The Maryland Line in the Confederate States Army - W. W. Goldsborough

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S. H. Stewart, R. C. Smith and William Thomas.

      Company D.—Captain, James R. Herbert; Lieutenants, George Booth, Nicholas Snowden and Willie Key Howard.

      Company E.—Captain, Harry McCoy; Lieutenants, John Lutts, Joseph Marriott and John Cushing. Edmund O’Brien was shortly after elected Captain, McCoy having resigned.

      Company F.—Captain, Louis Smith; Lieutenants, Joseph Stewart, William Broadfoot and Thos. Holbrook.

      Company G.—Captain, Willie Nicholas; Lieutenants, Alexander Cross and John Deppich.

      Company H.—Captain, Wm. H. Murray; Lieutenants, George Thomas, Frank X. Ward and Richard Gilmor.

      Some time after, whilst at Centreville, Company I joined us, having the following officers:

      2. There were many changes in the regiment afterwards.

      The regiment numbered over seven hundred men, and was second to none in the Confederate army. But two companies were uniformed at the time of its organization, (those from Richmond), but soon after, through the exertions of Mrs. Bradley T. Johnson, the whole command was dressed in neat, well-fitting gray uniforms.

      With the exception of two companies, the regiment was armed with the deadly Mississippi rifle, which was also procured by Mrs. Johnson, through her influence with the Governor of North Carolina, of which State she was a native.

      The organization had scarcely been effected when, in the afternoon of the first day of July, orders were received to cook two day’s rations and prepare to move at a moment’s notice. Our destination was for some time unknown; but it was soon whispered around that Patterson had crossed the Potomac at Williamsport with a large army, and, although vigorously attacked by a brigade under General Jackson, was driving that General before him, and advancing rapidly in the direction of Winchester. At four o’clock, we commenced the march to meet the enemy, every man full of confidence and enthusiasm. As we passed the then beautiful residence of the Hon. James M. Mason, that venerable gentleman, with his lovely family, stood in the gateway and bid us God speed. Alas, Yankee vandals have been there since; and, when last I visited the place, I found nothing but a mass of rubbish to mark the spot where once stood the stately mansion of one of Virginia’s wisest and purest statesmen.

      That night the army went into camp near Bunker Hill, some ten miles from Winchester. The march was resumed early next morning, and by twelve o’clock our line of battle was formed a short distance beyond the little village of Darksville, and about five miles from the advance of Patterson’s army. To the First Maryland was assigned the post of honor, the extreme right; and, had there been occasion, most stubbornly would they have contested every inch of the ground they occupied.

      The army, under the command of General Joseph E. Johnston, numbered eleven thousand men of all arms, indifferently armed and equipped, and totally unacquainted with the drill and discipline so essential to the soldier; and yet these were the very troops that a few days later hurled back the legions of McDowell from the plains of Manassas, and who now threw down the gage of battle to Patterson and his twenty-five thousand trained volunteers from the cities of the North. The material was there, and time was only required to make them the invincible troops they afterwards proved themselves on more than one hard fought battle field.

      Four days we awaited the coming of the Federal army, although General Johnston wished to avoid an engagement if possible. The odds were fearful, two to one, but the troops were sanguine of success should the enemy attack us upon ground of our own choosing. But the enemy did not advance; and, fearing he was too far from Manassas, where Beauregard was daily expecting an attack from McDowell, the Confederate commander determined to fall back to Winchester, and from that place watch the movements of Patterson.

      A few days after, that General advanced his army to Bunker Hill, and went into camp.

      No change took place in the relative positions of the two armies until the 18th day of July, when Patterson broke camp and moved around in the direction of Charlestown.

      General Johnston was quickly informed of this change of position by the ever vigilant Colonel J. E. B. Stuart, in command of the cavalry; and almost at the same hour he received a despatch from General Beauregard announcing that the enemy had attacked him at Bull Run in heavy force, and that he required assistance. Orders to march were immediately issued, and by four o’clock the last of the troops filed through the streets of Winchester. It was a silent march indeed. There were no bright smiles to greet us from the fair daughters of the town; no waving of handkerchiefs, no expression of joy; for all believed that the Confederate army was retreating from the superior forces of Patterson, and that they were soon to experience the horrors of a military despotism. And the troops partook of the same feeling, for, as yet, our destination had not been divulged to them. But few cheers were heard as they moved sullenly along the quiet streets.

      We took the Millwood road, and, after marching about three miles. Col. Elzey halted the regiment and read the order to march to the assistance of Beauregard.

      “You are, therefore,” he continued, “on the march to meet the enemy; and, in the hour of battle, you will remember that you are Marylanders. Every eye from across the waters of the Potomac which separates you from your homes is upon you, and all those who are dear to us are watching with anxious, beating hearts the fleshing of your maiden sword. And they shall not be disappointed, for he had better never been born who proves himself a craven when we grapple with the foeman.”

      A cheer that might have been heard for miles went up from that little band of patriots; and, with flushed cheek and flashing eyes, they asked to be led against the enemy.

      All that night we pressed forward, halting at intervals for a few minutes’ rest; and an hour before day we reached the Shenandoah at Berry’s Ferry, where it was determined to halt for breakfast. At seven o’clock we resumed our march, and, fording the river, crossed the mountain at Ashby’s Gap, and took the road to Piedmont, on the line of the Manassas Gap railroad, where we expected to find transportation to the scene of strife. The day’s march was a distressing one, as the heat was intolerable; but the gallant troops pressed rapidly forward, stimulated by occasional reports from the battle field.

      During the day, General Johnston organized his army into brigades, which, it is strange to say, had been deferred until the very eve of battle. It was our good fortune to be placed under the command of General Kirby Smith, whose brigade was composed of the First Maryland, Colonel Elzey; Thirteenth Virginia, Col. A. P. Hill (afterwards the famous corps commander); Tenth Virginia, Colonel Gibbons, and Third Tennessee, Colonel Vaughn.

      Piedmont was reached late that night by the rear of the army in the midst of a terrific thunderstorm, and, despite the pelting rain, the exhausted troops threw themselves upon the soaking ground and slept soundly until morning.

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      The sun rose next day bright and beautiful, and, the scene that presented itself as we responded to reveille was animated indeed. The troops were eagerly crowding into the cars prepared to convey them to the battle field, and, from the boisterous mirth to be heard on all sides, one would have supposed them on their way to participate in some grand holiday parade instead of scenes of death and carnage.

      Several regiments had been forwarded, and all were impatiently awaiting their turn, when we met with a disaster that threw a damper over all, and well nigh lost us the first battle of Manassas. The engineers of two of the trains were Yankees, who had been in the employ of the company for a long time. These men, true to their natural instincts and training, treacherously concocted a plan to collide their trains and thereby delay the troops of Johnston so much needed by Beauregard; and totally regardless of the consequences that might ensue to the hundreds of brave men placed at their mercy, consummated their wicked designs. Fortunately

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