23rd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry

Historical Notes:
The Tennessee 23rd Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Trousdale, Sumner County, Tennessee, in August, 1861. Organized with ten companies, it was consolidated into eight after the Battle of Shiloh . The men were recruited in the counties of Maury, Smith, Lawrence, DeKalb, Bedford, Rutherford, Marshall, Perry, Cannon, and Coffee. After being involved in the conflicts at Shiloh , Munfordville , and Perryville , it was assigned to B.R. Johnson's Brigade and in November, 1863, consolidated with the 17th Regiment. The regiment participated in the Battles of Murfreesboro and Chickamauga , moved to Knoxville, then was ordered to Virginia. Here it fought at Drewry's Bluff , took its place in the Petersburg trenches, and was active in the Appomattox Courthouse Campaign. It took 570 effectives to Shiloh and lost twenty-six percent of the 201 at Perryville, twenty-three percent of the 272 at Murfreesboro, and fifty-four percent of the 181 at Chickamauga. On April 9, 1865, there were 4 officers and 52 men at the surrender. Officers:
Colonels:
Richard H. Keeble
Mathias Martin
James F. Neill
Horace Ready
Lieutenant Colonel:
Robert Cantrell
James F. Neill
Richard H. Keeble
Horace Ready
Majors:
John G. Lowe
George H. Nixon
Horace Ready
Assignments:
Brigadier General Simon B. Buckner's Division, Colonel John C. Brown's Brigade, composed of the 3rd, 18th, and 23rd Tennessee Infantry Regiments.
Major General William J. Hardee's Division, Colonel Patrick R. Cleburn’s Brigade, composed of the 15th Arkansas, 6th Mississippi, 23rd, 24th, and 35th Tennessee Infantry Regiments.
B. R. Johnson's Brigade
Battles:
Shiloh
Munfordville
Perryville
Murfreesboro
Hoover’s Gap
Chickamauga
Fort Loudon
Bean's Station
Walthall Junction
Swift Creek
Drury's Bluff,
Petersburg Siege
Appomattox Courthouse
Rosters:
The roster of this unit contains the names of 1771 men.

James G. Armstrong, 1st Co. "A". Consolidated with "B" April, 1862. Men from Maury County.
Henry B. Haynie, John G. Lowe, William S. Bowman, 2nd Co. "A", formerly 1st Co. "G". Men from Smith County.
George T. Blakemore, William A. Vernon, William B. J. Moore, Daniel W. May, Co. "B", formerly "B". Men from Lawrence County
Robert Cantrell, Leroy J. Magness, G. W. Hicks, Erastus E. Foster, William D. Reinhardt 2nd Co. "C", formerly 1st Co. "E". Men from DeKalb County.
Mathias Martin, Micajah Payne, George Alexander Cortner, 2nd Co. "D", formerly 1st Co. "I". "The Erwin Guards." Men from Bedford County.
James F. Neill, James A. Ridley, W. A. Williams, N. R. Allen, John L. Elkins, 2nd Co. "E", formerly 1st Co. "K". Men from Bellbuckle, Bedford County.
William S. Lowe, 1st Co. "F". Consolidated with "H" April 1862. Men from Rutherford County.
William Crisp Blanton, James K. P. Lytle, 2nd Co. "F", formerly 1st Co. "C", called "A" in April, 1862. "The Scudder Rifles." Men from Unionville, Bedford County, some from Marshall County.
William H. Harder, John W. Harder, 2nd Co. "G", formerly 1st Co. "D". Men from Perry County.
M. M. Brien, Jr., William A. Ott, John Coffee New, Co. "H". Men from Cannon, Bedford, and Coffee Counties.
Bibliography for Research: