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Outstanding 23rd Ohio Infantry reunion stereo with President R. B. Hayes. Mid 1870's view produced by photographers North & Oswald of Toledo, Ohio.
It is also signed by John W. Oswald, who is the photographer and a former musician with the 23rd Ohio Infantry. Wear as shown.

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"History

Organized in June, 1861, Under Colonel William S. Rosecrans, who being promoted, was succeeded by Colonel E.P. Scammon, it served in West Virginia until August, when it transferred to the Potomac army, and under McClellan, fought at South Mountain and Antietam. The Regiment lost over 200 men in these engagements. In March, 1863, it moved to the Kanawha Valley and joined General Crook's raid on the Virginia and Tennessee railroad, in April, 1864. In June it joined Hunter's march on Lynchburg; returned to Charleston July 1st, then proceeded to Martinsburg. It engaged in the battle of Winchester, July 24th, losing 150 men; and fought at Opequan on the 19th of September. After Sheridan's victories on the Shenandoah the regiment returned to Martinsburg and remained in the neighborhood until the close of the war. It was mustered out July 26th, 1865. The members of this Regiment gained distinction in military and civilian life. W.S. Rosecrans became a noted general. R.B. Hayes and W.S. McKinley became President of the United States. Stanley Matthews became a United States Senator. From Dyer's Compendium

23rd Regiment Infantry. Organized at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, and mustered in June 11, 1861. Left State for Benwood, W. Va., July 25. Moved to Weston July 28. Duty at Weston, Suttonville, Summerville and Glenville till September 1. Attached to Cox's Kanawha Brigade, West Virginia, to September, 1861. Scammon's Brigade, District of the Kanawha, W. Va., to October, 1861. 3rd Brigade, Kanawha Division, to March, 1862. 1st Brigade, Kanawha Division, Dept. of the Mountains, to September, 1862. 1st Brigade, Kanawha Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1862. 1st Brigade, Kanawha Division, District of West Virginia, Dept. of the Ohio, to March, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 8th Army Corps, Middle Department, to June, 1863. 1st Brigade, Scammon's Division, Dept. of West Virginia, to December, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Dept. of West Virginia, to April, 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Infantry, Division West Virginia, to January, 1865. 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry, Division West Virginia, to April, 1865. 4th Provisional Division West Virginia to July, 1865. SERVICE.--Action at Cross Lanes, W. Va., August 26, 1861. Action at Carnifex Ferry September 10. Moved to Little Sewell Mountain September 15. Retreat to New River October. Operations in Kanawha Valley and New River Region October 19-November 16. Cotton Mountain November 11-12. At Fayette Court House till April, 1862. Occupation of Raleigh Court House December 28, 1861, to April, 1862 (Cos. "A," "B," "F," "G"). Action at mouth of Blue Stone February 8. Advance on Princeton April 23-May 1. Camp Creek May 1 (Co. "C"). Princeton May 5. Giles Court House May 7-10. Flat Top Mountain July 4. Pack's Ferry, New River, August 6. Movement to Washington, D.C., August 15-24. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Battles of South Mountain September 14. Antietam September 16-17. Moved to Chambersburg October 8. Expedition after Stuart October 13-14. Moved to Clarksburg, Suttonville, Summerville, Gauley Bridge and Kanawha Falls, October 26-November 14. Duty at Falls of the Great Kanawha November 18, 1862, to March 15, 1863, and at Charleston till July. Expedition to Piney in pursuit of Loring July 5-14, thence moved in pursuit of Morgan July 2-26. Action at Pomeroy, Ohio, July 18. Little Hocking River July 19. Return to Charleston, W. Va., and duty there till April, 1864. Morris Mills July 31, 1863. Expedition to Wayne Court House November 24-28, 1863. Crook's Raid on Virginia & Tennessee Railroad May 2-19. Battle of Cloyd's Mountain May 9. New River Bridge and Doublin Depot May 10. Meadow Bluff May 24. Hunter's Raid to Lynchburg May 26-July 1. Covington June 2. Piedmont June 5. Buffalo Gap June 6. Lexington June 11-12. Diamond Hill June 17. Lynchburg June 17-18. Buford's Gap June 19. About Salem June 21. Moved to Shenandoah Valley July 12-15. Battle of Winchester July 24. Martinsburg July 25. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7-November 28. Strasburg and Fisher's Hill August 15. Summit Point August 24. Halltown August 26. Berryville September 3. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Fisher's Hill September 22. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Duty at Kernstown till December 20. Kablestown November 20 and 30. Moved to Stephenson's Depot December 20, thence to Martinsburg, W. Va., December 29, and to Cumberland, Md., January 1, 1865. Duty at Cumberland till July. Mustered out July 26, 1865. Regiment lost during service 5 Officers and 154 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 130 Enlisted men by disease. Total 290."

"John William Oswald

John William Oswald was born in Ashland, Ohio, on October 5, 1842, son of Levi and Caroline Oswald. He attended the public schools in Ashland, served with the infantry during the Civil War, and later became a photographer.

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Oswald enlisted as a private in the 23rd Ohio Infantry.[Harvey Scribner, Memoirs of Lucas County and the City of Toledo, vol. 2 (Madison: Western Historical Association, 1910), p.406]. This was the same unit in which future Presidents Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley served.(Toledo Times, 27 September 1921). It was at first commanded by William S. Rosecrans. Rosecrans later became one of the war's noted generals. The 23rd distinguished itself at the Battle of Antietam in September 1862. Oswald survived the war without major injuries. He was mustered out at the end of July, 1864.

After leaving the service, Oswald trained as a photographist in Cleveland. He was married on May 5, 1865, to Cordelia Coldell. They had three children, a son and two daughters.(Scribner, p.408). In 1865, he co-founded the photography company of North & Oswald in Toledo, Ohio. Oswald's partner, A.C. North, sold Oswald his interest in the business in 1883. At that time W.E. McKecknie became his new partner. The firm's name changed to McKecknie and Oswald. Oswald was a member of the Brush and Lens Club of Toledo.(Scribner, p.407). In 1912, Oswald reached his seventieth birthday and retired from active participation in his company.(Toledo Times).

Oswald was an avid hunter and fisher. He continued to be a serious sportsman until a couple of years before his death. He was a member of the Howell Ducking Club which hunted around Cedar Point. He was also one of the founding members of the famous Castalia Trout Club and was one of the first Toledoans to fish on the Ausable River. In addition, he was a member of the Rubicon Lodge of the Masons and the Grand Army of the Republic. John Oswald died at home on September 26, 1926, at the age of 85.(Toledo Times)."