This regiment was recruited in compliance with a call for troops to serve, for nine months, issued by Governor Curtin, in July, 1862. Companies were recruited as follows:

• Company A - Lawrence County
• Company B - Lawrence County
• Company C - Butler County
• Company D - Lawrence County
• Company E - Beaver County
• Company F - Butler County
• Company G - Butler County
• Company H - Lawrence County
• Company I - Beaver County
• Company K - Butler County

The companies rendezvoused at Camp Curtin, where they were mustered into service, and armed and equipped for duty.

The advance of the enemy towards Washington, in the second Bull Run campaign, created consternation at the seat of government, and loud calls for troops were made. This regiment was consequently ordered away before its organization was completed, and departed for Washington on the 20th of August, under command of Captain James M'Cune. On the day following its arrival at the Capital, it was sent to Arlington Heights, where it was attached to a provisional corps, commanded by General Casey.

While here the regimental organization was completed, with the following field officers, their commissions bearing date of August 20th:

Matthew S. Quay, of Beaver county, Colonel Edward O'Brien, of Lawrence county, Lieutenlat Colonel John M. Thompson, of Butler county, Major.

With the exception of a, small number who had served in the Mexican War, and in the three months' service, officers and men were without military experience. While at Arlington Heights, the regiment was engaged in drill and fatigue duty, and was brigaded with the Ninety-first, One Hundred and Twenty-sixth, and One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania regiments, the brigade commanded by General E. B. Tyler.

On the 30th the regiment marched out towards the Bull Run battleground, but did not arrive in time to participate in the fight, and upon its return was put into the defenses. On the 13th of September it moved from camp, and proceeding to Washington, started on the following day towards South Mountain, in Maryland, where the enemy had made his appearance.

At the Monocacy the command halted, and remained until the evening of the 17th, when it was put upon the march, and on the, morning of the 18th, after a fatiguing night march, arrived on the battle-field of Antietam. But the fighting had now substantially ended, though a renewal of the contest was momentarily expected, the men standing to arms the whole day. During, the succeeding night, the enemy withdrew into Virginia. Until the 30th of October, the regiment lay in camp near the battle-field, where it was engaged in a drill.

While here, Colonel Quay was stricken down with typhoid fever, and the command devolved on Lieutenant Colonel O'Brien. Upon the return of the army into Virginia, the regiment moved by easy marches until it reached the neighborhood of Fredericksburg, where, on the 22d of November, it went into camp.

Early in December, Colonel Quay returned to duty, but so much reduced by disease that he soon after resigned, and Lieutenant Colonel O'Brien was commissioned Colonel, Major Thompson, Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain William H. Shaw, Major.

Battle of Fredericksburg

The movement of the brigade for the battle of Fredericksburg commenced on the 12th, the battle opening on the 13th. Humphreys' Division of the Fifth Corps, to which Tyler's Brigade belonged, was held in reserve on the north bank of the Rappahannock, until near the middle of the afternoon, when it was ordered across, and advanced to the onset. In the formation of the brigade for storming the heights, in the last grand struggle of the day, the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth had the post of honor in the brigade, the right of the first line.

"As soon as the formation was complete," says General Tyler in his official report, "' the order to sound the charge was given, the caution having been previously communicated to the command not to fire a gun until orders were received from me. The brigade moved forward in as good order as the muddy condition of the ground on the left of my line would admit, until we came upon a body of officers and men lying flat upon the ground, in front of the brick house, and along the slight elevation on its right and left. Upon our approach, these officers commanded 'Halt!' flourishing their swords as they lay, while a number of their men endeavored to intimidate our troops, crying out that they would be slaughtered, and the like. An effort was made to get them out of the way, but failed, and we marched over them, and when we were within a very short distance of the enemy's line, a fire was opened on our rear, which wounded a few of our most valuable officers, and, I regret to say, killed some of our men. Instantly the cry ran along the line that we were being fired into from the rear. The command halted, receiving at the same time a terrible fire from the enemy. Orders for the moment were forgotten, and a fire from our whole line was immediately returned. Another cry passed along the line, that we were being fired upon from the rear, when our men, after giving the enemy several volleys, fell back."

In speaking of the conduct of Colonel 0'Brien in this charge, General Humphreys, who commanded the division, said: "Under my own eye he rode in front of his regiment, and literally led it in the last charge on the stone-wall, at Fredericksburg, just before dark on December 13th."

In the brief space in which the regiment was in the conflict, it lost fourteen killed, one hundred and six wounded, and nineteen missing, many of the latter known to be wounded. Lieutenants Hugh Barnes, and Zarah C. Quillen, were among the killed, and Adjutant Alfred G. Beed, mortally wounded. Captains Lyon, Breckenridge, Hague, and M'Cready, and Lieutenants St. Clair, White, Brown, and Millinger, were among the wounded. Major Thompson had his horse shot under him, and was himself wounded. Colonel Quay, though in a feeble state of health, unwilling that the regiment should go into battle without him, volunteered as an aide on the staff of General Tyler, and served throughout the battle. General Tyler bears this testimony of his services in his official report:

"Colonel M. S. Quay, late of the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth, was upon my staff as volunteer aid-de-camp, and to him I am greatly indebted. Notwithstanding his enfeebled health, he was in the saddle early and late, ever prompt and efficient, and especially so during the engagement."

During the day of the 14th, the regiment lay in the streets of Fredericksburg, with considerable skirmishing and artillery firing, but no general movement. At midnight of the 15th, it re-crossed the river and returned to camp.

Unwilling to rest content with defeat, General Burnside inaugurated a new campaign on the 20th of January, which was ingloriously cut short by inclenment weather, and the sudden deepening of the mud, rendering the movement of artillery and trains next to impossible.

The advent of General Hooker to the head of the army, soon afterwards, marked a new era in discipline, by which the morale and health of the troops were vastly improved.

13th PA Regiment Organization, Service & Battles

Organization

• Organized at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, and mustered in April 25, 1861.
• Moved to York, Pa., April 26, and duty there till June 4.
• Moved to Chambersburg June 4.
• Attached to 4th Brigade, 1st Division, Patterson's Army.

  Service & Battles - 1861

• Moved to Greencastle June 14,
• thence advance on Williamsport June 15-16.
• Goose Creek, Edward's Ferry, June 18.
• At Williamsport till July 4.
• Escort Rhode Island Battery to Martinsburg.
• Moved to Bunker Hill July 16, and to Charlestown July 17.
• To Harper's Ferry July 21.
• Moved to Harrisburg, Pa., and mustered out August 6, 1861.