Confederate Regiments & Batteries * Alabama
The 13th Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized in Alabama July of 1861. It moved to Virginia in the spring of 1862 and fought in the battles of the Army of Northern Virginia until it was surrendered at Appomattox Court House. The regiment mustered 1,245 men during the Civil War, of whom nearly 150 died in battle and about 275 of disease.
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1861
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| July 19 | Organized at Montgomery under Colonel Birkett D. Fry.
 Colonel Birkett Fry |
| November 27 | Captain Reginald H. Dawson of Company A was promoted to major. |
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1862
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| January 10 | Major Dawson was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain William H. Betts of Company B was promoted to major. |
| Moved to Virginia, attached to Rains’ Brigade at Yorktown | |
| May 31- June 1 |
Battle of Seven PinesThe regiment lost 7 killed and 45 wounded. Colonel Fry and Lieutenant Colonel Dawson were wounded. |
| June 11 | Lieutenant Colonel Dawson resigned due to typhoid and dysentery. Major Betts was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain James Aiken of Company D to major . |
| June 26 |
Battle of MechanicsvilleCaptain John D. Clarke was killed |
| June 27 – 28 |
First Battle of Cold Harbor, or Gaines’ MillThe regiment lost 4 killed and 40 wounded |
| July 1-5 |
Battle of Malvern HillThe regiment lost 10 killed and 47 wounded |
| September 14 |
Battle of South MountainThe regiment was lightly engaged |
| September 17 |
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)The regiment lost heavily in fighting around the Sunken Road. Colonel Fry was wounded and Adjutant John Rentz killed. The regiment lost its battle flag, captured by Private John Murphy of the 5th Ohio Infantry. After Colonel Fry was wounded Lt. Colonel Betts commanded a small group of 30 men of the regiment in a skirmish line at Pipers Farm and was commended for his boldness by General D.H. Hill, but Betts was then wounded before the end of the day. Captain Algernon S. Reaves of Company D took command of the regiment then, although himself wounded. |
| December 13 |
Battle of Fredericksburg |
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1863 |
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| January 14 | Lt. Colonel Betts resigned due to disability from his wound at Sharpsburg. Major Aiken was promoted to lieutenant colonel. |
| The regiment joined General Archer’s Brigade | |
| May 1-4 |
Battle of ChancellorsvilleThe regiment lost 13 killed and 127 wounded out of of 460 men, including Colonel Fry and Lt. Colonel Aiken, who were wounded, and Major John T. Smith, Adjutant T. W. S. Hendon and Lieutenant John J. Pendergrass, who were killed |
| June 1 | Assigned to Archer’s Brigade of Heth’s Division in the newly-created Third Corps under A.P. Hill. |
| July 1-3 |
Battle of GettysburgThe regiment lost of the 308 men engaged, including Colonel Fry, who was wounded and captured, but later exchanged. Major Reaves took over the regiment, leading them in Pickett’s Charge on July 3, when about 80% of the regiment became casualties. From the brigade monument at GettysburgJuly 1. The Brigade moved from Cashtown early in the morning towards Gettysburg. After a march of six miles came in view of the Union forces. The Brigade was deployed on the west side of Willoughby Run and about 10 A. M. advanced encountered 1st Brigade First Division beyond the run. The firing continued for a short time when a large force appearing on the right flank and opening a cross fire the position became untenable the Brigade was forced back across the run but advanced with the Division later in the day. The advance in the morning reached this position. July 2. Not engaged. July 3. Formed part of the column of Longstreet’s assault. July 4. The Brigade took up the line of march during the night to Hagerstown. |
| October 14 |
Battle of Bristoe StationThe regiment lost 2 killed and 4 wounded, including Lieutenants Colonel Aiken, who was wounded, and David R. Staggers, who was killed |
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1864
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| May 5-7 |
Battle of the WildernessAdjutant L. P. Broughton was killed and Major Reaves was captured. |
| May 24 | Colonel Fry (still a prisoner) was promoted to brigadier general; Lt. Colonel James Aiken was promoted to colonel. |
| May 8-18 |
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House |
| June 3 |
Second Battle of Cold HarborCapt. John D.Clarke was killed |
| June | Brigadier General Fry was released in a special prisoner exchange and returned to the army. |
| June-April |
Siege of Petersburg |
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1865
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| January 9 | Transferred to Sander’s Brigade, Mahone’s Division |
| April 6-7 |
Battle of High BridgeColonel Aiken was captured |
| April 9, 1865 |
Appomattox Court HouseSurrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. The 13th Alabama Infantry Regiment surrendered 6 officers and 85 men. |