the muster rolls of the regiment. Of the 130 casualties, 93 men are known accounting for 71% of the regiments casualties. A portrait of Private George Detrick, who was killed during the battle can be seen here.

Killed:
Private George W. Baker, Co. E
Private Isaac W. Barker, Co. D
Private Joshua L. Barnes, Co. A
Private Albert J. Colbert, Co. I
Private Silas S. Collar, Co. B
Private William S. Crepps, Co. G
Private David A. Curtis, Co. I
Private George W. Detrick, Co. F
Private Robert A. Dixon, Co. I
Private Townsend G. Dixon, Co. C
Private John Dunn, Co. A
Private Hiram Durkee, Co. D
Private William Edwards, Co. F
Private Stafford A. Grant, Co. I
Corporal Jesse Hill, Co. I
Private Philander J. Hinds, Co. I
Private Frederick Hooker, Co. D
Private John W. Kiser, Co. G
Corporal Archibald Moore, Co. F
Private Robert P. Pierson, Co. I
Private John S. Pinney, Co. G
Sergeant Major Eugene L. Reynolds, Regiment
Private Thaddeus A. Roas, Co. A
Private William Severance, Co. I
Private George W. Shaffer, Co. H
Private Edward Sims, Co. D
Corporal Mark  Slonaker, Co.G
Private Benjamin B. Smith, Co. F
Corporal Francis C. Smith, Co. I
Private Henry H. Smith, Co. D
Private Thomas J. Smith, Co. I
Private Thomas G. Wells, Co. K
Private Issac N. Whitney, Co. H
Private Robinson Wiggins, Co. H
Private David Williams, Co. E

Wounded:
Sergeant Joshua A. Armstrong, Co. F
Corporal Eli F. Botsford, Co. A
Private Henry L. Braddish, Co. A (Captured)
Private Charles V. Brookman, Co. C (Mortally)
Private William Brown, Co.K
Private Jacob Burkhart, Co. F
Private Henry Burmaster, Co. A
Private Ogden M. Clow, Co. I
Private Thomas O. Conners, Co. A
Private Robert B. Cornwall, Co. A (Mortally)
Private Issac N. R. Crawford, Co. H
Corporal John Elder, Co. H
Private Van F. Fitch, Co. E
Private Martin Haacke, Co. C
Private George W. Harper, Co.H
Private Wilson B. Harper, Co. H (Mortally)
Private Jacob Hartman, Co. D
Lt. Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes, Regiment
Sergeant A.L. Heliger, Co. E
Private August Herthneck, Co. B
Private Isaac Hill, Co. K
Private William Holcomb, Co. D
Sergeant George W. Holeton, Co. E
Private Byron W. Hosford, Co. C
Private Joseph A. Joel, Co. A
Private Christian Kesler, Co. H
Private John S. Kirkwood, Co. F
Sergeant Frederick F. Koontz, Co. G
Sergeant Aaron Koplin, Co. F
Private William H.H. Liggett, Co. H
Sergeant John H. Lindley, Co. D (Mortally)
Private Thomas Moore, Co. E
Private Henry W. Parsons, Co. H (Mortally)
Private William W. Rech, Co. H
Private David I. Richardson, Co. H (Mortally)
Private Jacob E. Rife, Co. H
2nd Lieutenant Martin V. Ritter, Co. C
Private Joseph J. Roop, Co. G
Private Sylvester Rounsville, Co. I
Private Francis E. Sammis, Co. K
Private Morris Schneider, Co. I
Private Walter B. Selby, Co. H
Private Miles Shadwick, Co. D
Private Martin Siples, Co. D
Captain John W. Skiles, Co. C
Private William H. Snyder, Co. H
Private Fitzerland Squires, Co. K (Mortally)
Corporal Emanuel Stover, Co. H
Private Enos Taylor, Co. F
Private Edwin B. Thomas, Co. A
Private James A. Thomas, Co. F
Sergeant George E. Tyler, Co. I
Corporal Asa M. Vansickle, Co. A
Corporal John Whetstone, Co. E
Private Daniel Whisler, Co. G
Private Hiram N. Young, Co. C