The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-29
TO COMMEMORATE VALOR
A Monument Proposed in Honor of
the Maryland Line.
The Gallant Services OF General
SmnIlwood and His Continental
Goycrnmcnt-Tbe Men Who Always
Responded mt Critical Moments.

| 4 monument to Gen. William SmallwooC
and the soldiers of the Maryland Line who
fought in the war for independence. The
Maryland Society OF the Sons of the Ameri
can Revolution asks Congress to aid in
the erection OF suitable monument III
| Baltimore the design for which is to be
! approved by the Secretary of War. Ac-
companying the report is an outline OF
che services of the Maryland Line under
General Smallwood and other officers
which reads in part as follows:
The Old Guard occupied no higher sta
tion in the French Army than that held
! by the Maryland Line in the Continental
Army. As Napoleon and Ney relied upon
the Old Guard in critical moments. SO did
! Washington and Greene rely upon the
| Maryland Line when the independence OF
I the American Colonies was at stake. In
/ December, 157l. the Maryland convention
] resolved that if the Crown tried to carry
{ out by fierce the measures against Massa-
/ chusetts. Maryland, would assist her TO
! the last extremity. As earnest of their
sincerity. they ordered that all the males
! in the colony from sixteen TO fifty years
I OF age be organized into companies, armed,
| equipped drilled. and ready for instant
3 service.
! The battle OF Lexington was fought on
/ the 18th OF April 1775. On the cath of that
month young and old enrolled with the
, greatest enthusiasm in Maryland. and were
armed and equipped. Forty companies of
mounted men were raised. While the city
of New Ycyx was still cold and undecided.
Maryland troops were on their way TO
Boston Colonel Smallwood commanded
I i,i4i men 0f these troops which were mar
! shaled into the national service. They
went to New York and were Incorporated
into Lord Strings brigade. Their first
battle was on Long Island. 1t was dis
astrous one for the patriots. Four hun
! dred OF the Maryland Line, as smallwood's s
troops were then called, covered themselves
with glory by repeated charges upon an
overwhelming force of the enemy. They
practically destroyed themselves to save
the Continental Army.
These 400 men of the Line. un-
der Majcr Gist, made five bayonet charges
against CORVALLIS brigade. Upon the
sixth charge the brigade recoiled and be-
gan to give way in confusion. The Mary
landers were outnumbeTed more than ten
TO one. Assailed by fresh troops (Hes-
sians) and by a British brigade in the
rear, a portion of them. with Lord Stir
ling at their head, surrendered. Three
companies cut their way through the Brit
ish ranks. maintaining their order Until
they reached the edge of creek viii
the survivors were compelled to swim.
The loss in killed and wounded of these
400 Marylanders was ESQ officers and men
From sunrise until the last gun they had
been hotly engaged. While the rest Of the
Amy had been routed, or had fed, they
maintained the battle unsided against two
bTIgades OF the enemy. This was on the
21th OF August, 1I16. At the battle OF
White Plains the Maryland battalion, un-
der Smallwood. was again engaged. The
Line suffered severely. Smallwocd himself
being among the wounded. /; had fought
three battles in three months. and wEs
the first Of the Revolutionary troops to
use the bayonet against British regulars
For the ensuing campaign Maryland's
quota was eight battalions, numbering
1000 men. one-tenth of the whole army.
They we're promptly furnished, and the
Maryland line again became the flower
Of the Continental Army. In October fol-
lowing, an additional quota OF 1000 men.
10 serve three years in the Maryland Line
was filled. In August 177G these troops
were Engaged in an attack upon Staten
Island. The First Brigade was un-
DER command OF General Smallwo1d. ard
all were commanded by General Sullivan
British prisoners. Of whom eleven we
officers.
The Line participated in the battle Of
the Brandywine, where it formed the right
wing OF the Revolutionary Army At one
time SmallwOOd was in great jeopardy,
but extricated himself with great skill.
At the battle OF Germantown on the 81
Of October the galiantry Of the Maryland
crs was again conspicuous 1hey advanced
in gallant style. and with such resolution
that the British light infantry we're driven
from the field and their encampment fe
into the hands of the victorious Line.
They also captured two 6-pounders.
The year was ended By the gallant de-
tense of Fort Mifiiin, In which the Mary
ldnders were prominent. That winter the
Line, under Smallwcoi. reduced to / 400
mcn, was stationed at Wilmington to pro-
tect Delaware from British incurslons.
On June Is Lieut.. Col. Samuel Smith and
Lieutenant Colonel Ramsey with two
Maryland battalions and Smallwood's Sec
ond Maryland Brigade were engaged in the
battle OF Monmouth. The British were
driven back by Smaiwood's brigade. with
a loss Of 300 men killed outright. Sir Henry
Clinton withdrew from the field and re-
treated to New York.
When the summer opened. the line, un-
der Major Stewart, distinguished itself in
the storming of Stony Point. Congress
voted a silver medal 10 Major Stewart, and
the Maryland line received well-merited
encomiums from General Wayne When
the army was afterward concentrated at
West Point the Maryland line formed its
right wing The line outdid itself at the
battle OF Camden. "Gists Maryland bri- |
gade." so reads the dispatches. was firm |
as rock. and Williams regiment, with |
Howard at its head. broke upon the enemy |
and severed his front, driving the opposing |
corps before them" The Second Maryland |
Brigade again charged CORVALLIS grena- |
diers with the bayonet. Thu British troops |
began to recede. Their line was broken |
and thrown into disorder, but the brave |
unsupported with cavalry. |
were compelled TO withdraw. Afterward |
. 600 British regulars were poured upon the |
two Maryland brigades containing only 500 |
men, who still fought unhnchingly. They
were assaulted by British cavalry in front |
and rear. DeKalb fell while attempting TO |
restore the line. After performing their
duty vaiiantly these gallant troops, over
whelmed with numbers. took to the woods
and swamps. Gist moved of with a body |
Of leo men, maintaining unbroken ranks.
and Howard made his escape with a smaller
party. The loss OF the Maryland line was
400 killed and wounded and 40 prisoners,
mostly wounded. In the ten succeeding
lays Smallwood collected over 200 non-eom-
missioned officers and privates. One hun
dred and fifty Of the line who were pris-
Dners were afterward captured by General
Marion while on their way TO Charleston.
Thereafter. under Washlngton's direc-
tions, the seven regiments of the old line
were consolidated into one regiment. 1t
was called the First Maryland and placed
under Col. Otho II. Williams. Smaliwood
was retained in the army as second in COM
mand. January II. 1881. 400 OF the Mary
land Line. under Lieutenant Colonel How