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13th Infantry Regiment (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 13th Infantry Regiment ("First at Vicksburg" ) is a United States Army
infantry regiment whose battalions are currently tasked as basic training battalions.
During the War of 1812
the unit was consolidated with the 5th Infantry and took part in a series of long engagements. Most of these battles took place in the Niagara frontier, in and around Buffalo, New York
, culminating in the war's final Battle of Plattsburgh
.
The regiment was reconstituted in May 1861. General William Tecumseh Sherman
was the colonel of the regiment and Philip Sheridan
was one of its captains. It was organized as one of the nine "three-battalion" regiments of regulars, each battalion containing eight companies of infantry, in contrast to the original ten regular regiments of infantry, which were organized on the traditional ten-company line.
During the American Civil War
, the unit earned its motto "First at Vicksburg". It participated in the battles of Hayes Bluffs, Champion Hill
, Black River
, and on May 19, 1863 took part in the assault at Vicksburg
. The 13th Regiment was the only Union unit to plant its colors on the Confederate positions.
Following the Civil War, the Army was reorganized by Congress in July 1866, and the 13th was divided into three regiments, each battalion receiving two additional companies and being organized along traditional lines. The 1st Battalion was given the designation of the 13th Infantry, while the 2nd Battalion became the 22nd Infantry and the 3rd Battalion the 31st Infantry.
From 1867-71 the regiment fought in the Indian Wars
in Montana
and North Dakota
. In June 1898 the regiment was sent to Cuba
and led the 1st Infantry's attack on San Juan Hill
, capturing the Spanish flag. In 1897 the 13th US Infantry had been filmed on Governor's Island, New York. See. The regiment saw combat in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War
, and was assigned to the 8th Infantry Division in June 1918. As a member of this organization, the regiment did not participate in World War I
.
In 1939 the regiment was ordered to the Panama Canal Zone
and a year later, after having been disbanded, was reconstituted at Camp Jackson, South Carolina. The regiment found itself fighting through the hedgerows of France in July 1944 as a member of the 8th Infantry Division and led the drive to the Ay River. The regiment spent ten months in combat in Northern France, The Rhineland and Central Europe. It occupied a position on the Siegfried Line
and was involved in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest
. Private First Class Walter C. Wetzel
was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for sacrificing his life to save his comrades.
Following World War II the unit was inactivated at Fort Leonard Wood
, Missouri on 18 November 1945. On 17 August 1949 the regiment was activated once again at Fort Jackson, South Carolina as part of the 8th ID where it remained until 1 August 1954. The 8th ID was transferred to Fort Carson, Colo and the 13th went with it where it resumed its training mission. In 1955 the 8th ID was designated a gyroscope division and as part of the division the 13th completed its last training cycle in December,1955. In January the regiment began to get permanent party personnel and new recruits, Basic training for these recruits began in mid February and segued immediately into advanced training. Both training blocks were completed by mid June and the regiment achieved "combat ready" status. The regiment under the command of Ellis W. Williamson left Fort Carson for its; new assignment in Germany where it replaced the 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th ID. Regimental headquarters and the 3rd Battalion were stationed at Wiley Barracks in Neu Ulm
In August 1957 the Regiment was reorganised as the 1st Battle Group, 13th Infantry regiment and the old guidons (for A though M companies) were retired and new ones for the 1st Battle Group were issued. In January, 1958 the 1st BG, 13th Infantry Regiment moved from Neu Ulm to Sandhofen. The First Battalion was posted to Baumholder
whilst the Second Battalion was posted to Mannheim
and remained there until 1 August 1984 when it was inactivated and relieved from assignment to the 8th Infantry Division.
On 27 February 1987, the 13th Infantry Regiment was transferred to the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
and reorganized at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
Currently, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions of the 13th Infantry Regiment conduct Basic Combat Training
at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
infantry regiment whose battalions are currently tasked as basic training battalions.
History
War Department files of the 13th Infantry Regiment prior to its reconstitution in 1861 are unavailable. However, it has been established that during the first postwar expansion of the United States Army following independence, the 13th Regiment of Infantry was formed on July 16, 1798, and was mustered out January 11, 1800.During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
the unit was consolidated with the 5th Infantry and took part in a series of long engagements. Most of these battles took place in the Niagara frontier, in and around Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, culminating in the war's final Battle of Plattsburgh
Battle of Plattsburgh
The Battle of Plattsburgh, also known as the Battle of Lake Champlain, ended the final invasion of the northern states during the War of 1812...
.
The regiment was reconstituted in May 1861. General William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
was the colonel of the regiment and Philip Sheridan
Philip Sheridan
Philip Henry Sheridan was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with Lt. Gen. Ulysses S...
was one of its captains. It was organized as one of the nine "three-battalion" regiments of regulars, each battalion containing eight companies of infantry, in contrast to the original ten regular regiments of infantry, which were organized on the traditional ten-company line.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the unit earned its motto "First at Vicksburg". It participated in the battles of Hayes Bluffs, Champion Hill
Battle of Champion Hill
The Battle of Champion Hill, or Bakers Creek, fought May 16, 1863, was the pivotal battle in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Union commander Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee pursued the retreating Confederate Lt. Gen. John C...
, Black River
Battle of Big Black River Bridge
The Battle of Big Black River Bridge, or Big Black, fought May 17, 1863, was part of the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Union commander Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee pursued the retreating Confederate Lt. Gen. John C...
, and on May 19, 1863 took part in the assault at Vicksburg
Battle of Vicksburg
The Siege of Vicksburg was the final major military action in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mississippi River and drove the Confederate army of Lt. Gen. John C...
. The 13th Regiment was the only Union unit to plant its colors on the Confederate positions.
Following the Civil War, the Army was reorganized by Congress in July 1866, and the 13th was divided into three regiments, each battalion receiving two additional companies and being organized along traditional lines. The 1st Battalion was given the designation of the 13th Infantry, while the 2nd Battalion became the 22nd Infantry and the 3rd Battalion the 31st Infantry.
From 1867-71 the regiment fought in the Indian Wars
Indian Wars
American Indian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between American settlers or the federal government and the native peoples of North America before and after the American Revolutionary War. The wars resulted from the arrival of European colonizers who...
in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
and North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. In June 1898 the regiment was sent to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and led the 1st Infantry's attack on San Juan Hill
Battle of San Juan Hill
The Battle of San Juan Hill , also known as the battle for the San Juan Heights, was a decisive battle of the Spanish-American War. The San Juan heights was a north-south running elevation about two kilometers east of Santiago de Cuba. The names San Juan Hill and Kettle Hill were names given by the...
, capturing the Spanish flag. In 1897 the 13th US Infantry had been filmed on Governor's Island, New York. See. The regiment saw combat in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
, and was assigned to the 8th Infantry Division in June 1918. As a member of this organization, the regiment did not participate in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
In 1939 the regiment was ordered to the Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
and a year later, after having been disbanded, was reconstituted at Camp Jackson, South Carolina. The regiment found itself fighting through the hedgerows of France in July 1944 as a member of the 8th Infantry Division and led the drive to the Ay River. The regiment spent ten months in combat in Northern France, The Rhineland and Central Europe. It occupied a position on the Siegfried Line
Siegfried Line
The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defences built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916–1917 in northern France during World War I...
and was involved in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest
Battle of Hurtgen Forest
The Battle of Hürtgen Forest is the name given to the series of fierce battles fought between U.S. and German forces during World War II in the Hürtgen Forest, which became the longest battle on German ground during World War II, and the longest single battle the U.S. Army has ever fought...
. Private First Class Walter C. Wetzel
Walter C. Wetzel
Walter C. Wetzel was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.-Biography:...
was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for sacrificing his life to save his comrades.
Following World War II the unit was inactivated at Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood (military base)
Fort Leonard Wood is a United States Army installation located in the Missouri Ozarks. The main gate is located on the southern boundary of St. Robert. The post was created in December 1940 and named in honor of General Leonard Wood, former Chief of Staff, in January 1941...
, Missouri on 18 November 1945. On 17 August 1949 the regiment was activated once again at Fort Jackson, South Carolina as part of the 8th ID where it remained until 1 August 1954. The 8th ID was transferred to Fort Carson, Colo and the 13th went with it where it resumed its training mission. In 1955 the 8th ID was designated a gyroscope division and as part of the division the 13th completed its last training cycle in December,1955. In January the regiment began to get permanent party personnel and new recruits, Basic training for these recruits began in mid February and segued immediately into advanced training. Both training blocks were completed by mid June and the regiment achieved "combat ready" status. The regiment under the command of Ellis W. Williamson left Fort Carson for its; new assignment in Germany where it replaced the 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th ID. Regimental headquarters and the 3rd Battalion were stationed at Wiley Barracks in Neu Ulm
In August 1957 the Regiment was reorganised as the 1st Battle Group, 13th Infantry regiment and the old guidons (for A though M companies) were retired and new ones for the 1st Battle Group were issued. In January, 1958 the 1st BG, 13th Infantry Regiment moved from Neu Ulm to Sandhofen. The First Battalion was posted to Baumholder
Baumholder
Baumholder is a town in the Birkenfeld district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, in the Westrich, an historic region that encompasses areas in both Germany and France...
whilst the Second Battalion was posted to Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
and remained there until 1 August 1984 when it was inactivated and relieved from assignment to the 8th Infantry Division.
On 27 February 1987, the 13th Infantry Regiment was transferred to the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
Established 1 July 1973, the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command is an army command of the United States Army headquartered at Fort Eustis, Virginia. It is charged with overseeing training of Army forces, the development of operational doctrine, and the development and procurement of...
and reorganized at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
Currently, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions of the 13th Infantry Regiment conduct Basic Combat Training
United States Army Basic Training
United States Army Basic Training is the program of physical and mental training required in order for an individual to become a soldier in the United States Army, United States Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. It is carried out at several different Army posts around the United States...
at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.