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Chapter 7: Marylanders in 1862 under Gen. Robert E. Lee.
After Cross Keys and
Port Republic, when
Fremont and
Shields were sent whirling down the valley,
Jackson made a feint of pursuit, and pushed his cavalry some marches after them.
He ordered the First Maryland to
Staunton to recruit, where, during the next ten days, Company I was mustered out on June 17th, its time having expired.
These men .left the regiment with the respect of the whole command and the love of their colonel.
Their captain,
Michael Stone Robertson, belonged to an historic family in
Charles county and was a descendant of
Col. John H. Stone, colonel of the First regiment of the
Maryland Line of the Revolution.
His words as he fell were, ‘Go on, boys, don't mind me,’ and he died at his next breath.
Lieut. Nicholas Snowden, of Company D, who died at the same time, had been captain of a cavalry company in Prince George's in 1860-61, and had joined
Captain Herbert, his cousin, at
Harper's Ferry, early in May, 1861.
He was as honest, gallant and high-minded a gentleman as ever lived.
The blood that
Maryland poured out on that evening of June 6th was as precious and as glorious as any she has ever given in all her history, at
Long Island, at
Monterey, or in the army of Northern Virginia.
At
Staunton the regiment was reinforced with a new company under
Capt. John H. Barry, which was designated Company G.
About June 24th
Jackson made a sudden disappearance from the front of
Fremont, and reappeared on
Lee's left on the
Chickahominy.
He picked up the First Maryland at
Staunton, and moved by
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train.
On the 25th he reached
Ashland on the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad, fifteen miles north of
Richmond, and at daylight of the 26th moved east toward
Lee's left.
By three o'clock he got in touch with the enemy's pickets at Pole Green church in
Hanover county, and the First Maryland was ordered forward (they held the right of
Jackson's column) to drive them in. This was done, and they forced them back to
Beaver Dam creek, on the farther side of which they made a stand, and the Marylanders could not move them.
General Jackson, riding up, asked
Johnson, ‘
Colonel, what have you stopped for?’
‘I can't get those fellows there out of the woods!’
‘Give them some shell!’
and the colonel ordered up the Baltimore light artillery, which soon quieted the fire on the other side.
It was then dark and the command lay down in line of battle.
At daylight they moved forward toward
Old Cold Harbor, and by noon were ordered to support artillery.
They remained in this position until nearly sundown.
The battle had been raging for hours on the right.
The roll of musketry surged on like the surf of the ocean—until it breaks and then recedes.
The battle on the right made no progress.
All the infantry had been sent in until the
Maryland regiment was left alone with the batteries.
General Jackson, riding by, said, ‘
Colonel, take your command in.’
‘What shall I do with the batteries?’
‘The cavalry must take care of them.’
‘General, when I park them, which way shall I move?’
‘That way!’
said
Jackson, swinging his right arm to the right.
Colonel Johnson immediately obeyed the order and moved forward by the right flank, until bursting shell and whizzing balls and wounded, limping men showed that they were approaching the point at issue.
Just at the edge of a ditch they were halted, fronted and dressed carefully.
The ground was impassable and the horses of the field officers and staff were sent back.
The colonel
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said, ‘Men, we alone represent
Maryland here.
We are few in number, and for that reason our duty to our State is greater.
We must do her honor.’
The command moved as quickly as a deep morass and heavy undergrowth would permit, and, emerging on open ground, reformed and lay down until every man got over.
They were just then near the crest of a hill, on the side of a wide field, with no obstruction in front for nearly half a mile.
The farther side was covered with a thick curtain of smoke, rolling backward and forward, in which only incessant, lurid flashes could be seen.
Occasionally a small group would emerge, bearing a wounded man, or a frightened soldier would run back.
Some distance to the left a large battery was sweeping the plateau.
From the front came an incessant rain of bullets.
Directly to the left the most tremendous roar of small arms announced a desperate struggle.
‘Up, men!’
was the order.
‘Shoulder arms, right-shoulder-shift arms.
Forward march!’
The regiment moved forward as it never moved on drill, as steady and straight as a line.
On it went, over that dreadful plain, strewed with dead and dying, every officer in place; the hospital detail, with the surgeons,
Drs.
Johnson and
Latimer, thirty paces in rear.
Shot and shell tore through the ranks.
Not a man fell out. The wounded men were picked up by the hospital detail and attended to on the spot by our gallant medical officers, who in every action were as close to us as the line of field officers.
Wishing to change direction, the order was given, ‘Battalion right wheel!’
and it swung round like an arm. Coming to a small rise which would shelter the men, they were halted, brought to a ‘shoulder,’ then an ‘order,’ then ‘lie down.’
Colonel Johnson went forward to reconnoiter, and returning quickly commanded, ‘Up, men, and forward!’
Just then
Capt. McHenry Howard of
General Winder's staff rode up and said, ‘
General Winder thinks you are not strong enough to take those batteries.
He directs
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that you wait until he can bring up the Stonewall brigade to your support!’
In a minute the Stonewall brigade was found on the right, and
General Winder directed
Colonel Johnson to take direction of the line and charge.
As they rose the crest, the batteries became visible near the
McGee house, the orchard and sunken road between us and the
McGee house being filled with Yankees, who were covered by the road and a breastwork of knapsacks.
Just then a disorderly crowd, composed of parts of some regiments broken in this desperate charge, recoiled past the Stonewall brigade and Marylanders.
‘Steady, men!
Steady!’
were the words with which the line was held firm.
Then while the canister screamed above them, they were reformed and put through the manual of arms by
Colonel Johnson as deliberately as if on dress parade.
His object was to distract the attention of the men from the terrible fire and death around them, and make them look alone toward their commanding officer.
The charge was now made with the old-time cheer.
Over everything they went, pell-mell into the road, over the fence, through the orchard, by the house.
But the batteries were gone.
They found two guns in the road that night.
No further stand was made by the enemy, and the
battle of Cold Harbor was won. It is proper—to put on record a contemporaneous account of the manual of arms, written that night by
Orderly-
Sergeant Robert Cushing, of the First Maryland regiment.
He was killed at
Gettysburg, July 3, 1863.
Friday, June 27th (1862), battle of Cold Harbor.
Our regiment on reserve marched and countermarched all day; about half-past 5 moved forward, got under enemy's fire before six.
Shells flew thick and fast—got where the minie-balls occasionally would reach.
Colonel Johnson got blood up, said, “ Men, I have offered to lead forward the line that never yet broke—never can be broken.
Forward, quick march, guide center!”
The old regiment marched proudly forward.
“Halt, order arms!”
and the lines were dressed, and guns ordered like
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on dress parade.
Other regiments were brought forward, and formed on us at last.
“ Forward march,” and on the line of battle moved until with a yell, we charged, and took the field, sleeping on it. Our regiment has reason to be proud of its action and of its colonel.
The next morning
Ewell moved rapidly to Dispatch Station on the York River railroad in
McClellan's rear, the First Maryland on the right.
It was sent forward to drive off the picket at the
Station, and
McClellan was cut off from his base on
York river at
West Point.
For a day or two
Ewell's division remained at Dispatch Station until on
McClellan's retiring toward
James river it rejoined the army and pressed on in pursuit.
It was not engaged until
Malvern Hill, where the First Maryland lay all the afternoon under the fire of
McClellan's seventy guns on his right and his gun boats on his left.
After dark, the
Maryland regiment joined
General Winder, who had the fragment of the Stonewall brigade, which had been badly cut up.
Winder ordered
Colonel Johnson forward to cover and hold as much of the field as possible until daylight while he supported him. This was done satisfactorily, and the next morning
Lee followed
McClellan to
Westover, where he left him, satisfied that any forward movement by the beaten Federal commander was improbable.
After
Westover the Marylanders were sent to
Charlottesville to recruit, where they remained a month, and were then ordered to
Gordonsville to guard the depot of supplies and the railroad junction there.
They were in camp while
Jackson moved swiftly by and on August 9th sprang on
Pope at
Cedar Mountain in
Culpeper.
On August 16th a special order from the adjutantgen-eral of the
Confederate States to the colonel of the First Maryland was received by him, ordering him to muster the regiment out of service without delay.
The regiment could not parade more than two hundred and fifty rifles for duty, but its officers were as efficient, gallant,
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well-instructed a set of young soldiers as were in either arms.
They were in this summary manner dismissed from the service, without charges, without notice and without a hearing.
This extraordinary proceeding was heard of with regret by the army and with acute anger by the regiment itself.
Colonel Johnson mustered them out on the 17th, the men presented their flag and their bucktail to
Mrs. Johnson and then dispersed, grieved and offended.
Generals Jackson and
Ewell sent
Colonel Johnson letters of regard and sympathy and also recommendations to the
President of the
Confederate States, that he be made brigadier-general.
Colonel Johnson declined to go to
Richmond, or become an applicant for a place he had won by hard service, and
Jackson assigned him to command the Second brigade,
Jackson's division, Second corps—Jackson's own.
A new regiment was soon brought together, of which
James R. Herbert became lieutenant-colonel, and
William W. Goldsborough, major.
But the disbanding of the gallant First regiment, although another was so soon formed, was attended by some unfortunate results.
It will be noted that when the army crossed the
Potomac in September, 1862, after the
second battle of Manassas, it carried with it no
Maryland regiment bearing the
Maryland flag, and thus there was no nucleus on which recruits could rally.
The First Maryland artillery, under the gallant
Dement, and the Baltimore light artillery, with
Griffin, were there, but detached batteries operating in different commands gave no points of rendezvous for raw recruits seeking an association in an army.
General Lee and the
Confederacy were much disappointed at the failure of
Maryland to rise, but this disappointment was without adequate reason.
Lee crossed the
Potomac on September 5th and the next day, the 6th, camped around
Frederick.
The population of that section of
Maryland was strongly Union, fully one-half of it being adherents of that side.
On September 10th
Lee moved
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from
Frederick to
Hagerstown and the next week was taken up in operations which culminated in the
battle of Sharpsburg on September 17th.
McClellan moved from
Washington on the 6th, his columns covering the whole country between
Lee's army and
southern Maryland, where the chief strength of the
Confederates lay. So
Lee was only stationary four days, and at no time was the country open for Confederate sympathizers to join him. He issued this proclamation:
To the People of
Maryland:
It is right that you should know the purpose that has brought the army under my. command within the limits of your State, so far as that purpose concerns yourselves.
The people of the
Confederate States have long watched with the deepest sympathy the wrongs and outrages that have been inflicted upon the citizens of a commonwealth, allied to the States of the
South by the strongest social, political and commercial ties.
They have seen with profound indignation their sister State deprived of every right, and reduced to the position of a conquered province.
Under the pretense of supporting the
Constitution, but in violation of its most valuable provisions, your citizens have been arrested and imprisoned upon no charge and contrary to all forms of law. The faithful and manly protest against this outrage made by the venerable and illustrious
Marylander, to whom in better days no citizen appealed for right in vain, was treated with scorn and contempt.
The government of your chief city has been usurped by armed strangers: your legislature has been dissolved by the unlawful arrest of its members: freedom of the press and of speech has been suppressed: words have been declared offense by an arbitrary decree of the
Federal executive, and citizens ordered to be tried by a military commission for what they may dare to speak.
Believing that the people of
Maryland possessed a spirit too lofty to submit to such a government, the people of the
South have long wished to aid you in throwing off the foreign yoke, to enable you again to enjoy the inalienable rights of freemen and restore independence and sovereignty to your State.
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In obedience to this wish, our army has come among you, and is prepared to assist you with the power of its arms, in regaining the rights, of which you have been despoiled.
This, citizens of
Maryland, is our mission so far as you are concerned: no restraint on your free will is intended: no intimidation will be allowed.
Within the limits of this army at least, Marylanders shall once more enjoy their ancient freedom of thought and speech.
We know no enemies among you and will protect all, of every opinion.
It is for you to decide your destiny, freely and without constraint.
This army will respect your choice, whatever it may be, and while the
Southern people will rejoice to welcome you to your natural position among them, they will only welcome you when you come of your own free will.
Colonel Johnson, whose Second brigade was camped at the barracks on the suburbs of the town, and who had policed the town with
Capt. Lewis N. Randolph, of the Irish battalion, as provost marshal, sent out the following appeal:
To the People of
Maryland:
After sixteen months of oppression more galling than the Austrian tyranny, the victorious army of the
South brings freedom to your doors.
Its standards now wave from the
Potomac to
Mason and
Dixon's line.
The men of
Maryland, who during the last long months have been crushed under the heel of this terrible despotism, now have the opportunity for working out their own redemption, for which they have so long waited and suffered and hoped.
The government of the
Confederate States is pledged by the unanimous vote of its Congress, by the distinct declaration of its
President, the soldier and statesman
Davis, never to cease this war until
Maryland has the opportunity to decide for herself, her own fate, untrammeled and free from Federal bayonets.
The people of the
South, with unanimity unparalleled, have given their hearts to our native State, and hundreds of thousands of her sons have sworn with arms in their hands that you shall be free.
You must now do your part.
We have the arms here for you. I am authorized immediately to muster in for
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the war, companies and regiments, the companies of one hundred men each, and the regiments of ten companies.
Come, all who wish to strike for their liberties and homes!
Let each man provide himself with a stout pair of shoes, a good blanket and a tin cup.
Jackson's men have no baggage.
Officers are in
Frederick to receive recruits, and all companies formed will be armed as soon as mustered in. Rise at once.
Remember the cells of
Fort McHenry!
Remember the dungeons of Fort Lafayette and
Fort Warren!
the insults to your wives and daughters!
the arrest!
the midnight searches of your houses!
Remember these wrongs!
and rise at once in arms, and strike for liberty and right.
A few companies reported to
Colonel Johnson under this call.
Just at the time,
Gen. J. R. Jones, who had been wounded in battle before
Richmond, came up and reported for duty and resumed command of the Second brigade, and
Johnson had no location in the army.
He rode with
Jackson's staff, but it was impossible to-care for green volunteers in the rapid evolutions of the army of Northern Virginia from September 10 to 18, 1862.
The new recruits merely followed along after the army and dispersed after the
battle of Sharpsburg.
It is probable that if a strong regiment of Marylanders under the
Maryland flag had marched with
Lee at that time it might have been made the rallying point of a new division.
