The 13th Wisconsin Infantry was organized at Camp Tredway in Janesville and mustered into service on October 17, 1861.
The regiment left Wisconsin for Leavenworth, Kansas, on January 13, 1862. During its service it moved through Missouri, Kentucky, Alabama, and Tennessee, where it served on duty at Forts Henry and Donelson. The regiment mustered out on November 24, 1865, having lost 193 men. Five enlisted men were killed and 188 enlisted men died from disease.
Officers:
Colonel Maurice Maloney (October 15, 1861 – August 1, 1862) was a U.S. Army captain in the 4th U.S. Infantry and retired in August 1862.
Colonel William P. Lyon (August 6, 1862 – November 24, 1865) began the war as captain of Co. K in the 8th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. He received an honorary brevet to brigadier general at the end of the war. After the war he became the 12th speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the 7th chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Ira Barnes Dutton, also known as Joseph Dutton, was quartermaster sergeant and was later commissioned 2nd lieutenant and promoted to 1st lieutenant in Co. I, finally promoted to quartermaster near the end of the war. After the war he became a Catholic missionary in Hawaii, ministering to the leper colony on Molokai until his death. He is a candidate for sainthood.
John M. Evans was the regiment surgeon. After the war he served as a Wisconsin legislator and was the first mayor of Evansville, Wisconsin.
Ezra Foot, Wisconsin state politician, chaplain of the regiment[2]
Edward Lee Greene was a private in Co. K. After the war he wrote an extensive botanical record of the plant species of the American west.
Simon Lord was the 2nd assistant surgeon until 1863, when he was promoted out of the regiment to become surgeon of the 32nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. After the war he served as a Wisconsin state senator.
Frederick F. Norcross, brother of Pliny Norcross, was a corporal in Co. K and died of disease at Nashville, in May 1865.
Lanson P. Norcross, brother of Pliny Norcross, was a private in Co. K and served through the whole war with the regiment.
Pliny Norcross was captain of Co. K for three years. Earlier in the war, he served as a corporal in Co. K of the 1st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. After the war he became a Wisconsin state legislator and the 20th mayor of Janesville, Wisconsin.
Archibald N. Randall was captain of Co. G. After the war he became a Wisconsin state senator.
Hezekiah C. Tilton was chaplain of the regiment. After the war he served as a Wisconsin legislator.
Edwin E. Woodman was captain of Co. B, but was detailed for much of the war as an engineering aide on the brigade and division staff. After the war he served as a Wisconsin state senator.
Assignments:
Attached to Dept. of Kansas to June, 1862. District of Columbus, Ky., Dept. of the Tennessee, to August, 1862. Garrison Forts Henry and Donelson, Tenn., to June, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Reserve Corps, Dept. of the Cumberland, to October, 1863. Post and District of Nashville, Tenn., Dept. of the Cumberland, to January, 1864. 1st Brigade, Rousseau's 3rd Division, 12th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to April, 1864. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 20th Army Corps, Dept. of the Cumberland, to March, 1865. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 4th Army Corps, to August, 1865. Dept. of Texas to November, 1865.
Service:
March to Fort Scott, Kansas, March 1-7, 1862, and duty there till March 26. Ordered to Lawrence, Kansas, March 26, thence to Fort Riley April 20 and to Fort Leavenworth May 27. Moved to St. Louis, Mo., thence to Columbus, Ky., May 29-June 2. Guard duty along Mobile & Ohio Railroad from Columbus, Ky., to Corinth, Miss., till August. Moved to Fort Henry, Tenn., thence to Fort Donelson, Tenn., September 2 and garrison duty there till November 11. Expedition to Clarksville September 5-10. Action at Rickett's Hill, Clarksville, September 7. Hopkinsville, Ky., November 6. Moved to Fort Henry November 11, and duty there as garrison and guarding supply steamers between the Fort and Hamburg Landing till February 3, 1863. Moved to relief of Fort Donelson February 3. Duty at Fort Donelson till August 27. March to Stevenson, Ala., August 27-September 14 and duty there guarding supplies till October. Moved to Nashville, Tenn., and duty there till February, 1864. Veterans on furlough February-March. Return to Nashville March 28. Garrison duty and guarding railroad trains from Louisville to Chattanooga till April 26. Guard duty along Tennessee River between Stevenson and Decatur till June. Moved to Claysville, Ala., June 4. Picket and patrol duty along Tennessee River till September. Scout from Gunter's Landing to Warrenton July 11 (Co. "C"). March to Woodville, thence to Huntsville, Ala., and guard Memphis & Charleston Railroad from Huntsville to Stevenson, Ala., with headquarters at Brownsboro till November. Repulse of Hood's attack on Decatur , October 26-29. At Stevenson till December. At Huntsville till March, 1865. Paint Rock Ridge December 31, 1864 (Co. "G"). Operations in East Tennessee March 15-April 22. At Nashville, Tenn., till June. Ordered to New Orleans June 16, thence to Indianola, Texas, July 12. Duty at Green Lake and San Antonio, Texas, till November. Mustered out November 24, 1865.
Rosters:
The composite rosters of this unit contain the names of 2496 men.
Company A - Rock County
Company B - Rock County and Vernon County
Company C - Walworth County and Boone, Illinois
Company D - Rock County
Company E - Green County, Rock County and Milwaukee County
Company F - Rock County
Company G - Pierce County, Rock County and Spring Grove (found in Green County and Green Lake County)
Historical Sketch: