The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-02-19

officers who had surrendered to him. Con-
gress awarded him silver medal.
''On February 10 the Line distinguished
itself in Greenes celebrated retreat from
CORVALLIS. The burden of the retreat
fell upon Williams, and calamity he sus-
tanned it. 1t was a retreat unparalleled
throughout the war for the consummate
skill of the leaders and the patience and
endurance of the soldiers of both armies.
! HOWARD $ DEADLY CHARGE.
..On March Is, 1871, the First and
Second Maryland formed the left Of the
| Continental line at Guilford Court House.
The British assaulted the line. Howard
rushed upon them with the bayonet, His
old Maryland regiment broke through the
British ranks, driving them headlong from
the field with terrific slaughter. Their
leader fell under the sword Of Captain
Smith. The British corps were saved from
humiliation by ii desperate expedient.
CORVALLIS opened all his artillery upon
them, although every discharge swept
through his own flying troops, Staying alike
the pursuers and pursued. The cautious
Greene. seeing several columns of the
enemy making his rear, withdrew the Line,
who brought their prisoners with them.
The Maryland brigade lost total of l54
officers and men, Among the slain was
Major Anderson CORVALLIS lost nearly
third of his army. This was the decisive
| battle of the war It's ultimate result was
the capture of CORVALLIS at Yorktown.
'.On April 25, 1871, the Maryland Line
was again in action, under Greene, at
Hobkirks Hill Its two regiments suffered
severely. Lieutenant Colonel Ford being
killed Greene, ever cautious, again with
drew, with Rawdon in pursuit.
''On April % Captain Oldham, with Il
portion of the Maryland Line, was en-
gagged in the assault on Colonel Brown at
/ Augusta. After a severe and bloody CON
fict the Marylanders won the victory at
| the point of the bayonet. Brown surren-
| dered
In May, 1881, the First Maryland, I'M
! der Captain Benson participated in the as
sault on Ninetv-Six The storming party
sprang into the ditch, assailed the walls
/ for three quarters Of an hour in an effort
to carry the parapet, and failed, losing
! CAPTAIN Austin. of the First Maryland
Regiment.
AT ErTAw SPRINGS BATTLE.
''On September s. 1871, Il Maryland
brigade. under Col. Williams, won further
renown in the battle of Eutaw Springs.
The Marylanders, assisted by Virginia
regiment. once more charged the British
regulars with the bayonet. Howard reg
iment was received by the Bluffs, an
Irish corps which had just joined Raw
don army. Here the tiercest struggle of
the war ensued. Neither would yield, but,
crossing bayonets, their ranks mingled to-
gether Opposing files sank down, each
pierced with the bayonet of his antagonist.
They were found grappled in death and
transfxed together upon the field of bat
tie. The officers fought hand to hand.
The British line had given way and the
Bluffs. unable to maintain the conflict
broke and fled. So delighted was Greene
AT the conduct Of the MarylanderS that he
rode up and complimented them and their
commander in the midst of the action. In
the pursuit 300 British prisoners were
captured with two pieces Of cannon. one
Of which was taken by Lieutenant Duvall
of the Line In this battle four of the
MARYLAND officers were killed and seven
wounded Green attributed his success
to the free use Of the bayonet made by the
Maryland troops in their charge in the
face Of the murderouS artillery and mus
kerry. Each corps engaged received the
thanks Of Congress.
From this time until the surrender Of
CORVALLIS, in October. the Line was in
active service.
MARYLAND had furnished to the Cont
mental Army up to the time OF the sur
render Is. 229 men in addition to those
enlisted in the independent corps, the
State companies. the marines and naval
forces and 5.407 militia being il total Of
30. 636.
McsHERRY 5 TRIBUTE.
''McSherry, in his History of Mary
land. well says:
NO troops in the Continental Army had rend
cred better service, endured more fatigue, or won
greater glory than the Maryland Line. In proper
ton To their number no body of men suffered more
severely. They were the first to use the bayonet
against the experienced regulars of the enemy
and that in their earliest battle. Throughout the
succeeding struggles of the war they were most
often called on to lead with that bloody weapon
into the ranks of the foe. They seldom shrank
from the encounter. At Long Island a fragment Of
Il Iva TN nnl no fnH
brigade of British regulars. At White Plains they
held the advancing columns at bay. At Harlem
Heights they drove the enemy from the ground
At Germantown they swept through hostile camp
with their fixed bayonets, far in advance of the
whole army, and at Cowpens, and at Eutaw their
Serrled ranks bore down all opposition with I'M
loaded musketS. At Guilford and Camden, though
victory did not settle on their banners they fought
with IL courage which won the admiration and sur
prise of their enemies. Everywhere they used the
bayOnet with terrible effect.
Entering into the war two strong battalions
they were soon reduced to single company.
Again swelled up to seven regiments they were
again thinned by their losses to single regiment,
and before the campaign had well passed they
talionS of more than 1000 men.
= AT least two OF their colonels Williams and
Howard considered as the best officers of
their grade in the army. Gunby, Hall, Smith,
Stone, Ramsey, and the lamented Ford, who died
CALAMITY ut the head of his regiment, were equal
to any others i'll the whole continental service.
Entitled to a major-general from their own
long time to be led by strangers until upon the
death of the brave DeKalb, smallwood was pro-
motcI to the command of the division, and Gist,
and afterwards the gallant Williams, to that of the
two brigadeS. Now that the was over the
remnants of the old line and the new regiments,
having already upon the scene of their Southern
exploits been presented, through General Greene
with the thanks of both Houses of the Legislature
for their galantry and good conduct, turned their
footsteps toward their native State to be disbanded
and to carry to their homes their honorable scars
and constitutions broken by fatigue
THE BILL RECOMMENDED.
This, to say the least, is modest
computation of the services of the Mary
land Line under General Smalwood and
other officers
Animated with a desire to perpetuate
these patriotic achievements, the Maryland
Society of the Sons of the American Revo-
luton, corporation duly Incorporated
under the laws of the State of Maryland,
asks the aid of Congress in the erection of
a suitable monument to these heroic patri-