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up their lives during the great struggle, came to him; they happily needed no
parole to give them immunity or protection. In the great beyond they had found
a rest and a home. The toils of the march, the privations of the camp, and the
dangers of the field were over, and with a mighty wail of suffering anguish, the
heart of the Confederacy was broken. Like Marius, he gazed on the ruins, as it
were alone; for whither should he now turn ? There was a mockery in the very
terms of his parole —" permission to return to his home "; where was that home ?
The vindictive feeling that was then ascendant denied him refuge in the land of his
birth, and he was forced to patiently await the ebb of passion and the return of
reason. This change was not long coming, and the joys of meeting with loved
ones, soothed his wounded heart and gave him fresh courage to meet the stern
realities of the hour. Not given over to futile repinings, or idle sorrow, he realized
the duties of the present, while not forgetful of the glories of the past, and earnestly
engaged in the battle lor livelihood — no less fierce than that through which he
had recently passed. As his position became assured, although the cares which
pressed upon him were severe and trying, he found time to keep up the association
of comrades, and determined on an effort to keep fresh the memories of the dead,
to assist the disabled and the destitute, and to preserve for posterity a true account
of the great struggle and the motives which led him to take up arms. Submitting
to the arbitrament of the sword, he appealed to the impartial judgment of the
future to justify his past.

The Association of the Maryland Line was formed in 1880, with these objects
in view. There was already in existence the Society of the Army and Navy of the
Confederate States in Maryland, which was organized in 1871, shortly after the
death of General Lee, and it was not proposed to encroach upon, or to displace this
organization, but still to cherish it as the parent society, or center of Confederate
influence and work. Under the direction of General Bradley T. Johnson, and largely
aided by his material assistance, the Association of the Maryland Line made up a
fairly complete roster of the various Maryland organizations. In this work they
were assisted by the courtesy of the War Department, in permitting access to
such muster rolls as were found in the records of the Adjutant-General's office at
Richmond, and which were removed to Washington at the close of the war.

Under the auspices of the Society of the Army and Navy of the Confederate
States in Maryland, was held in Baltimore in 1885, a most successful bazaar, the
proceeds of which, some $31,000, were being devoted to the care of indigent Con-
federates and the burial of the dead. Through the medium of this fund, and the
contributions of generous friends, the duty of ministering to the wants of the unfor-
tunate was faithfully performed, but as the years rolled on it became painfully
apparent that the means at hand were not equal to the emergency, and that the
applications for assistance were far beyond the ability to meet. It was soon devel-