Civil War 1st Maryland Infantry, CSA

1 civil war

1.1 battle of first manassas
1.2 training , discipline
1.3 shenandoah campaign , expiry of regiment s term of duty
1.4 battle of front royal
1.5 battle of winchester
1.6 battle of cross keys
1.7 peninsula campaign
1.8 disbandment

civil war

in june 1861 general johnston evacuated harper s ferry, , 1st maryland ordered assist in destroying arsenal of weaponry.

battle of first manassas

at first battle of manassas, known first battle of bull run, on july 21, 1861, 1st maryland combined 13th virginia infantry, 10th virginia infantry , 3rd tennessee regiments form 4th brigade, led brigadier general e. kirby smith. smith s men late in arriving @ battle , approached confederate left near chinn ridge. battle got off bad start when elzey forced assume temporary command of brigade, general smith shot horse , injured enemy fire. however, elzey able bring men line facing flank of federal army, brigade commanded general oliver o. howard. men advanced edge of wood without being detected union army , opened fire, after charged on open ground union position. joined colonel jubal a. on confederate left flank , shortly afterwards howard s line began disintegrate. federal forces fled, general beauregard congratulated elzey, commending him blucher of day .

after battle elzey promoted brigade commander, , colonel george h. steuart given command of 1st maryland regiment. major bradley johnson appointed second in command.

during winter of 1861-2 regiment quartered @ centerville. in april 1862 marched rappahannock river, , assigned command of general richard s. ewell, following regiment joined general stonewall jackson in shenandoah valley, meeting him @ luray, virginia. @ point unsuccessful attempt made form maryland line in csa, uniting maryland units under 1 command.

training , discipline

lieut. col. george h. maryland steuart, strict disciplinarian.

under steuart s command regiment drilled relentlessly. steuart began acquire reputation strict disciplinarian, gaining admiration of men, though unpopular result. steuart said have ordered men sweep bare dirt inside bivouacs and, rather more eccentrically, prone sneaking through lines past unwitting sentries, in order test vigilance. on 1 occasion plan backfired, steuart pummeled , beaten sentry later claimed not have recognized general. however, steuart s rigid system of discipline quietly , conduced health , morale of splendid command. according major w w goldsborough, served under steuart @ gettysburg: ...it not love clean camp, desire promote health , comfort of men made him unyielding in enforcement of sanitary rules. might influence him in things, never in . george wilson booth, young officer in steuart s command @ harper s ferry in 1861, recalled in memoirs: regiment, under master hand, gave evidence of soldierly qualities made pride of army , placed fame of maryland in foreground of southern states .

shenandoah campaign , expiry of regiment s term of duty

colonel bradley t. johnson, commander of 1st maryland, , 1 of handsomest men in regiment.

on may 17 initial 12-month term of duty of c company expired, , men began clamor immediate discharge. time steuart had been promoted brigadier general, assigned task of forming maryland line, , colonel bradley tyler johnson had succeeded command of regiment. johnson reluctantly agreed men, not disband entire regiment in mid-campaign, , discontent began spread. may 22, on eve of battle of front royal, discontent became open mutiny. steuart , johnson argued men no avail, though news of rebellion kept secret general jackson. when given orders engage enemy, johnson addressed soldiers:

have heard order, , must confess in pretty condition obey it. have return endorsement upon first maryland refuses meet enemy , despite being given orders general jackson. before day proud call myself marylander, now, god knows, rather known else. shame on bring stigma upon fair name of native state - cause finger of scorn pointed @ confided keeping sacred trust - honor , of glorious old state. marylanders call yourselves - profane not hallowed name again, not yours. marylander ever before threw down arms , deserted colors in presence of enemy, , arms, , colors too, placed in hands woman? never before has 1 single blot defaced honored history. possible conceive crime more atrocious, outrage more damnable? go home , publish world infamy. boast of when meet fathers , mothers, brothers, sisters , sweethearts. tell them who, when brought face face enemy, proved yourselves recreants, , acknowledged yourselves cowards. tell them this, , see if not spurned presence loathsome leper, , despised, detested, nay abhorred, confidence have shamefully betrayed; wander on face of earth brand of coward , traitor , indelibly imprinted on foreheards, , in end sink dishonored grave, unwept for, uncared for, leaving behind heritage posterity scorn , contempt of every honest man , virtuous woman in land.

johnson s speech seems have worked threats had failed, , marylanders rallied regimental colors, seizing weapons , crying lead enemy , prove not cowards

battle of front royal

at battle of front royal, may 23, 1862, 1st maryland thrown battle fellow marylanders, union 1st regiment maryland volunteer infantry. time in united states military history 2 regiments of same numerical designation , same state have engaged each other in battle. after hours of desperate fighting southerners emerged victorious. when prisoners taken, many men recognized former friends , family. according goldsborough:

recognized old friends , acquaintances, whom greeted cordially, , divided them rations had changed hands .

among prisoners charles goldsborough, captured brother, william goldsborough, go on write history of maryland line in confederate army.

battle of winchester

just 2 days later, on may 25, 1862, 1st maryland fought again @ first battle of winchester, confederate victory. after battle, colonel johnson, described goldsborough 1 of handsomest men in first maryland , recipient of not entirely welcome female attention:

having dismounted horse in unguarded moment, [col. johnson] espied , singled out old lady of amazonian proportions, wash tub, who, wiping hands , mouth on apron approached, seized him around neck hug of bruin, , bestowed upon him half dozen kisses heard every man in command, , when @ length relaxed hold colonel looked if had come out vapor bath .

battle of cross keys

the unit again saw action @ battle of cross keys on june 8, 1st maryland placed on general ewell s left, fighting off 3 assaults federal troops. @ cross keys george h. steuart, severely injured in shoulder grape shot, , had carried battlefield. ball canister shot had struck him in shoulder , broken collarbone, causing ghastly wound . injury did not heal well, , did not begin improve @ until ball removed under surgery in august. prevent him returning field entire year, until may 1863.

peninsula campaign

on june 26 1st maryland fought @ battle of gaines mill regiment held off assault federal infantry until baltimore light artillery wheeled place dislodge federal troops. saw action next day when participated in attack captured number of guns, weapons , many prisoners.

the regiment saw action on 1 july 1862 @ battle of malvern hill, time union victory. regiment held in reserve, still suffered severe casualties heavy barrage of federal artillery. on july 2 fought off federal cavalry attack in brief skirmish.

disbandment

by late summer southern capital of richmond, virginia considered safe federal attack, , regiment s one-year term of duty having expired, disbanded. company a. assigned escort duty, bringing general jackson s prisoners richmond, , after mustered out of service. on august 17 rest of regiment disbanded @ gordonsville, virginia. in september 1862 regiment s former commander, colonel bradley tyler johnson, , many members of staff, finding without command, offered services general stonewall jackson .

however, soldiers of disbanded regiment found in precarious position, being unable return home union-occupied maryland, having committed confederacy duration of war. little choice fight on, many went on join other units of artillery, or cavalry, while others waited form new maryland infantry regiment, become known 2nd maryland infantry, csa in order distinguish original regiment. new regiment suffer such severe casualties during course of war that, time of general robert e. lee s surrender @ appomattox court house on april 9, 1865, around forty men remained.