The Zouaves of the Keystone State
The year was 1860, when the first of the recalcitrant states seceded from the United States, with South Carolina as the first of them. After the rebels’ successful attack on Ft. Sumter, Abraham Lincoln sought for 75,000 volunteer soldiers to put down this rebellion. However, the world would soon discover that a mere seventy-five thousand men would not be enough to stop the coming bloodshed. Not knowing of the death pit they were walking into, many thousands of men joined the army voluntarily, believing once they returned home from battle, the adventures would be one heck of a story to tell. Many soldiers never even suspected that leaving for the recruitment office would be the last time they would set their eyes on home.
At the time in Philadelphia, Mr. David B. Birney was an unsuspecting man of middle age who was a polymath of law and business. However, upon hearing that war broke out, he worked with Mr. Charles P. Dare, a businessman, to raise a regiment to preserve the Union. Many of the soldiers came from the local militia, the 1st Pennsylvania Militia. Together, the two men led the regiment, now as Lt. Colonel Birney and Colonel Dare. They were the first to march out of the city with uniforms. The regiment wore zouave uniforms which came from the French army, and General McLellan admired the French soldiers for their bravery and recklessness in battle. The regiment, now 2,000 strong, began marching to Perryville.
The first three months of service were mostly uneventful, and the regiment returned home to Philadelphia after the serving three months.Unfortunately, due to his illness, Mr.Dare had to resign from his post. He passed away some time later. In the August of the same year, recruitment for three years of service began. The next 3 years, the regiment would fight in the following battles: Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Days' Battle, Battle of Fredericksburg, Battle of Gettysburg, Mine Run Campaign, and the Battle of Cold Harbor.
After signup ended, the regiment was first ordered to Washington DC for the defense of the city, and became a part of the Army of the Potomac.While they camped out near the capital, a Typhoid fever broke out in the camp and 50 soldiers and one officer died. Then, the regiment had their first casualty at Warwick River. After a series of skirmishes, the regiment fought their first major battle on June 1, 1862 at the Battle of Fair Oaks, or the Battle of Seven Pines. They lost 136 soldiers and seven officers in heavy fighting.
The regiment also fought in the Battle of Gettysburg. Captain John B, Fassett received a Medal of Honor for his actions on the Gettysburg battlefield. His Medal of Honor citation reads “While acting as an aide, voluntarily led a regiment to the relief of a battery and recaptured its guns from the enemy.” Captain Fassett was the only recipient of this award in the entire regiment. The monument for the regiment is located on Gettysburg battleground.
On June 1, After the Battle of Gettysburg, the 23rd Pennsylvania fought hard at the Battle of Cold Harbor. The regiment charged 500 yards of open ground, but withdrew 50 yards and remained in that trench. They suffered heavy losses, with 4 officers and 71 troops dead, 5 officers and 111 soldiers wounded, and 3 men captured.
Then, the regiment attacked the city of Petersburg. However, they were unable to take the city immediately, and the attack became a siege. It took just over 2 weeks to finally capture the city. After Petersburg, the regiment returned to Pennsylvania. The 3 years were over, and Birney’s Zouaves were glad to see home once more.
The year was 1860, when the first of the recalcitrant states seceded from the United States, with South Carolina as the first of them. After the rebels’ successful attack on Ft. Sumter, Abraham Lincoln sought for 75,000 volunteer soldiers to put down this rebellion. However, the world would soon discover that a mere seventy-five thousand men would not be enough to stop the coming bloodshed. Not knowing of the death pit they were walking into, many thousands of men joined the army voluntarily, believing once they returned home from battle, the adventures would be one heck of a story to tell. Many soldiers never even suspected that leaving for the recruitment office would be the last time they would set their eyes on home.
At the time in Philadelphia, Mr. David B. Birney was an unsuspecting man of middle age who was a polymath of law and business. However, upon hearing that war broke out, he worked with Mr. Charles P. Dare, a businessman, to raise a regiment to preserve the Union. Many of the soldiers came from the local militia, the 1st Pennsylvania Militia. Together, the two men led the regiment, now as Lt. Colonel Birney and Colonel Dare. They were the first to march out of the city with uniforms. The regiment wore zouave uniforms which came from the French army, and General McLellan admired the French soldiers for their bravery and recklessness in battle. The regiment, now 2,000 strong, began marching to Perryville.
The first three months of service were mostly uneventful, and the regiment returned home to Philadelphia after the serving three months.Unfortunately, due to his illness, Mr.Dare had to resign from his post. He passed away some time later. In the August of the same year, recruitment for three years of service began. The next 3 years, the regiment would fight in the following battles: Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Days' Battle, Battle of Fredericksburg, Battle of Gettysburg, Mine Run Campaign, and the Battle of Cold Harbor.
After signup ended, the regiment was first ordered to Washington DC for the defense of the city, and became a part of the Army of the Potomac.While they camped out near the capital, a Typhoid fever broke out in the camp and 50 soldiers and one officer died. Then, the regiment had their first casualty at Warwick River. After a series of skirmishes, the regiment fought their first major battle on June 1, 1862 at the Battle of Fair Oaks, or the Battle of Seven Pines. They lost 136 soldiers and seven officers in heavy fighting.
The regiment also fought in the Battle of Gettysburg. Captain John B, Fassett received a Medal of Honor for his actions on the Gettysburg battlefield. His Medal of Honor citation reads “While acting as an aide, voluntarily led a regiment to the relief of a battery and recaptured its guns from the enemy.” Captain Fassett was the only recipient of this award in the entire regiment. The monument for the regiment is located on Gettysburg battleground.
On June 1, After the Battle of Gettysburg, the 23rd Pennsylvania fought hard at the Battle of Cold Harbor. The regiment charged 500 yards of open ground, but withdrew 50 yards and remained in that trench. They suffered heavy losses, with 4 officers and 71 troops dead, 5 officers and 111 soldiers wounded, and 3 men captured.
Then, the regiment attacked the city of Petersburg. However, they were unable to take the city immediately, and the attack became a siege. It took just over 2 weeks to finally capture the city. After Petersburg, the regiment returned to Pennsylvania. The 3 years were over, and Birney’s Zouaves were glad to see home once more.
