The 13th United States Colored Infantry was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

that served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

. The regiment was composed of

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

enlisted men commanded by white officers and was authorized by the

Bureau of Colored Troops The Bureau of Colored Troops was created by the United States War Department on May 22, 1863, under General Order No. 143, during the Civil War, to handle "all matters relating to the organization of colored troops." Major Charles W. Foster was ...

which was created by the

United States War Department The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, a ...

on May 22, 1863.

Service

The 13th U.S. Colored Infantry was organized in Nashville,

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

November 19, 1863 and mustered in for three-year service under the command of

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

John A. Hottenstein. The regiment was attached to Defenses Nashville & Northwestern Railroad,

Department of the Cumberland The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio. History The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creation ...

, to November 1864. 2nd Colored Brigade, District of the Etowah, Department of the Cumberland, to January 1865. Defenses Nashville & Northwestern Railroad, District Middle Tennessee, Department of the Cumberland, to May 1865. 3rd Sub-District, District Middle Tennessee, Department of the Cumberland, to January 1866. The 13th U.S. Colored Infantry mustered out of service January 10, 1866.

Detailed service

Railroad guard duty in Tennessee and Alabama on line of Nashville & Northwestern Railroad until December 1864. Repulse of Hood's attack on Johnsonville, Tenn., September 25 and November 4 and 5. Eddyville, Ky., October 17 (detachment). Battle of Nashville December 15–16. Pursuit of Hood to the Tennessee River December 17–18. Railroad guard and garrison duty in the Department of the Cumberland until January 1866.

Casualties

At the Battle of Nashville, the regiment lost 221 men, the most of any regiment that day, Union or Confederate. The regiment lost a total of 355 men during service; 4 officers and 86 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 265 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

* Colonel John A. Hottenstein

References

* Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. ;Attribution *{{CWR United States Colored Troops Civil War units and formations Military units and formations established in 1863 Military units and formations disestablished in 1866 1863 establishments in Tennessee

Service

Detailed service

Casualties

Commanders

See also

References