13th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment The Thirteenth Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment , also known as the 42nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry , the 1st Pennsylvania Rifles , Kane ' s Rifles , or simply the " Bucktails , " was a volunteer infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War . It was a part of the famed Pennsylvania Reserve division in the Army of the Potomac for much of the early and middle parts of the war , and served in the Eastern Theater in a number of important battles , including Antietam , Fredericksburg , and Gettysburg . The " Rifles " designation was a holdover from the days when soldiers who carried rifled weapons were a special outfit , and the Bucktails carried breech - loading Model 1859 Sharps Rifles , normally only issued to sharpshooters . History . Service . The 13th Pennsylvania Reserves was mustered at Harrisburg , Pennsylvania on June 21 , 1861 . Thomas L . Kane was elected colonel , Charles John Biddle as lieutenant colonel , and Roy Stone as major . Kane , as a civilian , wanted to have Biddle , a Mexican War Veteran , be Colonel instead , and a second election was held , granting Kane his wish . The unit served as part of the Pennsylvania Reserves for the majority of its service with the Union Army . It was initially issued Model 1837 . 69 Caliber smoothbore muskets , but some of the men refused to accept them , saying that they a " rifle " regiment and had been promised Minie Rifles . The 13th Reserves were first assigned to garrison duty in Maryland . On July 12 a scouting party under Kane of sixty men were surrounded by cavalry at New Creek Village , but fought them off , killing eight Confederates and wounding sixteen . After receiving reinforcements , Kane moved to Ridgeville which he captured after a skirmish . In the fall , it was assigned to the V Corps of the Army of the Potomac , then serving in the Shenandoah Valley . On October 20 , it marched to Dranesville , where Colonel Kane was wounded in the mouth while repulsing the Confederates . During a reorganization of the regiment in January 1862 , Hugh W . McNeil was elected colonel and Kane lieutenant colonel , with Stone remaining major . Biddle had resigned to take his place in Congress . During the Peninsula Campaign , the Pennsylvania Reserves division was assigned as part of the I Corps ; only part of the regiment went to the Peninsula , Companies C , G , H , and I , under the command of Kane , remaining in the Valley . This provisional battalion fought in several battles of the 1862 Valley campaign . During the June 6th Battle of Harrisonburg , in an attempt to rescue a Captain Haines and his wounded men of the 1st New Jersey Cavalry , the regiment held off Steuart ' s Brigade , including the 44th Virginia Infantry , the 58th Virginia Infantry , the 1st Maryland Infantry , CSA , and a Louisiana regiment , for an hour , killing General Turner Ashby . Colonel Kane was captured in the retreat . They had lost 52 men , and Confederates had lost over 500 . The other six companies went under Major Stone . During the retreat from Richmond , they lost company in a swamp , then fought at Gaines Mill . Two other companies were lost during the retreat . At the retreat to Harrison ' s Landing , Stone and his men constructed a bridge over a stream , possibly saving the Union army . Stone took command of a different regiment after this . In early September , the two battalions were re - united under the command of McNeil , who had been sick ; the Pennsylvania Reserve Division , now designated as the Third Division of the I Corps of the Army of the Potomac . At Bull Run , Kane was promoted to Brigadier General for covering Pope ' s retreat . His position was filled by Edward Irvin . The new major was Alanson Niles . The regiment suffered extreme losses at Antietam , including Colonel McNeill . The new commander was Charles Taylor , who had been captured twice by Confederates . They participated in the disastrous assault on Fredericksburg . Irwin resigned from injury , and Niles became Lieutenant Colonel . At Gettysburg , Niles was wounded , and Taylor was killed at Little Round Top , leaving Major Hartshorn in command . They then marched to Spotslyvania for their final battle . The regiment was mustered out of service on June 11 , 1864 . Those who had reenlisted as Veteran Volunteers were transferred to the 190th Pennsylvania .