CONNECTICUT THIRTEENTH REGIMENT C. V. INFANTRY. (Three Years.)

WRITTEN BY MAJOR JOHN C. KINNEY, LATE FIRST LIEUTENANT OF CO. A, THIRTEENTH CONNECTICUT VOLUNTEERS. THE formation of the Thirteenth Connecticut Regiment was begun in the fall of 1861. The headquarters were established in Durham & Booth's Carriage Factory, Chapel Street, New Haven, November 25, 1861. Here the regiment remained in barracks all winter. It left New Haven March 17, 1862, over one thousand strong, and went on board the sailing ship "City of New York," lying off the Battery, the following day. Owing to adverse winds the ship did not leave Sandy Hook until Sunday, March 23d. After a rough voyage, with two severe gales and a narrow escape from shipwreck on the Florida coast, the regiment disembarked at Ship Island on Sunday, April 13th, reporting to General Butler. It left Ship Island on the same vessel May 4th, and reached New Orleans May 12th. The regiment was quartered in the Custom House and assigned to provost duty, Colonel Birge being given command of the defenses of New Orleans. Here many able-bodied men, chiefly Germans, were found desirous of enlisting, and all the sick and discontented were discharged and their places filled with recruits. During the summer companies were occasionally sent up the river on reconnoitering or foraging expeditions. On September 11th Company A was stationed on outpost duty at Lake End, on Lake Pontchartrain, remaining there until October 4th. On the 29th of September a picked brigade was formed, known as the Reserve Brigade, consisting of the Twelfth and Thirteenth Connecticut, the First Louisiana (commanded by Colonel Holcomb, the original Major of the Thirteenth), Seventy-fifth New York, Eighth New Hampshire, four companies of cavalry, and two batteries. The brigade was formed at Camp Kearney at Carrollton, and General Godfrey Weitzel was put in command. On the 24th of October the brigade started up the Mississippi by boat, landed at Donaldsonville the next day, and marched down Bayou La Fourche. October 27th occurred the little battle of Georgia Landing (or Labadieville), in which the Thirteenth lost one killed, thirteen wounded, and one prisoner. Reached Thibodeaux October 28, 1862, and formed Camp Stevens October 30th. On the 9th of November an explosion of ammunition occurred on a train from New Orleans just as it reached La Fourche Crossing, by which Lieutenants Johnson (Company A) and Wheeler (Company K) and two privates were killed. Broke camp December 27th and reached Baton Rouge December 31st. Went into camp on the Arsenal grounds January 1, 1863. March 13th, moved with Banks's army to the rear of Port Hudson, making a feint to assist Farragut in running past the fort. The next morning retraced steps hastily. On March 28th, left Baton Rouge for the first Red River campaign, Colonel Birge commanding brigade, Lieutenant-Colonel Warner commanding regiment. April 13th, skirmish at Sand Beach; April 14th, battle of Irish Bend, seven killed and forty-six wounded; April 17th, skirmish at Vermilion Bayou; April 20th, camp at Washington, La.; April 30th to May 5th, at Barre's Landing; May 11th, reached Stafford's Plantation, within thirteen miles of Alexandria. Then returned by way of the Atchafalaya River and Bayou Sara to rear of Port Hudson. Siege of Port Hudson from May 24th to July 9th, 1863, Captain Comstock in command. Assaults May 27th and June 14th. After the disastrous assault of June 14th, General Banks called for a storming column of one thousand men, promising a medal of honor to every soldier and promotion to every officer who volunteered. Colonel Birge was selected to lead the column, and sixteen officers and two hundred and twenty-five men of the Thirteenth volunteered for the forlorn hope. This comprised all the officers but one, and more than half of the men present for duty, and was more than was furnished by any single brigade of the army. The promises as to medals and promotions were not kept, although three years later a part of the officers were breveted in consequence. The capture of Vicksburg by General Grant made the surrender of Port Hudson inevitable, and the storming column was consequently not called upon. When the surrender took place, July 9th, the storming column under Colonel Birge, with the colors of the Thirteenth, had the right of the line, followed by the remainder of the Thirteenth. The regiment went with the division, General Birge commanding, to Donaldsonville, where, July 13th, it took part in the final skirmish with General Dick Taylor's forces. The Twelfth and Thirteenth Regiments were then selected by General Grover to proceed by steamer to Brashear City (now Morgan City), and endeavor to intercept the retreat of Taylor's army. On reaching Brashear, July 25th, it was found that Taylor had made good his retreat. The regiment remained here on outpost duty until August 19th, when it returned to camp at Carrollton, and for the first time in five months went into tents. On August 30th it was ordered to Thibodeaux, on Bayou La Fourche, where it went into permanent camp. Early in January, 1864, Colonel Joseph Selden arrived as recruiting officer. Only four hundred and six men were present for duty at the time, of whom four hundred re-enlisted for three years or during the war. On March 19, 1864, the regiment started on the second Red River campaign. Colonel Blinn was in command, and Lieutenant Kinney was Adjutant. On March 28th reached Alexandria, La., where the regiment was detailed to do garrison duty, there being no expectation on the part of General Banks of any serious opposition to his occupying Shreveport. But on April 7th and 8th occurred the engagements of Sabine Cross Roads and Pleasant Hill, putting a stop to further progress, and the Thirteenth was hastily sent for to assist in rescuing the army from its perilous position. Reached Grand Ecore April 12th. On the evening of April 20th started on the retreat, the Thirteenth leading the advance and marching twenty-five miles, almost without a halt. The next day there was constant skirmishing until Cane River Crossing was reached, where the advance was stopped by a rebel battery on a bluff across the river. General Birge's division was selected to cross the river and attack the enemy. While reconnoitering the enemy's position General Birge and staff, with a mounted detachment from the Thirteenth, were ambushed, and eighteen out of thirty were killed or wounded. The Thirteenth, with the brigade, charged up the hill on the flank of the battery, and before they reached the crest the enemy broke and ran. The loss in killed and wounded was twenty-five. On April 29th reached Alexandria again, and the Thirteenth was stationed at Pineville, across the river, as an outpost. Here they halted until the dam was built across the river, by means of which the remnant of Porter's gunboats were rescued, and the retreat was then continued with constant skirmishing, but no battle except artillery duels. Reached Morganzia, near the junction of the Mississippi and Red Rivers, May 21st, and remained until July 2d; then to New Orleans and home on veteran furlough of thirty days, arriving at New Haven July 27, 1864. Early in September the Thirteenth (Colonel Blinn commanding, Lieutenant Stanley, Adjutant) rejoined the Nineteenth Army Corps, Molineux's Brigade, then under Sheridan in the Shenandoah. Took part in the battle of Opequan September 19th (Lieutenant-Colonel Sprague in command), with a loss of six killed, thirty-nine wounded, and thirty-two captured, including Lieutenant-Colonel Sprague and Lieutenant Gardner. The next day the regiment participated in the battle and victory of Fisher's Hill. October 19th the Thirteenth took part in the battle of Winchester (Colonel Blinn in command), being with the Nineteenth Army Corps, which first checked the rebel advance and led in the pursuit. The Thirteenth lost two killed, including Color-Sergeant George A. Winslow, eighteen wounded, including Major Comstock, and nine missing. Captain Frank Wells, who had just received a leave of absence, led his company during the two days. The regiment now went into quarters at Camp Russell, near Winchester, where it remained until December 1st, when it was sent to Martinsburg. On December 15th those who had not reenlisted (one hundred and twenty-five) were discharged, and the remainder were known as the "Veteran Battalion of the Thirteenth Connecticut Volunteers." In January, 1865, the battalion, Captain Bradley commanding, was sent to Savannah, where it remained until March 12th, when it was sent to Newbern, N. C., on provost duty, where it was kept until the close of the war. In May it was ordered to Augusta, Ga., Lieutenant-Colonel Sprague in command. Here it remained on provost duty until August 25, 1865, when it removed to Gainesville, Ga., to suppress bushwhackers. It was ordered to Athens, Ga., on October 17th, and quartered in the College buildings, companies being detached for duty at Washington, Carnesville, and Lexington. On December 23, 1865, headquarters were removed to the Arsenal at Augusta, and on January 3, 1866, the battalion was ordered to garrison the district of Allatoona, with headquarters at Atlanta. For this long-continued service on provost duty after the war was over, the regiment was selected because of its high reputation for discipline. On April 13th it was ordered to Fort Pulaski, below Savannah, where it was mustered out by Captain J. H. Butler, U. S. A., April 25th. The battalion reached Hart Island, New York, May 1st, where it was paid off and disbanded May 5-7, 1866, having been in service four years, five months, and eight days from the date of its original muster. ENGAGEMENTS. Georgia Landing, La., October 27, 1862. Irish Bend, La., April 14, 1863. Vermillion Bayou, April 17, 1863. Port Hudson, La. (assault), May 24, 1863. Port Hudson, La. (assault), June 14, 1863. Siege of Port Hudson, May 24-July 9, 1863. Cane River, La., April 23, 1864. Mansura, La., May 16, 1864. Winchester, Va., September 19, 1864. Fisher's Hill, Va., September 22, 1864. Cedar Creek, Va., October 19, 1864.

Connecticut 13th Volunteer Infantry (Union)

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