The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-05-01

Joe Parsons.-Messrs. Editors SO, then
sturdy Joe Parsons has gone Another old
veteran has dropped from the fast thinning
ranks. Peace to his remains and all theii
names. Joe Parsons was of the material oil
which soldiers are made, and he ,oas o soldier
stout hearted, cheerful under adverse circum-
stances, trough and ready" and "true blue
The UNION, in the account of his death, has been
led into error by the careessness of a New YORK
reporter twenty -four years ago, an error many
times repeated. Joe Parsons deserves to be cor
rectly recorded in history, and especially in his
own county. He was a member of the Second
Maryland Volunteers, Company F, Capt. Malcom
Wilson, and not the First Maryland. He was
wounded at the second Bull Run and not Antetam
In neither of those engagements did the First par
ticipate. On Aug. 29th, 1862, about O'Clock IN
the afternoon, Gen. Reno ordered his Second Bri-
gade to relieve Hooker's Third, (nearly out of am.
unition and sore pressed and to hold the enemy
preparatory to a general attack. The brigade,
Second Mary land, Forty Eighth Pennsylvania and
Sixth New Hampshire, advanced in line OF battle
from Pope's headquarters, near the stone house on
Warrenton pike The Maryland regiment, on the
right, passed through thick woods and the Sixth
New Hampshire (Hooker's men) and found the
enemy CA. P. Hills Division) on rising ground
beyond a railroad grading near where it was
crossed by the Groveton and Sudley roads, and
engaged them across the bank and cut. con-
tinuous fire by file was kept up for some half to
three quarters Of an hour without the expected
orders to charge, when heavy fire was received
from the rear, and soon was disclosed, what the
woods had hitherto concealed, strong force-a
brigade it was afterward learned-interposed be-
tween the regiment and the batteries, mile away
The Second was alone and surrounded. The Sixth
New Hampshire, with its left Gin the air." had
been fanked by superior force and they, to-
gether with the Forty Eighth Pennsylvania, forced
to retire unperceived by the Maryland men or
their brave Lieutenant Colonel, who was at the
right of his line. Lieut.. Col. Duryee, upon dis
covering the state of affairs, at once and wisely
ordered retreat which amounted, from the char
acter of the ground and the situation, to bold
and successful effort to force his way to the main
body through the opposing ranks. 1t was accom-.
plished with the bayonet and dubbed musket and
with less loss than the associate regiments sustain
ed, but it was tight squeeze. The Sixth New
Hampshire lost 2lS the Forty Eighth Pennsyl-
vania, 1856 the Second Maryland, 1923 killed,
&C wounded and Sc missing, some of whom it is
now known were killed and wounded, notably
James Seaman, Company B, who was killed after
being wounded. 1t was here that Parsons lost his
eyes, and many brave Marylander went down.
In q fight for the colors and in the thick woods
there were many individual fights and squad con-
tests. First Sergt. Kavanaugh, Company G, re-
ceived severe bayonet wound in the breast,
which finally resulted, after the war, in his DEATH
but he "nailed" his man at the time, and he and
the colors came through, though not scathless
Though defeated, honor was saved, and no mem
Der of the Second Maryland ever bushes or has
cause to blush for the engagement on August 18th,
at Bull Run.