Sharpsburg - September 17th, 1862
The night before the battle Early’s brigade spent on Alfred Poffenberger’s farm on the extreme left of the Confederate battleline. As the battle started at dawn, the brigade was ordered further left to assist Confederate Cavalry General J.E.B. Stuart’s Horse Artillery. The brigade was ordered back to the West Woods, but the 13th Virginia was at the request of J.E.B.Stuart retained to support the Horse Artillery. The Regiment was placed in the cornfield north of A. Poffenberger’s farm, where they spent the time during the heavy fighting at Miller’s cornfield.
When the fighting changed to the West Woods as the Division of Union General Sedgwick started it’s attack on the West Woods, the 13th went into action acting as skirmish line for the artillery. The brigade of Union Brigadier General Gorman was leading the attack. As the Union Divison charged into the West Woods the 1st Minnesota and the 82nd New York of the leading Union brigade advanced three times into Poffenberger’s cornfield and three times they were driven back by the 13th Virginia. The cornfield north of A. Poffenberger’s farm lent itself to a debacle similar to the one which occurred in the Miller Cornfield.
At this time Captain John Pelham of the Horse Artillery decided to move a section of twelve pound Napoleons a short distance to the north in order to flank the Union right at Nicodemus Farm. When they pulled north across the plowed field, the teams and limbers got bogged down in the soft mud. The 13th Virginia was brought in to manhandle the field pieces up the slope to the crest west of the barn. With about fifty men to each artillery piece, the infantrymen slung their weapons and shouldered and dragged the guns and their limber chests into battery. With the guns deployed John Pelham ordered the infantrymen to fan out and commence firing into the retreating 19th Massachusetts and 1st Minnesota, of Sedgwick’s Division, which were retirering from the West Wood onto the farm.
The sharpshooters of the 13th Virginia and Captain John Pelham’s artillerists made the position of the 19th Massachusetts too hot to hang on to. The guns, loaded with double shot canister, pounded the New Englanders’ flank. Every time the Union soldiers attempted to move, the 13th Virginia drove them to cover. The two retreating Federal regiments could not endure more and retreated north through the Nicodemus barnyard and beyond. They were the last Union regiments to leave the West Woods. The struggle around the West Woods was costly to both sides. In twenty minutes 2210 Union soldiers of some 5000 engaged were injured or killed. Although heavily, engaged the 13th Virginia only suffered one killed and five wounded. This was the last major fighting on the left of the Confederate line as the fighting shifted towards the center, and late in the day, further towards the right.
1st Fredericksburg - December 13, 1862
On the night of December 12th the regiment marched to the vicinity of Hamilton’s Crossing, south of Fredericksburg. December 13th was cold, foggy and with light snow on the ground. The brigade, commanded by James Walker as Jubal Early was commanding the Division (Ewell’s), was placed in the second line, supporting A. P. Hill’s Division. This sector was the right of the Confederate line and it was assaulted in the morning. Around noon a Union Division (that of Major General George Meade) penetrated the first line and made a big gap in the Confederate line. They were threatening to trap one of A. P. Hill’s brigades and capture Hill’s divisional artillery.
Early’s men, including Walker’s brigade, was ordered forward at the double-quick. The butternuts smashed into the Federals, and pushed them back. A. P. Hill acknowledged the timely assistance by stating that "the brigades came crashing through the woods at the double-quick and the enemy, completely broken, fled in confusion". In hot pursuit the Confederates drove the bluecoats across a railroad and followed them into an open field beyond.
When reaching the railroad Walker realized, that his left was unprotected. Further pursuit seemed hazardous and Walker later wrote: "I had no trouble in getting my men to fight, but a good deal to get them to stop". Restraining the brigade, Walker took position on the railroad determined to hold it. A Federal column moved into the woods on Walker’s left and he detached the 13th Virginia to hit the advancing enemy in the flank. This attack, coinciding with a counterthrust from the front by Thomas’ brigade of Hill’s Division, inflicted heavy losses and reestablished Hill’s line on the left of the gap. After dark Walker’s the brigade withdrew 150 yards into the woods, thus ending the battle, which cost the 13th Virginia 3 killed and 19 wounded.