The 23rd North Carolina was formed in Richmond County, NC on May 13, 1861 with 90 members. On June 27, 1861 the company departed Rockingham, NC for Weldon, NC and then to Garysberg, NC for the camp if instruction. At Garysberg the PEE DEE Guards joined nine other companies to form the 13th North Carolina Volunteers. The Regiment joined the Confederate Army at Manassas on July 21, 1861. The13th NC arrived but did not see fighting there and was kept in reserve. Shorty thereafter the unit was redesignated the 23rd North Carolina State Troops.
The 23rd was next engaged in the attack on Malvern Hill. The attack did not begin until late in the day. Garland's brigade attacked without support. The Brigade charged into a fusillade of Federal fire. After clinging to the side of the hill the men were forced to retire. The Regiment was not engaged at Second Manassas. The regiment re-joined the Army of Northern Virginia for the Maryland Campaign. The regiment was assigned to Garland's Brigade, D.H. Hill's Division, Jackson's Corps.
The 23rd fought bravely at South Mountain holding off the Union advance. During this action General Garland was killed. The 23rd fought valiantly to hold back a much larger Federal force allowing General Lee time to concentrate the Army of Northern Virginia at Sharpsburg. During the battle of Sharpsburg, the 23rd defended the center of the Confederate line. The Regimen played a critical part in the battle. In the height of the Federal attack on the sunken road, the Federals breached the Confederate line. For a moment it appeared that the center would collapse. The 5th NC and 23rd NC made a reckless charge into the Federal's flank. The Federals broke, and the center was saved. The regiment was in the forefront of the fighting at Chancellorsville. Prior to Chancellorsville, D.H. Hill was reassigned. His division was now commanded by Major GeneraL Robert E. Rhodes. The regiment was part of Brigadier Alan Iverson's brigade. The division was assigned to Jackson's II Corps. They took part in the flank march. The 23rd as part
of Rhodes Division led the attack against the Union flank.
On the first day of Gettysburg the 23rd was almost completely destroyed. Iverson's Brigade marched into an ambush. A Federal Brigade was hidden behind a stone wall on the left flank of the brigade. The Confederates passed in front of the Federal position in perfect order, rifles at the right shoulder, and colors to the front. The first volley tore through the ranks covering the ground with the dead and wounded. After about twenty minutes, Iverson's brigade was destroyed. The Federals charged the survivors. Corporal Edwin S. Hart of the PEE DEE Guards, Company D, refused to surrender the colors. The Federals were only able to seize the colors after knocking Hart unconscious with the butt of a musket. At Gettysburg only five other brigades in the Army of Northern Virginia lost more men the Iverson.
Following Gettysburg Iverson was removed and General Robert Johnston of the 23rd NC was placed in command of the Brigade. During the battle of the Wilderness, Johnston's brigade joined the confederate line at the extreme left. The LL Corps launched a sudden surprise attack on the Federal Sixth corps reminiscent of Jackson's attack the year before. The Federal sixth corps was pushed back in fierce fighting. The Federals clung to the Germanna ford. Because of the late hour the attack lost steam, and the ford was held.
At Spotsylvania, the 23rd was held in reserve at the base of the mule shoe. The Union II Corps struck the Confederate salient at the mule shoe, overwhelming the defenders. The 23rd along with Johnston's Brigade joined the counter attack. The audacity of attack shocked the Federals and allowed General Le to form a strong line along the base of the silent. After Cold Harbor, Early's Corps was transferred to the Shenandoah Valley. A Federal Army was threatening Lynchburg. General Lee ordered Early to Lynchburg to counter drive the Yankees off. Early moved the I Corps to Lynchburg by rail. When Early's Corps arrived the Yankees withdrew. Jubal Early ordered his corps down the valley. The Second Corps became the Army of the Valley District. Early crossed the Potomac and marched on Frederick, Maryland. Early moved his army towards Washington DC (Known as Washington City in the Civil War). On July 9, 1864 the Army of the Valley District ran into a small Federal force at Monocracy Junction. After a sharp fight the Yankees were driven back to the Washington defenses. The Confederate Army reached the outer defenses of Washington. Early realized that he could not force the works and withdrew back into the valley. The 23rd along with the remainder of the Army of the Valley District came closer to Washington DC than any other Confederate force in the war.
The 23rd fought with Ramseur's Division at the Second Kernstown. The victory at the Second Kernstown was the last victory the Confederates would enjoy in the Shenandoah. At the battle of the Third Winchester, the 23rd, as part of Ramseur's division held against great odds to save Early's army. Sheridan struck Early's army near Winchester. Initially only Ramseur's Division was in the field, facing Sheridan's entire force of over 50,000 men. Ramseur's Division held against great odds. Early rushed his remaining divisions to Ramseur's aid. Late in the day the Confederates left flank was pushed back. Rhodes and Ramseur's flanks were exposed causing the two divisions to withdraw. After a hard fight the exhausted and greatly outnumbered Confederates were driven from the field. Following the defeat, Early withdrew his army to Fisher's Hill, and established a strong defensive position. Sheridan flanked Early and the entire Confederate line was unhinged and forced to retire. A month later at Cedar Creek the 23rd distinguished itself again. The regiment participated in the dawn attack driving the Yankees back in disorder. Late in the day Sheridan's men regrouped and counterattacked. The greatly outnumbered Confederate line broke. Early ordered Johnston's Brigade to form a rear guard. Reminiscent of the Third Winchester, The brigade held against great odds holding off the Federal advance until dark fell. The brave stand of the 23rd along with the rest of Johnston's brigade saved Early's small army from destruction.
In December, the Army of the Valley returned to the Army of Northern Virginia and was again redesignated the II Corps Army of Northern Virginia. Major General John B. Gordon was placed in command or the II Corps. The 23rd remained with Johnston's Brigade, in Early's Division, now commanded by Brigadier General John Pegram.
The 23rd was once again covered in Glory at the Battle of Hacher's Run. Two Federal Corps attempted to capture the Boyden Plank Road a critical supply line for General Lee's Army. The PEE DEE Guards along with the rest of John Pegrams's Division was stationed to cover Boyden Plank Road. Pegram's Division stood alone against great odds. The 23rd stood gallantly until reinforcements arrived. Gordon ordered a counterattack. The 23rd advanced three times. All three times the color bearer was struck down. Captain Abner Peace now commanding the regiment took the flag and led a final charge. At the climax of the onslaught Brigadier General John Pegram was killed.
Brigadier General James A. Walker assumed command of Early's Division. During the early morning hours of March 25, 1865, the PEE DEE Guards along with the rest of Robert D.Johnston's brigade joined the attack on Fort Steadmen. Walker's Division was one of the three attacking columns. The men of the 23rd led the rush. The attack created a large bulge in the Federal lines. Only the failure of reinforcements to arrive prevented Gordon from exploiting his initial gains. By dawn, the Federals began shelling the Confederates in the bulge. The Confederates were forced back to their original positions. The attack which started so gloriously ended in failure.
When the Union Army broke the Confederate lines at Five Forks, General Lee ordered the army to retreat. During the retreat Gordon's Corps including the 23rd NC fought in the rear guard action at Saylor's Creek. The 23rd lost sixteen men captured. The survivors of the 23rd were at Appomattox and laid down their arms when General Lee surrendered. The regiment surrendered eighty-six men at Appomattox.