13th Virginia Cavalry Regiment

Confederate Regiments & Batteries * Virginia

1862
July 29

The 13th Virginia Cavalry Regiment was created by enlarging the 16th Virginia Cavalry Battalion to a regiment under the command of Colonel John R Chambliss (West Point Class of 1853). The regiment was assigned to the Department of North Carolina.

Company A – “Southampton Cavalry” – Southampton County
Company B – “Petersburg Light Dragoons” – Petersburg
Company C – “Randolph’s Dragoons” – Nansemond County
Company D – “Jackson’s Avengers” – Sussex County
Company E – “Cockade Cavalry” – Petersburg
Company F – “Prince  George Cavalry” – Prince George County
Company G – “Surry Cavalry” – Surry County
Company H – “Sussex Light Dragoons” – Sussex County
Company  I – “Nansemond Cavalry” – Suffolk and Nansemond County
Company  K  – Surry County

(from 13th Virginia Cavalry, by Daniel T. Balfour)
September-October Assigned to Chambliss’s Command, Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia.
October Moved to the Rappahannock and assigned to W.H.F. Lee’s Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army of Northern Virginia.
December 13
Battle of Fredericksburg
December 27-29
Raid on Dumfries and Fairfax Station
1863
April 14-15
Rappahannock Bridge, Kell’s Ford, Welford Ford and Beverly Ford
April-May
Stoneman’s Raid
June 9
Battle of Aldie
June 17
Battle of Middleburg
June 19
Battle of Brandy Station
June 30
Battle of Hanover, Pennsylvania
July 1-3
Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Jefferson C. Phillips while Colonel Chambliss commanded the brigade as senior colonel. It brought 298 men to the field.

From the monument to W.H.F. Lee’s Brigade on the East Cavalry Battlefield at Gettysburg:

July 3. The Brigade reached here about noon and took an active part in the fight until it ended. Some of the men serving as sharpshooters in the vicinity of the Rummel Barn but most of the Command participating in the charges made by the Cavalry during the afternoon. It left the field after nightfall.
July 9
Battle of Williamsport

Lieutenant Colonel Jefferson C. Phillips was wounded. Captain Benjamin F. Winfield took command of the regiment.
September Assigned to W.H.F. Lee’s Brigade, W.H.F. Lee’s Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
October
Bristoe Campaign
October 11 Brandy Station 
November-December
Mine Run Campaign
December 19 Colonel Chambliss was promoted to brigadier general and given permanent command of the brigade he had commanded as senior colonel since the Battle of Brandy Station in June of 1864. Lieutenant Colonel Jefferson Phillips, who had temporarily commanded the regiment during this time, was promoted to colonel and took permanent command of the regiment.
1864
April Assigned to Chambliss’s-Beale’s Brigade, W.H.F. Lee’s Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
May 5-6
Battle of the Wilderness
May 8-21
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
May 22-26
Battle of North Anna
May 28 Haw’s Shop
June 1-3
Battle of Cold Harbor
June
Siege of Petersburg
October 1 Jones’s Farm
October 2 Vaughan Road
1865
April 9
Appomattox Court House

The 13th Virginia Cavalry Regiment surrendered 10 officers and 78 enlisted men.