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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