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The Maryland Line in the Confederate Army. 1861-1865 by W. W. Goldsborough
Volume 371, Page 245   View pdf image (33K)
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245

detour around Baltimore, destroy all the railroad bridges leading north from Balti-
more, and then move rapidly so as to attack Point Lookout on the morning of the
12th. Johnson told Early that horse flesh couldn't make the ride. The prescribed
route was over four hundred miles, and a thousand horse could not make the
march. Nevertheless, he left Frederick at daylight of the 9th, covered Early's left
flank during the battle of the Monocacy with Wallace, and then struck across the
country to Cockeysville, north of Baltimore. He there burned the bridges on the
Northern Central Railroad, leading to Harrisburg; and seeing it would be impos-
sible to keep his rendezvous for Point Lookout for daylight of the 12th if he moved
farther east to the Gunpowder, he detached Gilmor with his command to burn the
bridges over the Gunpowder on the Philadelphia,Wilmington and Baltimore
Railroad, while he moved through Howard County to cut the railroad between
Baltimore and Washington.

Gilmor accomplished his part of the programme with his wonted efficiency.
Johnson's orders were to release the prisoners and enable them to join Early
before Washington, and he ordered Gilmor to report to him there. At Beltsville,
however, Early ordered Johnson to rejoin him at once. He had learned that
Washington had been reinforced by two corps from Grant's army, and he at once
withdrew into Virginia. Johnson joined him at Rockville as Gilmor reported
at Poolesville.

Subsequently Early sent McCausland and Johnson into Pennsylvania to burn
Chambersburg in retaliation for the burning by Hunter of Governor Letcher's
house at Lexington, and of those of Alexander R. Boteler, Edward I. Lee and
Andrew Harter near Shepherclstown.

On the advance Gilmor's command was the advance guard. Just across the
river he met a Federal force at Clear Spring. Gilmor had two hundred men in his
two Maryland battalions. He was confronted by two full regiments, but he charged
and drove them five miles toward Hagerstown, and held them while the whole
column passed up into Pennsylvania.

After the burning of Chambersburg the command was pursued into Virginia
and attacked at daylight at Moorefield, where it was badly routed, the Marylanders
suffering severely.

On the return to the army in the Valley Johnson's brigade was employed in
picketing the front and covering it from Sheridan. In the daily combats between
pickets and patrols the Maryland command was constantly engaged until in one
of them, at Bunker Hill. Gilmor was badly wounded.

From this wound he did not report for duty until October. 1864. On
February 4, 1865, he was captured in his quarters in Hardy County by Major
Young, of Sheridan's staff, who had been sent out with a special detail to take him.
He passed the remainder of the war in Fort Warren.

 

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The Maryland Line in the Confederate Army. 1861-1865 by W. W. Goldsborough
Volume 371, Page 245   View pdf image (33K)
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