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This lithograph portrays Anne Arundel County's Captain William Murray, sword upraised (Center), rallying his troops at Culp's Hill. In June of 1862, the "Old First" Maryland Infantry Regiment was mustered out of service of the Confederate Army. The First Maryland Infantry had fought bravely and well but its numbers had been severely reduced, fighting in many hard-fought battles during the first year of the war. It took little time for many of the men and officers of the first Maryland to make their way to Richmond to begin forming what would become the Second Maryland Infantry. Under the direction of these veteran officers, companies were being formed and by September of 1862, five full companies had been recruited. These new companies left Richmond for Winchester, Virginia, where another additional company was formed. At Winchester, officers for the new unit were elected. Captain James R. Herbert of Company C was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and chosen commander. Captain William W. Goldsborough was promoted to Major and became second in command. This new unit was now designated as the "First Maryland Battalion of Infantry." It was also at this time that Lieutenant Ferdinand Duvall was promoted to Captain and became Commander of Company C. On September 28, 1862, the battalion was officially mustered into the service of the Confederate States Army. The winter of 1862-1863 saw the unit attached to the command of General William H. "Grumble" Jones, campaigning at various points in the Shenandoah Valley. The battalion participated in several small raids in the upper valley. One of the first skirmishes that the battalion participated in was a raid on the B&O Railroad in the spring of 1863. Many were beginning to refer to the Maryland Battalion as the Second Maryland Infantry, so as not to confuse it with the "Old First." By June of 1863, the Second Maryland belonged to General Richard Ewell's Second Corps. The unit saw action at Kernstown and Winchester, Virginia, fighting against General Milroy's Union Army. At Winchester, the Second Maryland faced the Fifth Maryland of the Union Army. Company C and Company A were employed as skirmishers in this action and were among the first troops to enter Winchester when General Milroy was routed. During the action at Winchester, Captain Duvall was severely wounded and the command of Company C was passed on to First Lieutenant Charles W. Hodges. July 1-3, 1863, saw the Second Maryland engaged at Gettysburg with General Ewell's Corps. The unit was thrown into action at the Culp's Hill sector of the battlefield, fighting with General George "Maryland" Steuart's Brigade attached to General Edward Johnson's Division. Steuart's Brigade included the 10th, 23rd, 37th Virginia regiment and the 1st and 3rd North Carolina regiments. The late afternoon and evening of July 2nd found the Marylanders climbing Culp's Hill from Rock Creek to take the first line of Union breastworks. The Second Maryland held this part of the line for the night. Early on the morning of July 3rd, orders were given to resume the attack. However, the Union line facing the Marylanders had been heavily reinforced during the night. When the Second Maryland began their charge against the Union line, they were met by a murderous fire coming from both musket and cannon that brought down nearly half their number. Clearly the Second had been devastated and the unit would never gain back the numbers it once had. Gettysburg was a crushing blow to the proud little unit. Following the battle of Gettysburg, the Second Maryland retreated back to Virginia with the rest of the Army of Northern Virginia. Later, during the fall of 1863, General Bradley Johnson attempted to form the "Maryland Line," a unique fighting unit composed strictly of Maryland Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery units, bringing together a number of these units in encampment. It was in this camp of the "Maryland Line" that the Secretary of War officially recognized the battalion as the Second Maryland Infantry Regiment. By 1864, the Second Maryland Infantry was attached to General Breckenridge's command and was involved in various actions commencing at Hanover Court House in May. On June 3rd, the Second again found itself in action at Cold Harbor, Virginia. The unit, which had been held in reserve, made a gallant bayonet charge helping to restore the lines, which had been broken by the enemy under General Hancock. In his official report of the battle, General Robert E. Lee specially complimented the Second Maryland. The Regiment was also engaged at White Oak Swamp, Ream's Station, Pegram's Farm and Squirrel Level Road, losing heavily in each engagement. At this time, the Second Maryland was attached to General Archer's Brigade of the Third Corps. The unit remained so for the remainder of the war. The opening of the campaign of 1865 found the Second Maryland in the trenches around Petersburg, Virginia. It was at this time that the Second became a favorite unit for picket duty because of its reputation for not deserting. On the morning of April 2, 1865, the Confederate lines were broken. At Hatcher's Run, the Regiment was overrun with many of its numbers being captured. The remainder of the men made their way back to the Army as best they could. On April 9, 1865, the Second Maryland Infantry surrendered with the remnants of General Lee's army. When finally assembled at Appomattox, the unit could only muster 59 men to answer the roll call of the Regiment. Company C, now commanded by Corporal Beale D. Mullikin, surrendered with the rest of the Regiment with a total of 10 men.
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