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moved too cautiously, and neither did General Ewell perform the task allotted to
him with that vigor essential to irfsure success. Some severe fighting ensued,
however, and about three thousand prisoners were taken, and much of the
Manassas Gap Railroad destroyed, but otherwise little was accomplished where
a great victory was within the grasp of the Army of Northern Virginia. General
Lee was much disappointed at the result.

Johnson remained in the vicinity of Bristow Station for two days, busily
engaged in destroying the railroad, when he fell back to Brandy Station and went
into camp.

Here, on October 22d, the long-looked-for order was received detaching the
Second Maryland from Steuart's Brigade, and transferring it to the command of
Colonel Bradley T. Johnson, who had been ordered by General Lee to assemble
the Maryland Line, and picket the line on his flank from the White House to
Kent Court House, and protect his communications with Richmond, with his
headquarters at Hanover Junction, where the bridges over the North and South
Anna Rivers were of vital importance to him.

On the 2d of November the battalion took the cars at Brandy Station, and
arrived at the Junction next day.

Although the men had suffered great privations in the long and arduous
campaign of the summer, they left the front with many regrets; but they still
earnestly hoped to see the Maryland Line assume respectable proportions, and
they now believed the time had come when it would.

On arriving at Hanover Junction the battalion was at once set to work build-
ing winter quarters, and in a short time a well-arranged and beautifully-located
camp for infantry, artillery and cavalry was completed, and for the first time since
leaving the Valley of Virginia the different arms of the Maryland Line were united
and camped together.

In addition, also, to the Second Maryland Infantry, First Maryland Cavalry
and Baltimore Light Artillery, the strength of the Line was here augmented by
the assignment of the First Maryland Artillery, Captain William F. Dement, and
the Fourth Maryland (Chesapeake) Artillery, Captain W. Scott Chew.

The field and staff of the Maryland Line as now organized was as follows :

Colonel commanding, Bradley T. Johnson; Captain George W. Booth,
A. A. G.; Captain Wilson C. Nicholas, Assistant Inspector-General; Major
Charles R. Harding, A. Q. M.; Major George E. Kyle, A. C. S.; Surgeon Richard
P. Johnson, Medical Director : Lieutenant A. C. Trippe, Ordnance Officer; the
Reverend Mr. Duncan, Chaplain.

The strength of the different commands also began to increase by the return
of convalescents and by reason of the order granting the privilege to Marylanders
in other commands to be transferred to the Maryland Line. Of the latter, unfor-