The First Light Division of Maryland Volunteers was a militia unit based in

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

and formed in around 1841. Its commander was the militia general George H. Steuart. Elements of the division participated in the suppression of John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry in 1859, but its members found themselves in a difficult position at the outbreak of 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 ...

in 1861. Many of the citizen volunteers, especially the senior command, wished to secede from the Union and join the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), also known as the Confederate States (C.S.), the Confederacy, or Dixieland, was an List of historical unrecognized states and dependencies, unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United State ...

. However, Maryland remained loyal to the Union during the Civil War and as a consequence of this the division was disbanded. Many of its members left Maryland and went south to fight for the Confederacy.

History

In 1833 a number of Baltimore regiments were formed into a brigade. The brigade commander was George H. Steuart, who was promoted from colonel to brigadier general. From 1841 to 1861 he was Commander of the First Light Division, Maryland Volunteer Militia.Sparks, Jared, and others, p.168, ''The American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge, Volume 10''
Retrieved August 29, 2010 Until the Civil War he would be the Commander-in-Chief of the Maryland Volunteers.Hartzler, Daniel D., p.13, ''A Band of Brothers: Photographic Epilogue to Marylanders in the Confederacy''
Retrieved March 1, 2010Niles, p.177, ''Niles Weekly Reigister, Volume 62''
Retrieved August 30, 2010 The First Light Division comprised two brigades: the 1st Light Brigade and the 2nd Brigade. The First Brigade consisted of the 1st Cavalry, 1st Artillery, and 5th Infantry regiments. The 2nd Brigade was composed of the 1st Rifle Regiment and the 53rd Infantry Regiment, and the Battalion of Baltimore City Guards.Field, Ron, et al., p.33, ''The Confederate Army 1861-65: Missouri, Kentucky & Maryland''
Osprey Publishing (2008), Retrieved May 10, 2010 Each company of citizen volunteers was uniformed, though these differed considerably from unit to unit. The Baltimore City Guard, formed in 1857 under Captain Joseph P. Warner, wore bearskins which were said to be "taller than those of the

Grenadier Guards The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS) is the most senior infantry regiment of the British Army, being at the top of the Infantry Order of Precedence. It can trace its lineage back to 1656 when Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised in Bruges to protect ...

", and "dark blue tailcoats laced with gold, and light blue pants". The Independent Greys, by contrast, commanded by Captain

James O. Law James Owen Law (March 14, 1809 – June 6, 1847) was an American politician and merchant. He served as Mayor of Baltimore from 1843 to 1844. Early life James Owen Law was born on March 14, 1809, in Baltimore, Maryland to Elizabeth (née Davies) ...

, wore grey tailcoats with black trim, and white pants.

John Brown and Harper's Ferry

In 1859 elements of the First Light Division, the City Guards, participated in the suppression of

John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry was an effort by abolitionist John Brown, from October 16th to 18th, 1859, to initiate a slave revolt in Southern states by taking over the United States arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (since 1863, We ...

, an abortive attempt to ignite a slave rebellion. Steuart personally led six companies of Militia: the City Guard, Law Greys and Shields Guard from Baltimore, and the United Guards, Junior Defenders and Independent Riflemen from the city of

Frederick Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Given name Nobility = Anhalt-Harzgerode = * Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) = Austria = * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria fro ...

Civil War

The First Light Division found itself in a difficult position at the outbreak of the

in 1861. Many of its members, especially the senior command including General Steuart, wished to secede from the Union and join the

. However, Maryland remained within the Union during the Civil War and as a consequence of this the division was disbanded. Many of its members including most of its commanders left Maryland and went south to fight for the Confederacy.

Notes

References

Field, Ron, et al., ''The Confederate Army 1861-65: Missouri, Kentucky & Maryland''
{Dead link, date=April 2024 , bot=InternetArchiveBot , fix-attempted=yes Osprey Publishing (2008), Retrieved March 4, 2010
Sparks, Jared, and others, p.168, ''The American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge, Volume 10''
Retrieved August 29, 2010
Sullivan, David M., ''The United States Marine Corps in the Civil War: The First Year'', White Mane Publishing, (1997)
Retrieved Jan 13 2010 Maryland militia History of Maryland

History

John Brown and Harper's Ferry

Civil War

See also

Notes

References