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SECOND MARYLAND CAVALRY.

IT is impossible to write a history of the Second Maryland Cavalry, for no
records concerning it, of its organization, or of its exploits can be found after
careful search of the Bureau of War Records in Washington. Harry Gilmor
left in his " Four Years in the Saddle " a rattling, head-over-heels, sabre-to-sabre
tale of adventure and of exploits which is, in the main, true Told from the stand-
point of an actor in them, sometimes the perspective is a little out of proportion,
and shows things in somewhat different relations to each other than other actors
in the same scenes saw them; but this is usual and natural in all descriptions of
action. Men see things differently, from different points of view.

The Second Maryland Cavalry was Gilmor's Battalion, and Gilmor's Battalion
was Harry Gilmor, and no account of one can be given without including the other.
It was affectionately known among the men as " the band." It has not left a muster
roll — that is, I have not been able to find any.

Kyd Douglas says of Gilmor's commission : " He was just as likely to use
it to light a pipe as to have preserved it or taken any care of it."

Early in 1862 (April 21 ) the Confederate Congress passed " an act to organize
bands of partisan rangers," whereby the President was authorized to commission
such officers as he may deem proper with authority to form bands of partisan
rangers, in companies, or regiments, either as infantry or cavalry.

These partisan rangers, after being regularly received into service, were " to
receive the same pay, rations and allowance as regular soldiers. They were to be
paid for stores or arms captured from the enemy and delivered to any quarter-
master at such places as may be designated by a commanding general."

Under this law many " bands " of partisan rangers were raised, but so irregu-
larly was the service conducted that no records exist of most of them.

The most illustrious were " Mosby's men," who, under their able and
gallant leader, taught a new lesson in war, of how efficient irregular troops may
be made, for Mosby and his men, never exceeding three hundred in ranks or on
rolls, kept thousands of Federal troops guarding the railroads and lines of commu-
nication of the army with its base, their bridges or culverts, and chasing the
phantom guerrilla through the passes of the Blue Ridge and over the hills of
Fauquier or Loudoun.

But "Gilmor's band" did efficient work over in the Valley. Not a wagon