History of the
1st Maryland Cavalry, CSA
What was eventually to
become the First Maryland Cavalry, C.S.A., was
originally organized sometime in 1860 in Howard County, Maryland as
a cavalry company of about 75-100 men (including 17 members alone
from the Dorsey family), called the Howard County Dragoons. Commanded
by Capt. George R. Gaither, they were said to be "handsomely uniformed
according to
United States
Army regulations and equipped with the best
cavalry sabers and Colt's revolvers."
When the 6th Massachusetts marched through Baltimore on 19 April
1861 resulting in serious "rioting and civil disturbance" the unit was
assembled at Ellicott's Mills and on 20 April 1861 marched into Baltimore
to help restore order. Afterwards, due to the unionist sympathies of
Maryland politicians, the company was forced to either disband or march
south of the Potomac and join the Confederate forces. As Company K
of the 7th Virginia Cavalry, they were at first Manassas. Following though,
they asked by petition, to be transferred to the "Maryland Line,"
which
to be forming soon.
They became Company A of
the 1st Maryland Cavalry on 15 May 1862, and
in November with three following Companies, became the 1st Maryland
Cavalry Battalion under Maj. Ridgely Brown. During
the Gettysburg
Campaign, the unit saw action raiding, foraging, and skirmishing,
culminating in action at Monterey Gap. While covering Gen. Ewell's
wagons and ambulances, Company B distinguished itself by holding off
(for more than five hours) an entire Federal division of Cavalry (Kilpatrick's,
with Custer included) with less than 50 men and one piece of artillery.
In November 1863 the Unit was finally assigned to Gen. Bradley T.
Johnson to help form the "Maryland Line," which included the 1st
Maryland
Infantry and the 2nd Maryland light Artillery. The unit made the final charge
at Appomattox, cutting through Federal lines and heading towards
Lynchburg in an attempt to join Gen. Johnston's Army of Tennessee.
The 1st Maryland Cavalry
Regiment was disbanded on 28 April 1865 in
Cloverdale, Botetourt County, Virginia. Of the 1st Maryland Cavalry,
Brig. Gen. Thomas T. Munford said in ordering it to
be disbanded on
28 April 1865, "You who struck the first blow in Baltimore and the last
blow
in Virginia have done all that could be asked of you, and had the rest of
our officers and men adhered to our cause with the same devotion, today
we would be free from Yankee thralldom"
SELECTED
BATTLES AND ASSIGNMENTS
*Greenland Gap, 25 April 1863
*Gettysburg/Monterey Gap, 1-4 July 1863
*Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid (Pres/Cab Assassination attempt)
*Trevilian Station, 11-12 June 1864
*Appomattox Court House, 9 April 1865
Official
Website
