MARYLAND FIRST POTOMAC HOME BRIGADE (Three Years)

First Potomac Home Brigade Infantry. Cols., William P. Maulsby,Roger E. Cook; Lieut.-Cols., George R. Dennis, John A. Steiner, Charles J. Brown; Majs., John I. Yellott, Eugene C. Baugher. The organization of this regiment was commenced at Frederick City on Aug. 15, 1861, and on Dec. 13 it was mustered into service for three years. Companies A, B, D and I were recruited in Frederick county; C in the city of Baltimore; E , F, and H in Washington county; G in Baltimore, Frederick and Carroll counties; and K in Frederick county and the city of Baltimore. During the winter of 1861-62 it served with Gen. Banks and in the following spring marched with that commander up the Shenandoah Valley as far as Winchester, when it was assigned to the duty of guarding the line of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. When Banks was driven out of the valley the regiment was concentrated at Harper's Ferry, where it remained until the Union troops again the valley, when it resumed the work of guarding the railroad. After Gen. Pope's defeat at the second battle of Bull Run the regiment opposed the passage of the Potomac river at the several fords and ferries near the mouth of the Monocacy, and was then concentrated at Harper,s Ferry, where it was surrendered with the garrison on Sept. 15, 1862. The men were paroled and after being exchanged the regiment was assigned to duty along the Potomac in the southern part of the state. In the Gettysburg campaign it formed part of Lockwood's brigade, and on the second day of the battle of Gettysburg was in the thickest of the fighting on Culp's hill and was one of the regiments that moved to the relief of Sickles, corps, where it assisted in the final repulse of the Confederates under Gen. Longstreet. After the battle of Gettysburg it marched with the Army of the Potomac in pursuit of Lee as far as the Potomac river, when it was assigned to the duty of guarding the line of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. In July, 1864, when Gen. Early invaded Maryland, this regiment took an active part in checking the Confederate advance, and part of it fought gallantly in the battle of Monocacy under Gen. Wallace. During its service the regiment lost 45 men killed in battle and 86 died of wounds and disease. It was engaged at Loudoun heights, Poolesville, Monocacy, Aqueduct, Maryland heights, Harper's Ferry, Gettysburg, Duffield Station Monocacy, and in several skirmishes along the line of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. Those whose terms of enlistment expired in the fall of 1864 were mustered out, and the veterans and recruits were assigned to the 13th Md. infantry. Thirteenth Infantry. Col., Roger E. Cook ; Lieut.-Col., Charles J. Brown; Maj., Eugene C. Baugher. This regiment was composed of veterans who had served in the 1st Md. Potomac home brigade, the organization being completed on March 1, 1865. It was assigned to duty along the line of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad between Martinsburg and Harper's Ferry, Va., where it served until mustered out on May 29, 1865. Source: The Union Army, vol. 2 Gettysburg after battle report: Reports of Col. William P. Maulsby, First Potomac Home Brigade, Maryland Infantry. Hdqrs. First Regt. P. H. B., Maryland Vols., July 4, 1863. Capt.: I have the honor, in obedience to orders, to submit the following report: This regiment and the One hundred and fiftieth New York Volunteers, Col. Ketcham, part of the brigade of Brig. Gen. H. H. Lockwood, marched together from the city of Baltimore, through Frederick City, to Gettysburg, where they arrived on the morning of the 2d instant. They were immediately posted on the right, and formed in line of battle, under the orders of Maj.-Gen. Slocum. During the day they were twice advanced, but without meeting the enemy until about 5 p. m., when, under the command of Brig.Gen. Lockwood, they were led up to the support of the left wing, then heavily engaged with the enemy. On their arrival on the field of battle, they were instantly deployed in line, this regiment forming the first and the One hundred and fiftieth New York the second and supporting line of battle, and ordered to advance and engage the enemy. The advance was made at double-quick for about 1 mile to and beyond the extreme front, driving the enemy before us and entirely clearing the field. A battery which had fallen into the hands of the enemy was retaken, and drawn off the field by hand by some of the One hundred and fiftieth New York. This regiment was especially occupied in bringing in and caring for the wounded of our own army, all of whom, it is believed, were properly attended to. It is due to Assistant Surgeon Willard, of this regiment, to state that he remained on the field with these unfortunates during almost the whole night, and until he had succeeded, with difficulty, in procuring ambulances and in having them removed to the hospitals. About midnight the command returned from the field, and about 4 a. m. the 3d instant this regiment was ordered to attack a position of the enemy on the right, behind a stone wall, running through and covered by a dense woods. The attack was made with energy under a severe musketry fire, and the stone wall nearly reached, and bayonets were fixed for a charge over it, when a brigade of National troops was perceived approaching for the purpose of flanking the enemy's position, and this regiment was compelled to cease firing, lest it should destroy its own friends. At this moment numbers of the enemy were distinctly seen fleeing from behind the stone wall to the rear. The number of lamented dead and suffering wounded attests the severity of this engagement, and subsequent ascertainment left no room to doubt that the enemy had paid a fearful penalty. About 9 o'clock of the same morning, this regiment was ordered to advance to and hold the front of the rifle-pits on the right, which it did until the enemy's fire wholly ceased, about 12 m. During this period a portion of my command occupied the riflepits at intervals, and other portions the plain surface at the top of the embankment, behind which the troops were sheltered, and poured upon the enemy a direct and deliberately aimed fire, pending which a white flag was raised by the enemy, and the firing, by my order, ceased. It was not again resumed on the right. At the time when this flag was raised, many other regiments were pouring upon the enemy a terrible fire, and it would be most unjust for any one to claim that the raising of the flag was due to the fire of any particular one or number of those engaged. The heaps and mounds of dead and wounded enemies which were found on the position occupied by them might well satisfy the ambition for bloody deeds of each man of every regiment engaged, however craving such ambition might be. During the final effort of the enemy on the left on the afternoon of the 3d instant, this regiment was ordered, with the remainder of the brigade, to the support of the troops engaged, but while on the march the order was countermanded, the enemy having been fully and finally repulsed. In the engagement at the stone wall early on the morning of the 3d, were killed First Lieut. James T. Smith, of Company C, and First Lieut. John L. Willman, of Company D, and in that at the rifle-pits on the same day was killed First Lieut. Charles E. Eader, of Company I. Of each of these officers I can truly say, for I know, that no braver man ever took arms to vindicate his country's honor and uphold its glory, or was animated by purer or simpler patriotism. Their faith was unmixed with complications or side issues of any kind. For their flag, the emblem of the grand constitutional Republic, they died. They lived with hearts full of love for it. The following is a list of casualties: Officers and men. K. W. M. T. Commissioned officers................. 3 3 ... 6 Enlisted men.......................... 21 69 1 91 Total*.......................... 24 72 1 97 K=Killed. W=Wounded. M=Missing. T=Total. The gallantry of our lost brethren in arms, enlisted and commissioned, has embalmed their memories in the affections of their surviving comrades, while the sufferings of the wounded elicit their profoundest sympathies. The advances of this command on the afternoon of the 2d and the morning of the 3d were led by Brig.-Gen. Lockwood in person, whose unqualified exposure of his own person has impressed this command with a sense of the gallantry of their brigade commander which will ever prompt them confidently to follow where he may lead. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. P. MAULSBY, Col., Comdg. Capt. William M. Boone, Assistant Adjutant-Gen. ----Hdqrs. First Maryland Regt., P. H. B., Camp near Rohrersville, Md., July --, 1863. Gen.: In compliance with your suggestion that I would explain to Brig. Gen. G. S. Greene the exact circumstances under which my regiment was withdrawn from the front of the rifle-pits on the night after the surrender of a part and the withdrawal of the rest of the rebel forces on the 3d instant, near Gettysburg, I did so to-day, and he requested that I would reduce it to writing, and submit it to you, with a request that you would transmit it to him. My command, about 11 o'clock the preceding night, had returned from service on the left, and, without rations and very little rest, had been, early in the morning of the 3d, ordered into action at a position held by the rebels behind a stone wall on the right, some distance below the rifle-pits. Shortly after the termination of that action, it was ordered to the front of the rifle-pits, which position it held until after the withdrawal of the rebel forces, about three hours. Under its fire at the rebel position in rear of the rifle-pits the white flag was raised by the enemy, and firing ceased by my order, which was reported by me to you, and a gentleman was present, participating in the remarks made, whom I afterward learned to be Brig.Gen. Greene. I then requested your permission to withdraw my command for rest, as the action had terminated, and you were aware of its exhausted condition, which you gave, but remarked that it would be well to communicate with Brig.-Gen. Greene, who, for the first time, I was informed, was in command at that point. A young officer, representing himself to be an aide to Gen. Greene, and whom I have since been unable to recognize, suggested or requested that I would withdraw my command and rest it without waiting for further orders, and that I would ask the regimental commanders on my right and left to extend their ranks so as to fill the vacated space; which was done, and my regiment returned to the point from which you had ordered it. In a short time afterward, Brig.-Gen. Williams, commanding First Division, ordered me to take my command to the position on the right, near the stream, which it had occupied the preceding day, and, in reply to my suggestion that I might wait until you and the other regiments constituting the brigade came up, Gen. Williams said that I had better go without any delay, and that you and the two regiments would follow. Not appreciating the importance of this communication, apart from the fact of Gen. Greene's request that I would make it, I have made it simply in obedience to his expressed wish. In speaking uncertainly whether it was a suggestion or a request by the aide of Gen. Greene before mentioned, I mean to say that I did not notice the precise expressions used, but that the meaning and intent of the aide, as clearly understood by me, was to convey the authority of Gen. Greene to me to do what was so manifestly proper and necessary to be done. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. P. MAULSBY, Col., Comdg. Brig. Gen. H. H. Lockwood. Comdg. Second Brig. First Div., Twelfth Corps.

Source: Official Records: Series I. Vol. 27. Part I. Reports. Serial No. 43

Maryland 1st Potomac Infantry Brigade (Union)

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