The 1st Maryland Cavalry Battalion was a small

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

unit during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

History

On May 15, 1862 a group of Marylanders who had been attached to the

1st Virginia Cavalry The 1st Virginia Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia. Organization The 1st Virginia Cavalry co ...

formed what would formally become the 1st Maryland under Ridgely Brown of

Montgomery County Montgomery County may refer to: Australia * The former name of Montgomery Land District, Tasmania United Kingdom * The historic county of Montgomeryshire, Wales, also called County of Montgomery United States * Montgomery County, Alabama * Montg ...

. The group was attached to

Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general and military officer who served during the American Civil War. He played a prominent role in nearly all military engagements in the eastern the ...

's Corp and participated in Valley Campaign. It served with the 2nd Virginia Cavalry Regiment under Thomas T. Munford. On September 4, it crossed the

Potomac River The Potomac River () is in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and flows from the Potomac Highlands in West Virginia to Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography D ...

at Edward's Ferry participated in the Maryland Campaign. But did not actively fight at Antietam. The unit served under George H. Steuart in the Maryland Line. It formally was organized at Winchester on November 25, 1862 and staff officers were appointed. In spring 1863, the unit was part of the

Jones–Imboden Raid The Jones–Imboden Raid was a Confederate military action conducted in western Virginia (now the state of West Virginia) in April and May 1863 during the American Civil War. The raid, led by Brig. Gens. William E. Jones and John D. Imboden, was ...

under Grumble Jones. Summer 1863 saw it invade the North with the Army of Northern Virginia. It was attached to

Ewell Ewell ( , ) is a town in Surrey, England, south of Centre of London, central London and northeast of Epsom. At the 2011 United Kingdom census, 2011 Census, it had a population of 34,872. The majority (73%) was in the NRS social grade, ABC1 ...

's Corps and acted as scouts and messengers. After the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

a portion of the unit, served with John Imboden's men escorting the wounded. Members of the unit also fought at

Monterey Pass Monterey Pass is a mountain pass located in Franklin County, southern Pennsylvania. Geography The saddle area lies near Happel's Meadow, between Monterey Peak (1,663 ft) and Clermont Crag (1627 ft), in the South Mountain Range o ...

. On July 6, it participated at the Battle of Hagerstown. In early May 1864 a portion of the unit "annoyed" a group of

George Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Custer graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Poin ...

's Michigan cavalry. Then

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Brown was killed on June 1. It participated at the

Battle of Trevilian Station The Battle of Trevilian Station (also called Trevilians) was fought on June 11–12, 1864, in Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Union cavalry under Maj ...

In July 1864, it again encountered the Michigan cavalry and it drove the unit to

Hanover Town, Virginia Hanover Town is a former colonial-era town in Hanover County, Virginia. It was located on the upper Pamunkey River on land originally granted to John Page in 1672. Before being called Hanover Town, the location was originally known as "Page's ...

. In 1864 a section of the unit, as part of the Valley Campaigns of 1864, invaded Maryland and took part in

Gilmor's Raid Gilmor's Raid, also known as The Magnolia Station Train Raid, was a foraging and disruptive cavalry raid that was part of an overall campaign against Union railroads, led by Maj. Harry W. Gilmor with 135 men from the First and Second Maryland C ...

across Maryland. July 30 saw it engage, along with the other troops under

John McCausland John McCausland, Jr. (September 13, 1836 – January 22, 1927) was a brigadier general in the Confederate army, famous for the ransom of Hagerstown, Maryland, and the razing of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War. Earl ...

, in the burning of

Chambersburg, Pennsylvania Chambersburg is a borough in and the county seat of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Franklin County, in the South Central Pennsylvania, South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Gre ...

In August, it raided

Moorefield, West Virginia Moorefield is a town in and the county seat of Hardy County, West Virginia, Hardy County, West Virginia, United States. It is located at the confluence of the South Branch Potomac River and the South Fork South Branch Potomac River. Moorefield wa ...

. In 1865, it served in the Appomattox campaign. It was again attached to Munford. At the very end of the war it dispersed and the men returned to their homes rather than surrender to the Union. This after receiving a letter in late April, from Munford near Lynchburg.

References

Sources

* * ** * * *{{Citation , last=Wittenberg , first=Eric. J. , title=One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, July 4–14, 1863 , date=2008 , place=New York , publisher= Savas Beatie , last2=Petruzzi , first2=J. David , last3=Nugent , first3=Michael F. Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Maryland

History

See also

References

Sources