USA > Maryland > The Maryland line in the Confederate Army, 1861-1865 > Part 5
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Calling his command to " Attention !" Colonel Johnson filed it to the right and faced it to the left, so as to bring it directly opposite the enemy, and then charged through the woods. Gallantly the Maryland boys dashed forward with a shout, and as they reached a slight elevation in the ground they received a galling fire from the enemy, who were posted behind a fence that separated the woods from a large open field. Some of the best and bravest of them fell at this fire, and Colonel Johnson was down, struggling to free himself from his horse, which had been killed. shot through the head. He was up in a minute in front of his line, and under a heavy fire this handful of brave men never faltered for a moment, and the next instant the crack of their deadly Mississippi rifles told that they were face to face with the enemy. The battle was of short duration, and
THE FIRST MARYLAND INFANTRY, HARRISONBURG, VA., JUNE 6, 1862. ( THE BUCKTAIL FIGHT. )
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what remained of these brave men sought safety in flight from the pitiless fire of the First Maryland. It was then learned that the gallant command which had made such a stubborn fight and wrought such havoc in the ranks of the Fifty-eighth Virginia and First Maryland was the Battalion of Pennsylvania Bucktail Sharp- shooters attached to Fremont's army, a body of picked riflemen, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel T. L. Kane, who was wounded and taken prisoner.
In this short, sharp encounter the First Maryland lost six killed and eleven wounded, six mortally. Colonel Bradley T. Johnson in his official report of this fight says :
" I lost Captain M. S. Robertson, Company I, a gallant officer, who fell at the head of his men in a charge, shouting : 'Go on, my men ; don't mind me !' Here also fell Second Lieutenant Nicholas Snowden, a true and brave soldier, who died as became his life, in the arms of victory, with his face to the foe. Near him fell the chivalrous Ashby. Here also died Privates William E. Harris and L. R. Schley, Company H ; Murphy, Company G, and E. W. Beatty, Company D. Beatty was advanced in years, and has steadily refused promotion at my hand, preferring to carry his rifle. My colors fell twice, but were caught before they touched the ground. Color Sergeant Joseph Doyle was severely wounded and left in a house in the neighborhood ; Color Corporal Taylor was badly shot, and Color Corporal Daniel Shanks carried them the rest of the time."
The First Maryland was highly complimented for its gallantry at the battle of Harrisonburg by both Generals Jackson and Ewell in their official reports, and the latter directed that one of the bucktails be appended to the color staff in the following order :
General Order No. 30.
HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION.
In commemoration of the gallant conduct of the First Maryland Regiment on the 6th of June, when led by Colonel Bradley T. Johnson they drove back with loss the " Pennsylvania Bucktail Rifles," in the engagement near Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Virginia, authority is given to have one of the captured " Bucktails" (the ensignia of the Federal regiment) appended to the color-staff of the First Maryland Regiment.
BY ORDER OF MAJOR-GENERAL EWELL. JAMES BARBOUR, A. A. G.
General Jackson in his official report said :
" In a short time the Fifty-eighth Virginia Regiment became engaged with a Pennsylvania regiment called the Bucktails, when Colonel Johnson, of the First Maryland Regiment, coming up in the hottest period of the
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fire, charged gallantly into its flank and drove the enemy with heavy loss front the field, capturing Lieutenant-Colonel Kane, commanding."
The night of the 6th the First Maryland retired to Union Church, on the road to Port Republic, carrying their dead and most of their wounded comrades with them. Next morning the dead were sadly and silently laid to rest in the little graveyard of that church .*
The sad services over, the line of march was taken up, and early in the day Ewell's division took position at Cross Keys, Jackson moving to the river, so as to take possession of the only bridge across the Shenandoah, which at that time was a rushing torrent, and across which it would have been impossible to lay pontoons, even had Jackson had them. It was an old-fashioned covered bridge, but it was the salvation of that little army, and across it the vast train and the long line of prisoners were safely marched, during which operation Ewell, with his division, except Taylor's Brigade, which had been sent to Port Republic, were called upon to keep Fremont in check.
There had been a race between Jackson and Shields for the possession of this bridge, and Shields had won, for early in the morning of June 8th General Carroll, in command of Shields' advance, had taken possession of Port Republic, had recaptured the prisoners taken at Harrisonburg, along with a guard from the First Maryland, and Jackson himself, who chanced to be in Port Republic, narrowly escaped capture. But General Carroll's stay was of short duration, for the Confederates coming up in force drove Carroll out in such haste that he left the recaptured prisoners and their guard behind him. Had Shields moved with the celerity which characterized the movements of Jackson, and thrown his fine army across the bridge and attacked Jackson in front whilst Fremont, only three miles away, attacked him in the rear, Jackson would have been destroyed.
Sunday, the 8th of June, was a bright, beautiful day. On that day a portion of Ewell's division was to measure strength with a mighty army. It was as a David against a Goliah, but every man in that command knew he had been called upon to do his best, and he meant to do it. Three Maryland general officers were to command most of the troops engaged in the battle - Generals Trimble, Elzey and Steuart, and upon the former fell the burden of the fight, and of that grand old hero's many battles, this was perhaps his best.
The position which the troops were to occupy was selected by General Arnold Elzey at the request of General Ewell, and met with that General's unqualified approval, and during the greater part of the day General Ewell kept General Elzey by his side as his adviser.
The line of battle was formed about 9 o'clock in the morning, Steuart's Maryland Line, which consisted of the First Maryland Infantry and Brocken-
* Their bodies have since been brought to Baltimore and reinterred in Loudon Park Cemetery.
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Th. botory al she Markised Reguvant, gallandly comounded by Coluna! Bradley T Johnson danng the campaign of the Valley would be the butary el avary seta so lens Front Royal ts Prima Kage On the Gik auquel, ami Harmanbuch the Fly night Viagens Rommet was segueed with the Pons wybrane By biaila ty Gghung being ilor auch Hloudy Colegel 2 sonaro came up with his Regimeel ip the butlent ponad of the afun sod by a dashing charge a Book to in the woning with honey Ime capdancing the Lieutenant Colvest Kama combading Is traseprabus of that culant dubluet.
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On the Boh igetant al TY os Kops they were up pound to three of the roomy a repmonte in successes - Bond's Report of Chon Kopt Jums 16 1862
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brough's Baltimore Light Artillery, on the extreme left, and Trimble's Brigade on the right, whilst Elzey's Brigade was in the rear of the centre, and in position to strengthen either wing, both wings being in the wood.
About 10 o'clock the enemy threw out his skirmishers and shortly after posted his artillery opposite Ewell's batteries. For some hours the artillery fre was kept up with great animation on both sides, when an attack was simul- taneously made upon Trimble on the right and Steuart on the left. Both attacks were repulsed - that made upon Trimble with heavy loss to the enemy. The little First Maryland, not numbering over two hundred men, were fortunately posted in a wood, and in front of them was an open over which the enemy had to pass in making his attaek. Had it not been for the shelter of this wood, they could not have survived five minutes, so terrific was the storm of shot and shell that was rained upon them. Never before had the Maryland boys been called upon to undergo sueli an ordeal. Three different times they drove back with heavy loss the overwhelming odds sent to dislodge them. Hour after hour this unequal contest continued. When a man would fall an officer would seize his gun and continue the firing, and the Mississippi rifle told with deadly effect. At 2 o'clock Colonel Johnson discovered that his ammunition was fast being exhausted. Sergeant William H. Pope, of Company A, volunteered to bring some, although it seemed almost certain death to venture for a moment from the shelter of the wood. The gallant fellow, however, succeeded in his mission, and the firing continued, until, at 5 o'clock, when the battle was virtually over, the First Maryland was relieved, their guns having become totally unserviceable. Seven hours had this little command been under fire, and during that time, although sheltered in a measure, they had lost twenty-nine men and one officer (Lieutenant H. H. Bean) wounded. General George H. Steuart had been borne from the field with a ghastly wound in the shoulder made by a grape shot, and General Elzey had also been carried off with a serious wound. Some of the wounds received by the men of the First Maryland were very severe, having been made by explosive bullets, which the enemy fired in great numbers upon this occasion at least, although it has been denied.
The following highly complimentary extract is taken from the official report made by General Ewell :
The history of the Maryland regiment, gallantly commanded by Colonel Bradley T. Johnson, during the campaign of the Valley, would be the history of every action, from' Front Royal to Cross Keys.
On the 6th instant, near Harrisonburg, the Fifty-eighth Virginia Regiment was engaged with the Pennsylvania Bucktails, the fighting being close and bloody. Colonel Johnson came up with his regiment in the hottest period of the affair, and by a dashing
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charge in flank drove tlie enemy off with heavy loss, capturing the Lieutenant-Colonel (Kane) commanding. In commemoration of their gallant conduct I ordered one of the captured bucktails to be appended as a trophy to their flag.
The gallantry of the regiment on this occasion is worthy of acknowledgment from a higher source, more particularly as they avenged the death of the gallant General Ashby, who fell at the same time. Two color-bearers were shot down in succession, but each time the colors were caught before reaching the ground, and were finally borne by Corporal Shanks to the close of the action.
On the 8th instant, at Cross Keys, they were opposed to three of the enemy's regiments in succession.
Early on the morning of the 9th of June the First Maryland crossed the bridge at Port Republic, being among the last to do so, and shortly after it was set on fire and totally destroyed.
The fierce battle of Port Republic began soon after, and was, perhaps, the most bloody of any during the war, for the number of men engaged, the Federal troops under General Tyler, many being from the Western States, fighting with the most desperate courage. They were, however, signally routed, with great loss of men and artillery.
The First Maryland was spared from this battle, having well and truly done its duty the day before, although Private Joshua Simpson, of Company D, who was fighting with the Fifty-second Virginia, was severely wounded.
That afternoon, whilst engaged in burying the enemy's dead and ministering to their wounded, Fremont's batteries on the opposite side of the river opened upon the First Maryland and compelled the men to desist from their humane work.
On the evening of the 9th Jackson's force moved into the mountains by way of Brown's Gap, and on the 12th the army recrossed South River and went into camp at Weyer's Cave.
The battle of Port Republic closed Jackson's wonderful Valley campaign, and never in his remarkable career did his genius show to greater advantage. In less than six weeks he had beaten the army of Milroy, routed that of Banks, whipped that of Fremont and annihilated that of Shields, and all this with but twelve thousand men.
Arrived at Weyer's Cave, General Jackson resolved to carry out the order 'allowing all Marylanders in the Confederate Army who desired it to be transferred to the Maryland Line, whereby it was hoped at least a brigade could be formed. The Maryland Line had existed only in name, and the First Maryland Regiment had been so depleted by the hard campaign in the Valley that it became abso- lutely necessary that its ranks should be recruited. Moreover, the terms of service
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of two companies, H and I, were about to expire, which would leave but a handful of men to represent the regiment.
Therefore, for this purpose, on the 13th of June Colonel Johnson was ordered to take his regiment to Staunton, where upon its arrival Companies H and I were mustered out of the service. The void, however, occasioned by the departure of these companies was in a measure filled by the addition to its ranks of a company, just arrived from Richmond, commanded by Captain Edmund Barry. Captain Barry was an old Mexican soldier, and the men of which his company was composed were fine young fellows from the lower counties of Maryland. The company was given the title of C, as the first Company C had been mustered out some weeks before.
At this time reinforcements for Jackson were rapidly arriving, and it was confidently believed that another visit was to be paid to the vicinity of Winchester, upon which place Fremont had fallen back after Port Republic. The Washington authorities evidently thought so, too, for they were not long in learning of their arrival, and McClellan's importunities to be reinforced by McDowell, then at Manassas, availed nothing. And still the sending of these reinforcements to Jackson was but a blind as to General Lee's real movements, and the Federal authorities were easily misled.
Great, then, was the surprise of his troops when on the 17th of June Jackson put his army in motion and marched them aboard the many trains that had so mysteriously arrived at Staunton, and it soon became apparent to all that they were destined for Richmond.
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CHAPTER VI.
Again the order to consolidate the Marylanders had to be postponed, for General Ewell could not spare their service, and they were the first to be sent off, and, as will be seen, were assigned the duty of opening the fight in Jackson's front a few days later at Gaines' Mill, or Cold Harbor.
At Fredericks Hall the troops were disembarked, and moved in the direction of Ashland, and on the afternoon of the 26th Jackson was fast nearing the position assigned him in the great army about to attack the enemy in his fortifications and raise the siege of Richmond.
It was late in the afternoon of the 26th that Jackson's troops heard the guns . open at Mechanicsville, away down on the right, and in an instant their whole manner and bearing underwent a change, and they moved forward with an elasticity of step that could hardly have been expected of men who had marched so many weary miles.
Feeling that the enemy must be near, General Ewell ordered Colonel Johnson to throw forward a portion of his regiment as skirmishers, and it had hardly been done when the small body of cavalry in advance came in and reported the enemy in force but a short distance ahead.
The skirmishers from the First Maryland soon became hotly engaged, but they drove the enemy back steadily upon their heavy column of infantry, when the Baltimore Light Artillery was brought up and the enemy was pushed out of the way.
The march was resumed next morning, but had not continued many miles before a heavy column of infantry was observed a mile off to the right, moving parallel to that of Jackson. Jackson had not expected to see any Confederate troops in that quarter ; but still he was fearful they might be friends. He. however, ordered a shot or two from a battery to be fired in their direction, when in an instant their skirmishers were thrown out, line of battle was formed, and the whole moved upon Jackson in perfect order.
A fearful tragedy now seemed inevitable, but was averted by the coolness and daring of Captain F. A. Bond and Lieutenant G. W. Booth, acting Adjutant. These officers, at the imminent peril of their lives, boldly rode forth in the direction of the advancing lines, and followed by watchful and anxious eyes were soon seen to enter their skirmish line and confer with the officer in command. They returned, and, to the relief of all, reported the advancing troops to be friends who had taken a wrong road and were this out of position. A moment more and the head of Jackson's column would have been engaged with Mahone's
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Brigade. As it was, no harm had been done other than the disquietude growing from the few shells our battery had landed in their midst.
The march was then resumed, and it was not long before heavy firing off on the right and front told Jackson that a great battle was in progress, and that he for the first time was late in getting into the position assigned him. But that was the fault of the ignorant guides he was compelled to depend upon, and many miles were needlessly marched through the dense pines which surrounded him.
But finally the enemy under Fitz John Porter was encountered in force north of the Chickahominy, when Jackson attacked him with great fury. For hours the fearful struggle continued, and still Jackson had made no impression upon the strong position held by the enemy. Some of his finest brigades had been sent forward only to be hurled back shattered and beaten.
During this time the little First Maryland, being attached to no brigade, had been kept in the rear and ordered to support the batteries. But this kind of work did not suit Colonel Jolinson or his men, who had been chafing for two hours to move forward.
In the meanwhile the gallant George Kyle, of Baltimore, joined the regiment in citizen's dress, having ridden from Richmond to participate in the battle. He had with him a large batch of letters for members of the regiment from loved ones at home. Bidding his men to read their letters as hastily as possible, Colonel Johnson prepared to move forward.
Inclining to the left the regiment marched in line of battle with beautiful precision. It was, indeed, an inspiring sight to see this little line move all alone over that storm-swept field. Presently Lawton's fine brigade of Georgians were overtaken, moving in the same direction. The fire became too hot, and they were ordered to lie down, and as Colonel Johnson marched his regiment over the prostrate Georgians they broke into hearty cheers. On they pressed in the most perfeet order. Coming to a ridge that gave his men shelter, Colonel Johnson halted them in order to rest them for the final struggle, which was to be for the possession of a battery in his front. It was a most desperate undertaking, and would have resulted in disaster had not matters turned out differently, for, as after events proved, Colonel Johnson had mistaken the strength of the enemy.
" Forward !" was the command, and the column resumed its steady advance. But a short distance had been traversed before fragments of regiments were encountered going to the rear in great confusion. The men of the First Maryland became unsteady for the first time as these fugitives crowded upon them and almost swept them off their feet. They began to tread upon each other's heels and the alignment was broken. Then was witnessed one of the most remarkable sights ever seen upon a battle-field, and proved the value of discipline.
"Ilalt !" cried out the gallant Johnson. "On the colors, dress !" The
THE FIRST MARYLAND INFANTRY AT GAINES' MILLS, JUNE 27, 1862.
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men obeyed as readily as they had ever done. "Order arms ! Shoulder arms ! Present arms ! Shoulder arms ! Forward ! March !"
The effect was magical. The men recovered themselves and the formation of the regiment was restored. But all this had its effect in another direction, for the brave men coming to the rear had observed it, and rallied on the regiment's flanks. The gallant color-bearer of Hampton's Legion planted his colors on the left of the Marylanders and swore it should go no farther to the rear. The men of the Legion rallied around it. They had no officers ; they had been killed or wounded. Then came fragments of the Twelfth Alabama, Fifty-second Virginia and Thirty-eighth Georgia, and in the time it takes to narrate it Colonel Johnson had a small brigade around him that otherwise would have been lost.
But he was to be still further reinforced, for the gallant General Charles S. Winder had just come upon the field and had witnessed with admiration the conduct of his fellow-Marylanders. Divining Johnson's object, he sent Captain McHenry Howard of his staff to him with orders to wait until he could bring up his First Virginia Brigade.
Thus formed, they moved forward under the lead of that gallant officer. The enemy met this advance with great firmness. His heavy musketry and artillery fire was very destructive upon the advancing Confederate lines. Nothing daunted by the fall of officers and men the column pressed on. driving the enemy before them, until night prevented further pursuit.
Five guns, numerous small arms and many prisoners were among the fruits of this rapid and resistless advance.
General Charles S. Winder, in his official report of the battle of Gaines' Mill, says : "I cannot speak too highly of that soldier and gentleman, Colonel Bradley T. Johnson, with his small band of veterans, ever ready to advance on the enemy and aid our cause."
That night the First Maryland rested among the dead and dying of Sykes' regulars that lay around the McGehee house, and the next morning Ewell's division, with General J. E. B. Stuart's Cavalry, were ordered to destroy the York River Railroad at Dispatch Station.
On the 29th of June General Ewell moved his division to the vicinity of Bottom's Bridge to prevent the enemy crossing at that point, but on the following day was ordered to return to co-operate with the movements of Jackson's command, and on the morning of the 30th he crossed the Chickahominy.
On the afternoon of the Ist of July the First Maryland reached Malvern Hill. The battle had just begun, and the little regiment was held in reserve until its close, though during all that time under one of the most terrible artillery fires it had ever encountered, and nothing is so demoralizing to a soldier as to have to take an enemy's fire without being able to return it. During one period of this
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great battle one of Hays' Louisiana regiments, having lost all its officers but a Lieutenant, and suffered dreadfully in men, broke and went in great confusion to the rear. Colonel Johnson called the First Maryland to " Attention !" The brave fellows sprang to their feet, for they had been hugging the ground closely, and the gallant Louisianians quickly rallied on their left. Colonel Johnson then moved the whole through the darkness to the front, but the battle was over, and except an occasional shell from the gunboats there was nothing to disturb the stillness of the night but the cries and groans of the thousands of wounded men who covered that ghastly field.
Here again the First Maryland became temporarily attached to General Winder's command. In his official report that General says :
Hearing of troops near by not engaged, I immediately sent for them, and was soon reinforced by a portion of General Lawton's Brigade, General J. R. Jones' Brigade, under Lieutenant-Colonel Cunningham, and a part of the Louisiana Brigade, and that gallant band of Marylanders under the brave Colonel B. T. Johnson. Colonel Johnson, hearing I needed assistance, came forward to tender his regiment, which I gladly accepted, and gave him the advance, directing him to extend our line some half a mile to the right, placing my picket on and near the flank of the enemy. This duty he executed rapidly and with good judgment, holding this position until after the enemy had retired the following day.
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