13th Mississippi Infantry

First commander was Colonel William Barksdale, later promoted Brigadier General, killed at Gettysburg.

"With McLaw's division they diverged from Lee's column to cooperate with Jackson's corps in the capture of Harper's Ferry. On the 12th Barksdale's and Kershaw's South Carolina brigade began to scale the Maryland heights, Major J. M. Bradley commanding the pickets on the left of the line, skirmishing with the Federal troops on the mountain. Next day Kershaw attacked the entrenched line in front and Barksdale on the flank and rear, and possession of the mountain was secured after severe fighting. The Thirteenth was left on the mountain as a garrison when the brigade moved to Brownsville to meet an expected attack, and thence to join the main army.

They reached the battlefield of Sharpsburg after the battle had been raging for several hours. The brigade had been on constant duty for five or six days, marching throughout two nights, and many of the men had succumbed to fatigue. The brigade went into battle with less than 900 men and officers, formed line of battle in an open field swept by a terrible fire of artillery, advanced and drove the enemy from a wood in front, and held that position, the Thirteenth and Eighteenth defeating a flank attack. McElroy, though wounded, remained in command of his regiment. Surgeon Austin was honorably mentioned for faithful attention to the wounded. The regiment, taking 202 into battle, lost 6 killed, 54 wounded, 2 missing."
(from Rowland)

Initial Strength: 202; Killed in Action (KIA): 6; Wounded (WIA): 54; Missing in Action (MIA): 2;
Losses, % of Initial Strength: 30.7%

Detail Map #4: Greene's High-Water Mark in the West Woods (9am-noon)
Detail Map #5: Sedgwick is Flanked in the West Woods (9-10am)

Tablet #357: McLaws' Division, Longstreet's Command - 16 Sep, 11 AM to 18 Sep, 9 PM
Tablet #358: Barksdale's Brigade, McLaws' Division - 17 Sep, 5 AM to 18 Sep, 9 PM

Rowland, Dunbar, Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898, Nashville TN: 1908 - transcribed online by the reenactors of the 13th Mississippi, C.S.A.