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The Civil War in Alabama

Alabama 13th Infantry Regiment

HISTORICAL NOTES:

    The 13th Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized at Montgomery, 19 July 1861, with men from Butler, Coosa, Elmore, Macon, Montgomery, Randolph, Talladega, Tallapoosa, and Wilcox counties. It at once proceeded to Virginia. Ordered to Yorktown, it was there brigaded under Gen'l Gabriel J. Rains. It lay at that place until the army fell back on Richmond the following spring. At Seven Pines, the regiment was engaged warmly and suffered 7 k and 45 w. Held in reserve during the battles in front of Richmond, it was nevertheless subjected there to a destructive fire from which it suffered severely (101 k and w). As part of Gen'l James J. Archer's Brigade , under Gen'l Alfred H. Colquitt of Georgia, the regiment took part in the first Maryland campaign, losing lightly at Boonsboro and then heavily at Sharpsburg. The winter was passed on the Rappahannock, and its monotony was relieved by the repulse of the Union Gen'l Ambrose Burnside at Fredericksburg, of which the 13th was a witness; and where it suffered lightly. Col. B. D. Fry led the brigade in the assault on Union Gen'l Joseph Hooker at Chancellorsville, and there the 13th lost 140 of the 460 men with which it went into the battle. It was in the Pennsylvania campaign, and at Gettysburg, the regiment suffered over 50% casualties of the 308 engaged. Retiring to Virginia, the 13th passed the winter of 1863-1864 mostly in camp. At The Wilderness, the regiment actively participated, and their loss was comparatively heavy. It took part in the subsequent operations around Petersburg, being now in the brigade of Gen'l John C. C. Sanders of Greene (8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 14th Alabama regiments) -- subsequently commanded by Gen'l W. H. Forney of Calhoun. Under Col. James Aiken, the remnant of 6 officers and 85 men surrendered at Appomattox. Of the 1245 men on the rolls, about 150 were killed in battle, or died of wounds; 275 died of disease; 64 were transferred; and 202 were discharged.

OFFICERS:

    Cols. Birkett D. Fry (Tallapoosa; wounded, Seven Pines, Sharpsburg, Gettysburg; captured, Gettysburg; promoted); James Aiken (Randolph); Lt. Cols. Julius C. B. Mitchell (Montgomery; resigned); Reginald H. Dawson (Wilcox; resigned); William H. Betts (Macon; resigned); James Aiken (wounded, Chancellorsville, Bristow Station; promoted); Majors Samuel B. Marks (Montgomery; resigned); William H. Betts (promoted); James Aiken (promoted); John T. Smith (Randolph; KIA, Chancellorsville); and Adjutants James D. Clark (Wilcox; transferred to line); John Rentz (Wilcox; KIA, Sharpsburg); T. W. S. Hendon (Randolph; wounded, Chancellorsville; retired); L. P. Broughton (Butler; KIA, The Wilderness)

ASSIGNMENTS:

    Brigaded under Gen'l Gabriel J. Rains.
    Gen'l James J. Archer's Brigade
    Gen'l Alfred H. Colquitt of Georgia
    Brigade of Gen'l John C. C. Sanders of Greene (8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 14th Alabama regiments) -- subsequently commanded by Gen'l W. H. Forney of Calhoun

BATTLES:

    Yorktown
    Seven Pines
    Mechanicsville
    Cold Harbor
    Malvern Hill
    South Mountain
    Sharpsburg
    Chancellorsville
    Gettysburg
    Wilderness
    Petersburg
    Appomattox Court House

ROSTERS:

    Company A - Camden Rifles (River Rangers)
    Company B - Southern Stars
    Company C - Alabama Borderers
    Company D - Randolph Mountaineers
    Company E - Randolph Rangers
    Company F - Tallassee Guards
    Company G - Yancey Guards
    Company H - Coosa Mountaineers
    Company I - Roanoke Mitchill Invincibles
    Company K - Stephens Guards

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

REF: http://www.tarleton.edu/~kjones/rodes.html#6th
http://www.archives.state.al.us/referenc/alamilor/mil_org.html

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Rigdon, John C.
The Civil War in Alabama
 
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