PURNELL LEGION.

THE Purnell Legion Maryland, Volunteers, consisting of nine com-
panies of infantry, two companies of cavalry, and two batteries of
light artillery were recruited under the auspices of the Hon.
William H. Purnell, Postmaster at Baltimore, Md., at Pikesville
Arsenal, near Baltimore, between October 31, 1861, and December
31, 1861. The Legion was raised, under special authority of the
Secretary of War, to serve three years.
Upon the resignation of Colonel William H. Purnell, in February, 1862, the Legion

organization was discontinued and the different arms of the service—infantry, cavalry

and artillery—were made independent of each other.

PURNELL LEGION REGIMENT INFANTRY.

The Purnell Legion Infantry, Maryland Volunteers, was organized at Pikesville, near
Baltimore City, Md., between October 31, 1861, and December 31, 1861, to serve three
years. The command consisted of nine companies, of which A, B, C, H and K were
recruited in Baltimore City, Company E in Cecil County, Company F in Baltimore
County, Companies D and G in Somerset and Worcester Counties.

The command, after being drilled and disciplined and prepared for field duty, was
assigned to Dix's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862, and then assigned to
the Middle Department, 8th Army Corps, until May 25, 1862. The command formed a
part of General Lockwood's Brigade that drove out all armed bands of the enemy from
the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

At the time that General Banks' Division was driven out of the Shenandoah Valley
of Virginia in May, 1862, the command was sent hurriedly to Harper's Ferry, Va.,
where, with other troops, they succeeded in preventing the further advance of the enemy.

The command was then assigned to the 2d Division, 2d Army Corps, Army of Vir-
ginia, and, under General Pope, participated in his campaigns in Northern Virginia in the
summer of 1862. The command distinguished itself in the battle at Catlett's Station,
Va., August 22, 1862.

The command was then assigned to the 3d Brigade, 2d Division, 12th Army Corps,
until October, 1862, and, with that Army Corps of the Army of the Potomac, partici-
pated in the battle of Antietam, Md., September, 1862.

After the battle of Antietam the command was assigned to the 2d Brigade, 2d Divi-
sion, 12th Army Corps, until December, 1862, when the command was again assigned to
the Middle Department, 8th Army Corps, until May 26, 1864, and performed duty in that
department until assigned to the 2d Brigade, 2d Division, 5th Army Corps, when, with
this Army Corps, it participated in all the severe battles, marches and hardships incident
to the movements of Grant's Army until October 24, 1864, when, upon the expiration of

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