A Narrative History of the 1st Maryland Cavalry

What was eventually to become the First Maryland Cavalry Regiment, C.S.A., was originally organized sometime in 1860 in Howard County Maryland as a cavalry company of approximately 75-100 men (including 17 members of the Dorsey family), called the Howard County Dragoons. Commanded by Capt. George R. Gaither, they were said to be "handsomely uniformed according to United States army regulations and equipped with the best cavalry sabers and Colt's Revolvers." When the Sixth Massachusetts marched through Baltimore on 19 April 1861 resulting in serious rioting and civil disturbance (as well as the deaths of 4 soldiers and 12 citizens), the Howard County Dragoons assembled at Ellicott's Mills and on 20 April 1861 marched into Baltimore to help restore order. Afterwards, due to the unionist sympathies of Maryland politicians, the company was forced to either disband or march south of the Potomac and join the Confederate forces.

On 14 May 1861, 75 men, most from the Dragoons, organized under Capt. Gaither at Leesburg, calling themselves the "Maryland Cavalry". The company then marched on 15 June 1861 to Winchester and on 17 June 1861 joined the 7th Virginia Cavalry under Col. Angus McDonald. The 7th Virginia was ordered to Romney Virginia on 18 June 1861, where the Maryland Company performed picket duty until 18 July 1861 at which time the company withdrew from Col. McDonald's command (it is said due to dissatisfaction with the idle life they were leading) and placed itself under the command of J.E.B. Stuart and became Company K of the First Virginia Cavalry, which had been organized two days earlier (16 July 1861).

The Company reached Manassas on 20 July 1861 and took part in the battle of First Manassas on 21 July 1861. Besides First Manassas, the collection of men who were to become the First Maryland also probably participated in the battles of Bailey's Crossroads (27 August 1861) and Williamsburg (5 May 1862).

On 28 July 1861, the Company was mustered into the Confederate States Army. At this time, an election was held, the results of which were: George R. Gaither, Captain; George Howard, First Lieutenant; and Thomas Griffith, Second Lieutenant. At this time, Company K numbered approximately 50 men. Over the next year Corporals Brown and Bond had risen first to Sergeant, and then to First and Second Lieutenant, respectively. On 26 April 1862, a new election was held, the results of which were: George R. Gaither, Captain; G.W. Dorsey, First Lieutenant; N. Hobbs Second Lieutenant; and W. Cecil, Third Lieutenant. The same day, 18 members of Company K sent a petition to Col. Fitz Lee, asking to be transferred as cavalry to the "Maryland Line".

The 18 petitioners were mustered out of Company K on 14 May 1862 and on 15 May 1862 they were organized as Company A of the First Maryland Cavalry. The officers elected on 15 May 1862 by Company A, First Maryland Cavalry Battalion were: Ridgeley Brown, Captain; Frank A. Bond, First Lieutenant; Thomas Griffith, Second Lieutenant; and James A. Ventris Pue, Third Lieutenant. While continuing to recruit, the unit was assigned to the Second Virginia Cavalry under Col. Thomas Munford in the Valley Campaign.

On 25 November 1862, at Winchester Virginia, the unit was expanded to a four company Battalion under Major Ridgley Brown. At this point, in addition to Major Brown, George W. Booth served as Adjutant, Capt. Ignatius Dorsey was Assistant Quartermaster, Wilbur R. McKnew was Surgeon, Edward Johnson was Sergeant Major and Sgt. Charles I. Tregner served as Quartermaster. The four companies were led by the following officers:

Company A: Captain Frank A. Bond, First Lieutenant Thomas Griffith, Second Lieutenants J.A.V. Pue, and Edward Beatty.

Company B: Captain George M. Emack, Lieutenants Mason E. McKnew, Adolphus Cook, and Henry C. Blackiston.

Company C: Captain Robert C. Smith, Lieutenants George Howard, J. Jefferson Smith, and Groeme Turnbull.

Company D: Captain Warner G. Welsh and Lieutenants William H.H. Dorsey, Stephen D. Lawrence, and Milton Welsh.

In the Winter of 1862-1863 as a part of Gen. William E. Jones' Brigade in the Valley of Virginia, it did picket and scouting duty and participated in the raids on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. In April, the Battalion accompanied Jones' Brigade (the 6th, 7th, and 12th Virginia Cavalry Regiments, the 41st Virginia Cavalry Battalion and the 1st Maryland Cavalry Battalion) on an expedition through West Virginia and Western Maryland (battles of Greenland Gap, 25 April 1863; Fairmont, 29 April 1863; and Bridgeport, 30 April 1863) as described by dispatches from the War of the Rebellion, Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, in the Appendix.

On 6 August 1863 the Battalion became the First Maryland Cavalry Regiment and, Companies E (actually, Co. E was organized sometime before April '63 since the records indicate they were present at he Greenland Gap skirmish) and F were added. Major Brown was promoted to Lt. Colonel and Captain Robert C. Smith to Major.

Companies E and F were led by the following officers:

Company E: Captain William J. Raisin; Lieutenants John B. Burroughs, Nathaniel Chapman and Joseph K. Roberts.

Company F: Captain Augustus F. Schwartz; Lieutenants C. Irving Ditty, Fielder C. Slinghoff and Samuel G. Bond.

Between September and November 1863, the Regiment was assigned to Lunsford Lomax's Brigade. During this time, they took part in the Bristoe VA Campaign, 10-21 October 1863.

In November 1863, the unit was assigned to Gen. Bradley T. Johnson to help form "The Maryland Line" at Hanover Junction. The Maryland Line consisted of the First Maryland Infantry, the First Maryland Cavalry and the Second Maryland Light Artillery. The Regiment would remain a part of the Maryland Line until June 1864. In March 1864, the unit received a commendation for their part in dispersing the Kilpatrick/Dahlgren raid on Richmond. The regiment also saw action at New Market (15 May 1864), Beaver Dam Station, Pollard's Farm (27 May 1864), the South Anna River (1 June 1864) where Col. Brown was killed leading an attack, and Trevilian's Station (11-12 June 1864).

In June 1864, the Regiment was temporarily assigned to the Jones- Johnson Brigade, and then in early July it was assigned to the Jackson-Davidson’s Brigade until the following March. On 6 August 1864, Company K of the First Virginia Cavalry (the original unit from which Company A came), commanded by Captain Gustavus W. Dorsey, was officially assigned as Company H of the First Maryland Cavalry per Special Order #185. Lieutenants of Company H were N.C. Hobbs, Edward Pugh and a Lt. Quinn (W. Cecil of the original Company K had been killed in battle). At this point the First Maryland Cavalry was comprised of seven companies. The next day the Regiment was surprised by Federal Cavalry at Moorefield West Virginia (7 August 1864) and took heavy losses. Captain Dorsey was promoted to Lt. Col. and took command of the Regiment.

In April 1865, the Regiment was assigned to General William Paynes Brigade. The unit made the final charge at Appomattox, cutting through Federal lines and heading towards Lynchburg in an attempt to join Gen. Joseph Johnston's army.

The First Maryland Cavalry was disbanded on 28 April 1865 in Cloverdale, Botetourt County, Virginia.

Of the First Maryland, Brig. Gen. Thomas T. Munford said in ordering it to be disbanded on 28 April 1865: "You who struck the first blow in Baltimore and the last blow in Virginia have done all that could be asked of you, and had the rest of our officers and men adhered to our cause with the same devotion, to-day we would be free from Yankee thralldom."

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