Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 2.djvu/102

88 well-instructed a set of young soldiers as were in either army. They were in this summary manner dismissed from the service, without charges, without notice and without a hearing. This extraordinary proceeding was heard of with regret by the army and with acute anger by the regiment itself. Colonel Johnson mustered them out on the 17th, the men presented their flag and their bucktail to Mrs. Johnson and then dispersed, grieved and offended. Generals Jackson and Ewell sent Colonel Johnson letters of regard and sympathy and also recommendations to the President of the Confederate States, that he be made brigadier-general. Colonel Johnson declined to go to Richmond, or become an applicant for a place he had won by hard service, and Jackson assigned him to command the Second brigade, Jackson's division, Second corps Jackson's own.

A new regiment was soon brought together, of which James R. Herbert became lieutenant-colonel, and William W. Goldsborough, major. But the disbanding of the gallant First regiment, although another was so soon formed, was attended by some unfortunate results.

It will be noted that when the army crossed the Potomac in September, 1862, after the second battle of Manassas, it carried with it no Maryland regiment bearing the Maryland flag, and thus there was no nucleus on which recruits could rally. The First Maryland artillery, under the gallant Dement, and the Baltimore light artillery, with Griffin, were there, but detached batteries operating in different commands gave no points of rendezvous for raw recruits seeking an association in an army. General Lee and the Confederacy were much disappointed at the failure of Maryland to rise, but this disappointment was without adequate reason. Lee crossed the Potomac on September 5th and the next day, the 6th, camped around Frederick. The population of that section of Maryland was strongly Union, fully one-half of it being adherents of that side. On September 10th Lee moved