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Georgia 13th Infantry Regiment
HISTORICAL NOTES:
The Lawton-Gordon-Evans Georgia Brigade (so-named for its three principal commanders) was one of the premier brigades of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, serving with distinction from the Seven Days battles around Richmond (May-June 1862) until its surrender at Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865).
The brigade was initially comprised of six regiments (13th, 26th, 31st, 38th, 60th, and 61st Georgia), which were raised at the call of Governor Joe Brown for the defense of the Georgia coast following the bombardment of Fort Sumter.
The 13th Georgia had initially mustered into Confederate service on July 8, 1861 and served briefly with Brig. Gen. John B. Floyd's brigade in West Virginia, seeing minor action at the Battles of Sewell Mountain and Laurel Hill before being returned to Georgia due to sickness and lack of clothing suitable for the harsh winter climate in the West Virginia mountains. While on coastal duty, they engaged in a number of skirmishes, including the capture of a gunboat that afterwards bore their name and a brush-up with the 8th Michigan on Whitemarsh Island, Georgia on April 16, 1862.
The six regiments were placed under the command of Brig. Gen. Alexander Lawton, commander of the Georgia Military District, who had proposed formation of an "elite brigade" of Georgia troops to answer Richmond's call for troops to repel the threat posed by McClellan's advance from Williamsburg on the Confederate capital (i.e. the Peninsula Campaign).
In May 1862, the six regiments, which mustered between 6,000-7000 men, were moved by train to Lynchburg and the Shenandoah Valley to reenforce Stonewall Jackson as part of a deception planned by General Lee to mask his planned offensive against McClellan's forces around Richmond.
FIELD OFFICERS:
BATTLES:
Bristoe Station (August 27, 1862)
Groveton (or Brawner's Farm) (August 28, 1862)
Second Manassas (or Bull Run) (August 29-30, 1862)
Antietam (or Sharpsburg) (September 17,1862)
Fredericksburg (December 13, 1862)
Chancellorsville (April 29-5, 1863)
Wincester (2nd Battle of) (June 13-15, 1863)
York & Wrightsville (June 28-29, 1863)
Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863)
Mine Run Campaign (Skirmishes of Nov. 26-Dec 2, 1863)
Wilderness (May 5-6, 1864)
Spotsylvania Court House (May 10-12, 1864)
Monocacy (July 9, 1864)
Winchester (3rd Battle of)(or Opequon Creek) (Sept. 19, 1864)
Fisher's Hill (September 22, 1864)
Cedar Creek (October 19, 1864)
Hatcher's Run (Feb. 5-7,. 1865)
Hares Hill (Fort Steadman) (March 25, 1865)
Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865)
COMPANIES:
Company B - Meriwether Volunteers (Meriwether and Troup Counties)
Company C - Ringgold Rangers Ringgold Community near Griffin, Georgia and Catoosa County)
Company D - Upson Volunteers (Upson County
Company E - Randolph Volunteers (Randolph and Terrell Counties)
Company F - Fayette Rangers (Fayette County)
Company G - Early Guards (Early County)
Company H - Panola Rifles (Terrell County)
Company I - Stark Volunteers (Spalding County)
Company K - Evans Guards (Troup County)
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