Private John J. Gormley, 23d Pennsylvania Infantry ("Birney's Zouaves")

John J. Gormley mustered into Company I of the 23d as a Private on August 21, 1861, in Philadelphia.  The 23d was re-organizing at that time, and would soon be commanded by Colonel David Bell Birney , a Philadelphia lawyer with strong abolitionist leadings.  The men were to wear the distinctive uniform of the Zouave d’Afrique, and as they slugged their way toward Richmond, would be known as the famous “Birney’s Zouaves”.

His story is the story of this famous regiment, which, in turn, reads like the history of the vaunted VI Corps to which it belonged, and the Army of the Potomac: 

Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4.
Battle of Williamsburg May 5.
Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines, May 31-June 1.
Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1.
White Oak Swamp and Charles City Cross Roads June 30.
Malvern Hill July 1.
Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15.
"Mud March" January 20-24, 1863.
Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.
Fredericksburg, Maryes Heights, May 3.
Salem Heights May 3-4.
Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2-4.
Bristoe Campaign October 9-22.
Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.
Johnson's Island, Lake Erie, Ohio, January 6, 1864, to guard Rebel Prisoners until May 6.
Washington, D.C., May 9-13; thence to Belle Plains to guard Rebel Prisoners and escort trains to the front until May 23.
Rapidan Campaign May 23-June 12.
North Anna River May 23-26.
Totopotomoy May 28-31.
Cold Harbor June 1-12.
Ream's Station, Weldon Railroad, June 22-23.
Siege of Petersburg until July 9.
Repulse of Early's attack on Washington July 11-12.
Snicker's Gap Expedition July 14-18.

One incident stands out in Private Gormley’s service, as we know it thus far.  It was May, 1862.  The Peninsula Campaign.  Working their way toward Richmond, his Division made a forced march to Williamsburg, on the 5th, arriving late in the afternoon. The 23d did not become engaged, but was under a heavy artillery fire, in which it had five men wounded. On the following day the enemy retreated, and the regiment skirmished with his rear guard, forming in line of battle on the south side of the town. On the 10^th, it advanced and was again engaged, losing another five men wounded. Proceeding through New Kent Court House and New Baltimore to Bottom's Bridge, the enemy were found on the south side of the Chickahominy River, with their artillery set so that the advancing column was obliged to fall back about two miles.  Four more of the 23d died. 

On May 28^th, it moved with the brigade toward the Richmond and York River railroad. What would later be known as the Battle of Fair Oaks commenced on the 31st of May, when an impatient Confederate General D. H. Hill launched an impulsive assault on General Silas Casey's Division. The Division, which included this author's great-grandfather, Corporal John Geer’s, 98^th New York Infantry, had been warned of impending attack, but Casey essentially ignored it.  The Rebel assault crashed through the Yankees' lines, sending Federal regiments racing for the rear.  The Confederates were soon overrunning the 98^th’s camp.  According to Geer, the nearby 104^th Pennsylvania Regiment did not break and managed to pour one volley into the charging mass, before, it too fell slowly back.  This cleared the ground in front of the 98^th, which had recovered, and moved up to it’s slashing.  “We poured our volleys into it,” Geer wrote, “and the gaps we made, the swaths we mowed, could be seen in the column, for we were only 10 or 15 rods away…the whole column staggered and sank to the earth.” 

In spite of this moderate success in checking the onslaught, confusion reigned.  General Darius Couch's Division, of which Gormley was a part, rushed forward to Casey’s relief, and soon became engaged.  The 23d was separated from the rest of their Brigade, and directed to take position on the Nine Mile Road, west of the railroad.  At two o'clock in the afternoon it met the enemy, and drove him back through a piece of wood in front.  The ground was difficult, and the woods swarmed with enemy soldiers.  This was the first engagement in which the 23d was under heavy infantry fire; but the men held up like veterans.  Several charges were successfully made, in which three color bearers were shot and many brave men lost.  Late in the afternoon it was hotly attacked in position beyond the road, and barely escaped capture by a column of the enemy which swept down in the rear. In this engagement, the loss in killed and wounded was seven officers and one hundred and thirty-six men. In the confusion of the fighting, one of those now missing was Private John Gormley.

Grave of John J. Gormley

We do not know the exact circumstances of his capture, but according to his record, Gormley was initially taken to Richmond.  By June 3, 1862, he was transported to Salisbury Prison, in North Carolina.  Salisbury Prison had been established shortly after Bull Run, and at first, the living conditions were tolerable; but, as the war wore on, things got much worse.  Gormley remained at Salisbury until September 13, 1862, when he was fortunately released on parole.  He was exchanged on November 1, and returned to his regiment on January 20, 1863. 

By March, he was placed on detached duty with the Division's Pioneer Corps, remaining in that capacity until September of 1863, when he returned to the regiment.  According to his records he suffered a gunshot wound in his right knee and thigh in the Battle of Cold Harbor, but again returned to his regiment, continuing with the 23d until their term of service ended on September 8, 1864.

After the war, John married Sarah (last name unknown), in Philadelphia.  Sarah died on December 17, 1876.  He then moved to New Castle, Delaware, and in 1879 married Susan C. Mellon at St. Peter’s Church. The Gormley’s ultimately had four girls and one boy. 

In July of 1883, John and 25 Union veterans submitted an application to the Delaware Department, Grand Army of the Republic, requesting to be mustered in as the General David B. Birney Post Number 12 of New Castle, so named for his old Colonel of the 23d Pennsylvania.  The application was accepted and the Department Commander Daniel Ross mustered them in on September 29, 1883.  John died on November 25, 1925, and is buried in St. Peters Cemetery, New Castle, Delaware.

(Sources:  Ken Kogan, Gormley's great-grandson; the Library of Congress; National Archives; John Geer Letters.)