The 23rd Regiment was organized on April 13, 1861. Company K of the 23rd Regiment of South Carolina Volunteers was organized in Sumter, South Carolina during the fall of 1861. They left Sumter for Charleston by way of Florence in November. Once on the coast their ranks served on picket duty on Long Island (now the Isle of Palms) until December 1861. They then journeyed back to Charleston and were formerly mustered into service for the state's coast defense.

Upon completing official enrollment, Company K was sent to Mount Pleasant and then marched north seven miles on Georgetown Road to camp near Christ Church. Once there they sent a weekly detail to Long Island for picket duty. They remained in the Christ Church parish until late April, 1862 when they marched back to Mt. Pleasant and from there traveled by steamer to Morris island. Their duty there was to place a nightly guard on the beach between Morris Island and Folly Island.

In May company K reorganized, enlisting for Confederate Service with the Twenty-Third South Carolina Volunteers. The Twenty-Third Regiment was known as the Coast Rangers because most of the men in the regiment were from Horry, Georgetown, Charleston, and Colleton Counties. The Twenty-Third may claim the fame of having planted the first gun at Fort Wagner.

On June 1, 1862 the Twenty-Third Regiment was relieved by the Twenty-sixth Regiment and the next day the left for James Island from whence they marched to Charleston and took up quarters in the Second Presbyterian Church. In just a few weeks the Twenty-Third left Charleston for Petersburg, Virginia where they engaged in battle. Soon after that, they removed to Richmond and camped at Taylor's Farm. They were shortly ordered to Malvern Hill to assist General Longstreet and on the afternoon of July 28, 1862 they arrived at Manassas Gap. The next day they waded Bull Run and once again fired upon the Yankees. They had Hood's Brigade on their right and an Alabama brigade on their left.

On July 30, 1862 the Twenty-Third followed Hood's Brigade into battle, won and advanced toward Maryland. On July 30, Tom Britton, George Josey, and John Scarbrough were killed in action. They forded the Potomac River and advanced to sleep on the banks of the Monocracy River. At Boonesborough they fought again, were forced back, and had to retreat. They fell back to Sharpsburg where Cornelius Baker was killed. From there they went on to Winchester, Virginia. During the Second Manassas operations from August 2- 20, 1862, the Twenty-Third Regiment lost sixty-eight percent of their 225 men engaged.

By the end of October, the Twenty-Third left Winchester for Culpepper Courthouse where they made camp. They stayed only one night and then boarded a train to be transported to Richmond. From there they went on to Tarboro, North Carolina where they rested and then on to Kinston, North Carolina. There they camped 5 miles beyond town on the New Bern Road. Early the next morning the Twenty-Third hurried back to Kinston to encounter an advancing force of Yankees. The regiment fell back and then entered Kinston. Several of the men from the regiment were killed but none from Company K.

The regiment next went on to Wilmington, North Carolina in December, 1862 where they camped in an oak grove 3 to 4 miles out in the country. After a few weeks of drilling the moved camp to near the coast on Smith Sound in January, 1863.

In March, 1863 they left Wilmington for Charleston and from there took a steamer to Mt. Pleasant. After a few days they marched across the bridge to Sullivan's Island. By June the Twenty-Third was on its way to Meridan, Mississippi and then on to Jackson, camping near Big Black River. They remained there until July 5, 1863.

In August, the Twenty-Third went from Jackson to Mobile, Alabama where they embarked for Savannah, Georgia. After a short stay on the Isle of Hope they returned to Mt. Pleasant via Charleston and back to Christ Church Parish In January, 1864 the Twenty-Third was sent back to Wilmington via Florence. They camped 15 miles from Wilmington, out toward Camp Fisher. In June, 1864 they left for Petersburg, Virginia once again and from there to Bermuda Hundred. They stayed in position there until June 16, 1864.

All day on June 18th, they exchanged fire with the enemy and kept their position until the 28th of July. At the Crater, on Saturday, July 30th, Jim Richbourg, 3 times wounded died.

After this, for months the Twenty-Third Regiment was on duty at the Crater which was 30 feet deep and 100 feet wide. For weeks they suffered. The Yankees refused to grant a truce flag to remove dead and wounded. The Crater became a pest hole in the August sun.

The Twenty-Third remained in the trenches until about the end of February and then they marched to the west of Petersburg. On the 24th of March, 1865, they were marched to Petersburg where William Gregg was shot and killed near the Appomatox River. The Twenty-Third continued to skirmish with the Yankee Calvary. William Randall was killed at Five Forks About the 1st of April of 1865, General Grant was bent on surrounding Lee's army. Soon after, all of Company K, who had not been previously captured or killed fell into enemy hands. The Twenty-Third Regiment surrendered 5 officers and 103 men. Its commanders were Colonels Allen J. Green, John M. Kinloch, Edgar O. Nurden, and John Roberts. Major were Matthew V. Bancroft, Henry H. Lesensne, L.P. Miller, and John M. Whilden.

• 15 Nov 1861 stationed at Christ Church Parish 
• Dec 1, 1861 - Jan 1862-At Camp Green 
• Jan 31 - Feb 28 1863 - Camp near Wilmington, N.C.. 
• Sept and Oct 1863 - Hamlin's Farm, Christ's Church Parish, S.C. 
• Nov and Dec 1863 - Sullivan's Island 
• Jan and Feb 1864 - Sullivan's Island 
• March and April 1864 - Masonboro Sound 
• May - June 30, 1864 - Petersburg, Va 
• July 1 - Oct 31, 1864 - In trenches near Petersburg, Va 
• Nov and Dec 1864 - Trenches Petersburg, Va 
• Jan and Feb 1865 - Petersburg, VA 

• Malvern Hill, Virginia (1 July 1862) 
• Rappahannock Station, Virginia (23 August 1862) 
• 2nd Bull Run, Virginia (28 - 30 August 1862) 
• South Mountain,Virginia (14 September1862) 
• The Battle of Sharpsburg, Antietam, Maryland (17 September 1862) 
• Jackson Siege, Mississippi (July 1863) 
• Charleston Harbor, South Carolina (August - September 1863) 
• Bermuda Hundred, Virginia (17 May - 16 June 1864) 
• Petersburg Siege, Virginia (June 1864 - April 1865) 
• Petersburg, Virginia (9 June 1864) 
• The Crater, Virginia (30 July 1864) 
• Ft. Stedman (25 March 1865) 
• Five Forks, Virginia (1 April 1865) 
• Appomattox Court House, Virginia (9 April 1865) 

 
 

 
• Captains 
• Thomas D. Frierson; left service at reorganization 
• Lucius P. Loring; resigned August, 1862 (died October 1886) 
• D.R. McCallum; retired from active field service, put on light duty 
• J. Harrington Cooper; deceased 

 
• Lieutenants 
• Frank H. Kennedy;resigned, 1862 
• H.A. Scarborough;from St. Charles, S.C. 
• H.N. Brown; killed June 18, 1864 at Petersburg 
• Priestly Colclough; transferred to Florida Cavalry, deceased 
• David R. McCallum (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 

 
• Sergeants 
• Stephen D.M. Lacoste ;dead 
• J. Grier White; Alcolu, S.C. 
• Leighton B. Wilson; health failed 
• Horatio N. Browne (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Charles A. Stiles (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Legrande W. Joye (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 

 
• Corporals 
• Robert J. Copeland;St. Charles, S.C. (first name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Samuel M. Dinkins, dead 
• Alonzo G. Murphy; dead 
• James L. Norton; dead 
• Thomas Britton (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• James Clarke (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 

• Drummer Boy 
• Joshua Myers (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 

• Privates 
• J. Gamble Anderson; died 
• W. Harrison Anderson; died 
• J. Henry Anderson 
• Welburn Andrews;Oswego, S.C. 
• A. Jackson Baker;died in Virginia; buried at Stonewall Cemetery in Winchester, Va. 
• John W. Baker; dead 
• Henry W. Baker; dead 
• Cornelius M. Baker;killed at Sharpsburg, Md. in 1862 
• J. Moran Baker; dead 
• Jackson Baker (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• James S. Baker;died at Goldsboro, N.C. 
• John Baker (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Morgan Baker (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Newton Baker;dead 
• Randolph Bracy 
• Frank Ballard;dead 
• J. Murrah Brown:Oswego, S.C. 
• Daniel Brunson;discharged in 1862 
• Horatio N. Browns (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• W.D. Brown;lost 
• William Brown (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Cole Murrow Brown (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Thomas M. Britton;killed at 2nd Battle of Manassas, August 1862 
• James Boyce;died in Virginia 
• John W. Budden; dead 
• William Budden; discharged, 1862 
• Archibald Buddin;died in Virginia 
• Andrew Chandler;dead 
• John W. Clark;discharged,1862 
• James A. Clark;dead 
• Webb Clark;dead 
• Jesse Christmas;dead 
• Priestly, Colclough (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• J. Wesley Cole; moved West **(name is also included on the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• James Cole;killed at Petersburg, Virginia 
• John Cooper (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• James H. Carraway;died a prisoner at Elmira, N.Y. 
• Nicholas W. Copeland;died in Virginia 
• E.H. Copeland (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Robert Copeland (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Joseph T. Cummings;discharged, 1864 *  
• Leonard W. Dick;dead 
• James M. Dowell;discharged in 1863 
• J. Somers Dick;died at Petersburg, Virginia 
• Leonard W. Dick (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Samuel Dinkins (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• D. Reese Durant; discharged, dead 
• J. Sumter Durant; died at Petersburg, Virginia 
• A. Wrightman Durant; ***captured at Fort Steadman, late March 1865; sent to Point Lookout, Md; released June 1865 
• Robert M. Dean;dead 
• James Dorrel(name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• R.J. West English (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Thomas Feeny;discharged, dead 
• Josiah E. Fleming;dead 
• John Fleming (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• William Folsom (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Henry G. Foxworth; dead 
• Samuel R. Fraser;Sumter, S.C. 
• Mac Frierson (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Thomas Frierson name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• R. Adolphus Frierson;dead 
• C. Robin Frierson; in Florida 
• William G. Frierson; in Florida 
• Haltum Frierson;dead 

T. Jefferson Gayle;****captured at Sutherlands Station on April 02, 1865. and held at Point Lookout, Maryland where he was released after the war on June 27, 1865. He died April 03, 1893 in Cheraw SC.
• William G. Gregg; Killed 25 March 1865 at Petersburg, Va. near Appomatox River 
• Albert C. Guerry; dead 
• John J. Goodman; dead 
• Wiley Goodson; Darlington, killed at Petersburg, Va 
• Alexander Hauser;dead (first name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• John H. Huggins; *** captured at Fort Steadman, late March 1865; sent to Point Lookout, Md; released June 1865 
• Mac Huggins (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• John W. Horn; died from wound in Virginia 
• William L. Jones; exchanged for William S. Scarborough 
• David Wilson Josey; St. Charles, S.C.; buried at Bethany Baptist Church in Bishopville, S.C.; ***captured at Fort Steadman, late March 1865; sent to Point Lookout, Md; released June 1865 
• George W. Josey;killed at Second Manassas in August 1862 
• Elijah Robert Josey;captured and sent to POW camp, Pt. Lookout, Md., released, returned to Lee County at end of war 
• Benjamin Fleming Josey; died in Winchester, Virginia of typhoid fever; buried at Stonewall Cemetery 
• George Lafeyette Josey (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal); buried in Little Rock, Arkansas *** captured at Fort Steadman, late March 1865; sent to Point Lookout, Md; released June 1865 
• Peter Josey (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal 
• Thomas J. Josey; *** captured at Fort Steadman, late March 1865; sent to Point Lookout, Md; released June 1865 
• C. James Joye 
• Legrand W. Joye; *** captured at Fort Steadman, late March 1865; sent to Point Lookout, Md; released June 1865 
• Frank Kennedy (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Richard F. Ligon; dead (first name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Marcus D. Lee (***** name added from S.C. Confederate Pension Application files)
• Samuel Lemon; dead 
• Thomas Lemon; dead 
• William J. Lemon; dead 
• James Leonard (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Joseph H. Lewis; Sumter, S.C. 
• McD Lee; dead 
• David McCallum (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• George McEacheon (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• James McFrierson; dead 
• H. McHuggins; dead 
• George P. McKaigan; dead 
• Thomas W. McDonald; Lynchburg, S.C. ***captured at Fort Steadman, late March 1865; sent to Point Lookout, Md; released June 1865 
• J. Anderson Mills; dead 
• William J. Muldrow; dead 
• Thomas A. Mayes; dead 
• John Montgomery; dead 
• Robert M. Montgomery; dead 
• Joshua A. Myers; dead 
• B. Frank McLeod; Lynchburg, S.C. ***captured at Fort Steadman, late March 1865; sent to Point Lookout, Md; released June 1865 
• J. Oliver McLeod; dead 
• Edward H. Mathis; Elliott's, S.C. ***captured at Fort Steadman, late March 1865; sent to Point Lookout, Md; released June 1865 
• W. Francis Mathis; St. Charles, S.C. 
• William J. Mathis; died of wounds, 2nd Manassas 
• Nelson Mathis (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• George McCutchen; dead 
• J. Francis M. Michau; dead ( (first initial added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Alonzo G. Murphey (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• James Norton (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• William B. Nichols; dead 
• Alfred M. Osteen; died in 1862 
• Thomas A. Pack; left Company and was made keeper of poor house in Sumter 
• John Pearson (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) *** captured at Fort Steadman, late March 1865; sent to Point Lookout, Md; released June 1865 
• John L. Poyas; dead 
• Ervin J. Player; South Lynchburg, S.C. 
• Frank M. Player; dead 
• Robert J. Popwell; died in Salisbury, N.C. 
• John Prescott; dead 
• William Prescott 
• Daniel H. Robertson; dead 
• William Randal; killed at Five Forks, Virginia 
• James Richbourg; Clarendon County,killed July 30, 1864 during the Battle of the Crater in Virginia 
• J. Harvey Raffield; dead 
• Hopewell Ridgeway; enlisted on Jan 1, 1862 at Christ’s Church Parish, S.C. from Clarendon Co. Was wounded at Manassas Plains, Va between Aug 29 and 30th, 1862, in the thigh... He was killed on picket at Petersburg,Va.  on Sept. 15, 1864. (date from Broken Fortunes Vol. I by Salley) He received pay for Nov 1 - Dec 31, 1863 occupation listed as teamster. 
• John W. Ridgeway; Clarendon Co. killed at Petersburg, Va. on June 17, 1864 (date from Broken Fortunes Vol. I by Salley).
• Joseph B. Roach; dead 
• Garner Sanders; Haygood, S.C. (Sumter Co.) 
• Augustus Scarborough (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Hubbard H. Scarborough; ***captured at Fort Steadman, late March 1865; sent to Point Lookout, Md; released June 1865 
• John R. Scarborough;killed at 2nd Manassas in August 1862 
• Edward R. Scarborough; ***captured at Fort Steadman, late March 1865; sent to Point Lookout, Md; released June 1865 
• Lemuel D. Scarborough; ***captured at Fort Steadman, late March 1865; sent to Point Lookout, Md; released June 1865 
• Newel B. Scarborough; dead 
• William S. Scarborough; received in exchange for William L. Jones 
• William Sledge; discharged 
• Lemuel D. Smith; Mayesville, S.C. (Sumter Co.) 
• R. Dwight Shaw, (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• W.C. Dana Stiles; dead 
• Charles A. Stiles; dead 
• J. Grier White (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) *** captured at Fort Steadman, late March 1865; sent to Point Lookout, Md; released June 1865 
• Headley Wilson (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Moultrie Wilson (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• William H. Wilson; died in Texas 
• Robert E. Wilson; dead 
• Hugh H. Wilson; dead 
• Joseph Windham; dead 
• Samuel J. Windham; dead 
• Benjamin Weeks; dead 
• John Weeks (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) 
• Albert H. Weeks; Sumter, S.C. 
• Albertus S. White; Camden, S.C. 

*Information from Dale Molina , Cummings descendant

**Information from Randolph A. Cole - John Wesley Cole enlisted in Nov.1861 and served until the unit surrendered in 1865. He was promoted to Corporal 18 June 1864. Moving West after the War, he married Drucilla Mims .They settled in Webster Parish, Louisiana and later Panola County, TX.

*** Information from Alan Smith via a 1909 Richmond, Va. publication entitled "Sketch of Company K, 23rd South Carolina Volunteers in the Civil War" by W.J. Andrews. (Alan has advised us that a copy of the sketch is housed at the Camden, S.C. library in Kershaw County.)

Information from Cynthia Ridgeway Parker - Ref: (name added from the list in William C. Stiles' journal) The William C. Stiles journal is located in the Sumter County Museum Archives. The journal was begun on July 23, 1894 and contains the history and genealogy of the Stiles family of Sumter, S.C. The father of William C. Stiles, Charles A. Stiles, served with Company K. Stiles' roster of Company K of the 23rd Regiment SCV may be found on pages 26 - 29. He wrote "Below I give a list of the members of Company K, 23rd Regiment South Carolina Volunteers. Of which my father was a member. This Company enlisted November 1861 and served throughout the entire war until the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee April the 9th 1865. The officers named are those elected at the formation of the Company in 1861. There were serveral changes made among the commanding officers during the war." Stiles' list of officers is as follows:

Information from Pam Boan , **** T. (Thomas) Jefferson Gayle listed as dead was actually a prisoner of war captured at Sutherlands Station on April 2, 1865. and held at Point Lookout, Maryland where he was released after the war on June 27, 1865. He died April 03, 1893 in Cheraw, South Carolina.

Infomation from Debra Newman Ream, descendant of Marcus D. Lee. *****
 

Henry Laurens Benbow entered Hatch's Battalion of Coast Rangers as a captain. Hatch's Battalion later became the 23rd South Carolina Infantry. He was promoted to full colonel a little over a year later. He was wounded at Second Manassas and wouded at Petersburg. At the Battle of Five Forks, Benbow was again wounded. Shot through both thighs, he was captured and ended the war as a Federal prisoner. Colonel Benbow is buried in the Manning Cemetery in Clarendon County, South Carolina.

The following information is from: Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of South Carolina - Roll 331

October 5, 1864

Twenty-third Infantry (Hatch's Regiment, Coast Rangers), A - CI (Alphabetized by last name of soldiers.)

This regiment was organized the 15 November 1861 and composed of four war companies for local defenses.

Company A was reduced to a mere skeleton by actual service in the filed and had lost all of its officers by resignation, Promotions, and death and was recruited up to the minimum number in February last and an order was asked for authorizing the election for Captain, I Lieuet. Senr, 2 Lieut and But 2 Luiet.. which was granted by Brig. Genl. R. Ripley, Comdg 1st Military Dist. Dept S.C. and election was held on the 7 Mar last and a return of the same forwarded through him (Gen. Ripley) to the war Dept with the request that their being deemed competent need be commissioned without an examination. These officers have been serving ever since the election and have proven themselves good and efficient officers. They have not drawn pay waiting to hear the decision of the War Dept. in their cases and in just to the gallant officers I most respectfully request that their elections be confirmed at as early a day as practicable.
 
 

Respectfully submitted,

H.L. Benbow

Col. Comdg.
 
 

T