Carroll County in the Civil War
A brief glimpse into Carroll County's rich Civil War History.
Mobilizing for WarAs the Civil War loomed upon the horizon, tensions grew within the community. Several local militias were started including the Carroll Guards (in Westminster), the Smallwood Militia (in Smallwood) , the Taneytown Guards (in Taneytown), the Washington Blues, the Manchester Greys (in Manchester), the Carroll Infantry, and Carroll Artillerists. As the Civil War began members of these respective militia groups joined the fight for the Union or the Confederacy.
Author: Steven Carney |
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Tintype of
Col. Thomas Rosser, C.S.A. |
On the evening of September 11, 1862, during the Sharpsburg/Antietam Campaign, Col. Thomas Rosser and his 5th VA Cavalry rode into Westminster, MD on a raid. This force of several hundred cavalrymen was accompanied by an artillery piece under command of Capt. James Breached, a Maryland native. They entered Westminster on Goose Pond Lane (modern day Liberty Street), and positioned the cannon in the fork of West Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue facing South toward the railroad.
Many Southern-sympathizing residents of Westminster greeted the Confederates warmly. During the interactions, troopers gave citizens uniform buttons, locks of hair, and other articles. Col. John Brooke Boyle welcomed Col. Rosser into his home for dinner with his family. Boyle’s home, located at 79 W. Main Street, was chosen as Col. Rosser’s headquarters. The home has since been referred to as “Rosser’s Choice.” The majority of the Confederates bivouacked on John St. in Westminster. The Odd Fellow’s Hall, located at 140 E. Main Street, served as the armory of the Carroll Guards Militia, a prewar local militia unit. During the night of September 11th, the building was raided and the contents taken. The next day, the roster of the Carroll Guards Militia was found in the street vandalized with a bootprint across it. On September 12, 1862, the Confederates left Westminster headed in the direction of South Mountain. Several days later, the Battle of Sharpsburg/Antietam occurred on September 17, 1862. Author: Steven Carney |
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1863 brought the most activity into Carroll County during the War. Carroll County was known as the "Springboard of the Union Army" into Gettysburg. Thousands of Union soldiers from the Army of the Potomac traveled through Carroll County on their way to fight at Gettysburg.
On June 29th, 1863, the Battle of Westminster, known as "Corbit's Charge" occurred on Main Street in Westminster and the Intersection at Washington Rd. Union Captain Corbit of the 1st Delaware Cav led a charge against a far superior Confederate Cavalry force which has been considered an act of "suicidal bravery." Although the fight is considered small, this action was a contributing factor which delayed Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry column from arriving at the Battle of Gettysburg until the evening of July 2nd. During the Battle of Gettysburg, Westminster was a significant supply depot for the Union Army of the Potomac. Trains would bring supplies to Westminster, the supplies would be unloaded and hauled by wagons and mules up the Baltimore Pike to Gettysburg. Following the Battle of Gettysburg, thousands of Confederate Prisoners were brought to Westminster before being transferred to prisoner of war camps. Numerous wounded soldiers were also brought to Westminster to be loaded onto trains and evacuated to hospitals. Author: Steven Carney |
Image courtesy of Civil War Trails
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Lithograph of
Gen. Bradley T. Johnson, C.S.A. 
Tintype of
Maj. Harry Gilmor, C.S.A. |
In June and July 1864, Confederate General Jubal Early along with the Army of the Shenandoah Valley, moved North into Maryland for the third time during the Civil War. This effort was meant to clear the Union forces from the Shenandoah Valley, draw Union troops away from Richmond, and attack Washington D.C. In addition, General Bradley T. Johnson was given the task of liberating the newly 14,000 Confederate Prisoners being held at the prisoner of war camp in Point Lookout, MD. On July 9, 1864, while Early was engaged at the Battle of Monocacy, General Bradley T. Johnson’s Cavalry Brigade was sent East to proceed with their mission.
On July 9, Gen. Johnson’s Brigade of between 600-800 men entered New Windsor, MD. While in New Windsor, the Brigade raided the town in search of provisions such as food, clothing, equipment, and livestock. While in New Windsor, Maj. Harry Gilmor, leading the 1st and 2nd MD Cavalry regiments, recruited a number of students from Calvert College to join the Confederate ranks. A 1903 article in the Union Bridge Pilot described the raid: “Some people stayed out of their homes at night, some put their clothes in sacks and had them out of doors, some put money in bottles and buried it for safety, and at no time during the rebellion was this part of Maryland more agitated, more frightened, and more nearly crazed by war.” By late afternoon on July 9, 1864, Maj. Harry Gilmor entered Westminster, MD with a force of 20 men. Gilmor’s men exchanged some gunfire with the detail of Union troops stationed in Westminster before the Union troops withdrew towards Baltimore, MD. Gilmor’s men secured and cut telegraph lines around Westminster. Johnson had ordered Gilmor to ransom Westminster for 1,500 units of clothing including boots and shoes. Westminster Mayor Jacob Grove and the City Council made efforts to fill the demands, but failed. When Gen. Johnson arrived in Westminster a few hours later, he made his headquarters at the Shellman House. Maj. Gilmore persuaded Gen. Johnson to drop the ransom and spare Westminster. On the morning of July 10, 1864, the Confederate force left Westminster moving toward Reisterstown continuing on their mission. Later, Gen. Early recalled Johnson and Gilmor, ending their efforts to liberate the Point Lookout camp. Author: Steven W. Carney |
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On April 6, 1865, Joseph Shaw, editor of the Western Maryland Democrat newspaper in Westminster, and outspoken Confederate sympathizer published a newspaper article calling on "providence" to remove Abraham Lincoln as President and replace him with Vice President Andrew Johnson. Throughout the Civil War, Shaw had freely written that President Lincoln was wrong and criticized his actions. However, eight days after the article was written, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth.
On the night of Lincoln's death, a town meeting was held at the Carroll County Courthouse. The meeting voted to run Joseph Shaw out of town. They also voted to refuse paroled Confederate soldiers from returning to Carroll County. Following the meeting, rioters descended on Shaw's newspaper office, trashed it, and threw his equipment into the street. The mob warned Joseph Shaw to leave town or be lynched. Joseph Shaw left town that evening, but returned on April 24th, 1865. Five men descended upon Shaw at his room in the Anchor Hotel in Westminster. The five men shot Shaw, stabbed him, and dragged him to the lobby of the Hotel, where he bled to death on the floor. The five men were tried, but were not convicted of the crime. Author: Steven Carney |
The Democratic Advocate was a newspaper that was created from the Ashes of Shaw's paper. This article is from November 20, 1865. (Courtesy of the Library of Congress)
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Tintype of John Buffington , circa 1863
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John E. Buffington (1841-1924) was born in Carroll County, near Middleburg, MD. He enlisted in Company C of the 6th Maryland Infantry on August 21, 1862. He served during the war until June 20, 1865. In 1863, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and ended the war with the rank of 1st Lieutenant.
On April 2, 1865, Buffington was credited as being the first enlisted soldier of the Third Division to enter the Confederate lines at the Battle of Petersburg, VA. In recognition for his heroism, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1908. He is buried in the Trinity Lutheran Church Cemetery located in Taneytown, MD. He is the only Carroll Countian to receive the Medal of Honor during the Civil War. Author: Steven Carney |
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Rebuilding After the War Several Grand Army of the Republic posts were established in Carroll County.
These posts included: * Post No. 11 - Westminster * Burns - Westminster * Pickett - Winfield * Miller - Taneytown * Thaddeus Stevens - New Windsor Many veterans returned from the War with trauma and scars and these organizations helped veterans in an era where Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was not understood. |
Union1st Maryland Infantry, Co. H
George Burke 1st Maryland Infantry, Co. I Joseph Six - Wounded 1st Maryland Eastern Shore Inf., Co. I Samuel Clingan 2nd Maryland Infantry, Co. C James Picking - Wounded, Captured 2nd U.S.C.T. Cavalry, Co. D Wesley Cook David Hill Caleb Johnson 2nd U.S.C.T. Infantry, Co. I John L. Coates - Sgt. - Court Martialed, Imprisoned 3rd Maryland Infantry, Co. G Henry Aulthouse - Wounded 3rd Maryland P. H.B. Infantry, Co C. Christian Dayhoff Uriah Heltibridle 3rd Maryland P. H.B. Infantry, Co G. Ephraim Angell James Angell Thomas Angell - Corp., Captured Joseph Bowers - Captured John Clabaugh - Captured, Wounded, Died in Hospital George Crouse Samuel Crouse John Dayhoff Thomas Eck - Corp, 2nd LT., Capt. , Captured William Eck - Sgt., Captured Jacob Fringer Worthington Fringer Jesse H. Haugh - 2nd Sgt, 2nd Lt., Color Bearer, Captured Hezekiah Hawk Nelson Hawk Henry Hyser James Kregelo - Killed by Accident John T. Reck - Captured Conrad Rowe - Captured Jacob Shaffer John Shriner Joseph Shoemaker - Captured Albert L. Slagenhaup Samuel Slagenhaup 4th U.S.C.T. Infantry At least 53 members of this regiment were from Carroll County 6th Maryland Infantry William A. McKellip - Lt. Col. 6th Maryland Infantry , Co. A George Washington Miller John Miller - Killed in Action Emanuel Shoemaker - Killed in Action Joseph M. Thompson (Fife Major) - Captured 6th Maryland Infantry, Co. C John T. Bishop - Died in Camp John E. Buffington - MOH Recipient, Sgt., 1st Lt. William Crouse (Drummer) - Captured Jacob Ocker - Killed in Action Samuel Rinaman - Killed in Action Alfred S. Rowe - Sgt. , Wounded, died of wounds Jacob Royer - Wounded John Wolf - Wounded, died of wounds 7th Maryland Infantry, Co. F W. Frank Clingan - Sgt., 1st Sgt., Wounded, Captured Abram Fleagle, Killed in Action Jeremiah Fleagle, Wounded Emanuel Hawk - (Color Guard) Corp. , Wounded 8th Maryland Infantry, Co. I James Shildt John Newcomer - Sgt. Tobias Reid - Corp. Joseph Angell Nathan Angell - Also served with 3rd MD Inf. P.H.B. Co. G 23rd U.S.C.T. James A. Coates - Sgt , Killed in Action 30th U.S.C.T. Infantry, Co. C Randolph Fraling 32nd U.S.C.T. Infantry Samuel Butler - Corp. 39th U.S.C.T. Infantry, Co. H William E. Bivens Cole's Maryland Cavalry, Co . A Harvey T. Null - Killed in Action Isaiah Kregelo - Wounded Cole's Maryland Cavalry, Co. C Alonzo Benner Leander Bowers Charles C. Currens - Captured William Currens - Commissary Sgt. - Wounded by Accident Alfred Fritchley - Captured Clayton Kehn Henry Reaver David Shildt Cole's Maryland Cavalry, Co. D Joseph Good William Reindollar - Captured, Died in Andersonville Samuel McGuigan - Captured, Died in Andersonville Vincent Valentine, Captured Cole's Maryland Cavalry, Co. E E. Elias Reck - Captured John H. Ocker |
Confederate1st Maryland Infantry, Co A
Eugene Yarbie Goldsborough 1st Maryland Infantry, Co D Charles DuPont Bird 1st Maryland Infantry, Co F Henry Adams 2nd Maryland Infantry, Co. C Robert Dawson 2nd Maryland Infantry, Co. D Thomas C. Butler - 1st Sgt Joshua Chilcutt Samuel B. Dove 1st Maryland Cavalry, Co. D Charles Bruce Boyle |