Private Joseph S.C. Taber Company B, 23rd Pennsylvania Volunteers, "Birneys Zouaves". Joseph was born in Philadelphia on July 19th 1843. he enlisted on July 15th 1861 as a Private. he was 5'6", light complexion, Blue Eyes and Brown Hair. At the time of enlistment he was a clerk in Philadelphia. Not long after enlistment he was detached to the core of Engineers due to his skills and kept a diary from July 1861 through August 1863 which is on the members only section of the website.
He was mustered out on September 8th 1864 and re-enlisted with the 82nd PA. he was discharged July 13th 1865 from service. He moved to Washington D.C. in 1865 and lived there until 1876. On May 1st 1873 he married Mary E. Barnard in Washington D.C. by a Methodist minister. The couple moved to Philadelphia in 1876 and had a child, Joseph Lackey Taber. The child died on June 2nd 1903 in Chicago, Ill. They resided in Philadelphia until 1884 when they moved to St. Paul Minn. Then to Chigago from 1884-1890, Omaha, NB from 1890 to 1894, Kansas City MS from 1894-1901, Texarkana,TX from 1901-1905, Texarkansas, AR from 1905-1908, and then to Dallas in 1908. He died on May 19th 1908 in Dallas of Kidney Failure. His burial location is not known as of now.
A special thank you to Mike Medhurst for the use of the photo!
This is a Photo ofPrivate/Corporal John J. Gormley Company K ,
23rd Pennsylvania Volunteers, also known by their nickname, “Birney’s Zouaves”. He was born in New Castle Delaware in 1837. He enlisted into the 23rd Pennsylvania at the Schuylkill Arsenal in
Philadelphia on August 2nd 1861. On September 8th 1861, he moved with the Regiment to Washington D.C, where he was encamped just three miles north of the Capitol on “The Queen’s Farm” at Camp Graham . He was there with the Regiment during the cold winter months and in December of 1861; Typhoid Fever broke out within the Camp which resulted
in the Death of Fifty-One men of the 23rd Pennsylvania Volunteers. It was decided on March 12th 1862 to move the camp to higher ground in Bladensburg, Maryland to rid the epidemic and ready the
Soldiers for campaign. The 23rd Pennsylvania moved to Bladensburg and were encamped at Camp Clark . He was promoted to the Rank of Corporal on May 1st
1864. John J. Gormley was Wounded at The Battle of Cold Harbor Virginia
on June 1st 1864, near Richmond. He was mustered out of Service on September 8th 1864. After the War, He returned to Delaware. Because of some poor record keeping John J. Gormley who was also known
as John Gorman, was left out of records during the Civil War. His name does not appears in The History of Pennsylvania Soldiers, The Regimental History of the 23rd PA and the Pension Office as John
Gorman. He married a woman named Sarah in 1873. Sarah died in Philadelphia on December 17th 1876 at 1824 Hemphill Street. He married Susan Mellon on May 22nd 1879 in New Castle Delaware at St
Peters. The wedding was oficiated by Father Benjaman F. Kelley. John and Susan had five Children. Catherine Gormley (7/21/1880), Mary E. Gormley (3/5/1883), Susan Gormley (10/27/1884), Anna Gormley
(9/4/1890), and Edward Gormley (8/19/1888). John J. Gormley was the Past Post Commander of The G.A.R. Post 12 in New Castle Delaware His death occurred on December 2nd 1892. He is buried at St.
Peters Cemetery in New Castle Delaware. Susan filed for John's pension on December 6th 1892.
You can view a Photo of the Grave of John J. Gormley on Page 32 of the 23rd
Pennsylvania, Virtual Cemetery pages.This is a photo of webmaster,Frank P Marrone Jr and decendant Cecila.
Photo courtesy of Henry T. Alfree, Great, Great Grandson , New Castle Delaware.
Survivors of Company C visit the Monument just after it's rededication in 1888. The Cannonballs at the top were replacewith a statue of a "Birney Zouave" after the city of Philadelphia and The Survivors raised $15,000 in funds.
The wives of the Survivors and "Ladies of Philadelphia" stand for a photo in front of the monument in 1888 shortly after it's rededication. A few children, quite possibly children of the 23rd Survivors can also be seen.
Three Members of the 23rd pose for a photo, most likely in a Philadelphia Studio just before,or at the outset of the War. The man on the right is Corp. Matthew Spence. Notice his high top boots.The detail of the 23rd PA uniform is clearly seen in this photo.
An unknown "Birney Zouave". Notice he is wearing a red fez with either a yellow or red tassle. If anyone can identify this unknown Zouave, please let us know.
