Saturday, October 30, 2021

New Web Pages at 13thmass.org

      I've posted two new web-pages at my on-line history site.  This brings the narrative of the 13th Mass. Vols. history, up to November 19, 1863, the date of the dedication of the new National Cemetery at Gettysburg.

      The first page follows the regiment's movements from October 15, where they formed the center of the Union Defensive lines around Centreville, through November 6, at Catlett's Station. They marched to Hay Market, October 19; Thoroughfare Gap, October 20, back to Bristoe Station October 24, to Kettle Run October 30 and finally to Catlett's Station on November 5.  The page contains several diary entries, letters and newspaper correspondent reports from the regiment.

     The 2nd page tells of the return to the Rappahannock River Nov. 7.  As the regimental historian Charles E. Davis, Jr. wrote, they had been to this spot so many times they had lost count.

     Two engagements took place that day, one at Kelly's Ford and a daring attack at Rappahannock Station.  The 13th MA were part of General French's wing of the Army, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Corps, and camped at Morrisville, in support of the 3d Corps advance, during the fighting.  They were guarding the wagon trains.  The next day they advanced with the rest of the army to Brandy Station, in line of Battle, where General Meade hoped General Lee would attack.  But Lee seldom did what General Meade wanted.  The advance was a lost chance.

     The following day the regiment marched to Licking Run along the Orange & Alexandria Railroad, and spent the next couple weeks helping with repairs to the line.  There are several humorous stories about life in the work details from Sergeant Austin Stearns.

     Its exciting to bring the history of the regiment this far forward.  This brings the number of detailed web-pages on my site to 62!

     The Mine Run Campaign will be next, when I get around to it.  Davis, did a pretty good job going into this campaign in depth in his 1894 regimental history.  This forgotten campaign is full of drama and I can't wait to get at it.

      It has been a year since any pages were posted, but that is because I have become busy over at Cedar Mountain Battlefield.

     Here are the links to the new pages.

Fall of 1863

Return to the Line of the Rappahannock