Maryland 1st Eastern Shore Infantry Regiment (Union)

HISTORICAL NOTES:
The Maryland 1st Eastern Shore Infantry Regiment was organized at Cambridge, Md., September, 1861. The regiment was attached to Major General John Adams Dix's division of the Army of the Potomac. It was assigned to the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

The regiment was originally commanded by Colonel James Wallace, a slaveowning lawyer and state legislator from Cambridge. In the fall of 1861, Dix led an expeditionary force, including the 1st Maryland Eastern Shore, south to occupy the Virginia counties of Accomack and Northampton.

When Lee invaded Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863, the regiment was attached to Brig. Gen. Henry H. Lockwood’s Brigade of the XII Corps of the Army of the Potomac and sent north to Pennsylvania. The regiment arrived at the Battle of Gettysburg on the morning of July 3 and engaged the 1st Maryland Infantry, CSA on Culp's Hill, suffering 5 dead, 16 wounded, and 2 missing, out of 583 total men.

At Gettysburg, Color Sergeant Robert Ross of the Union 1st Maryland Eastern Shore regiment was a cousin to Color Sergeant P.M. Moore of the Confederate 1st Maryland regiment, who was wounded several times. “The 1st Maryland Confederate Regiment met us and were cut to pieces. We sorrowfully gathered up many of our old friends and acquaintances and had them carefully and tenderly cared for.”
- Colonel James Wallace, 1st Maryland Eastern Shore, on the confederate assault on Culp's Hill at the Battle of Gettysburg.
In December 1863, Colonel Wallace resigned his command over the issue of enlisting colored troops in the army. The 1st Regiment Eastern Shore Maryland Volunteer Infantry was eventually consolidated into the 11th Regiment Maryland Volunteer Infantry. ASSIGNMENTS:
Attached to Dix's Division, Army of the Potomac, to November, 1861. Eastern Shore Maryland and Virginia, Middle Department, to July, 1862. District Eastern Shore, 8th Army Corps, Middle Dept., to January, 1863. 1st Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps, to June, 1863. Lockwood's Brigade, 8th Army Corps, to July, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 12th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, July, 1863. 2nd Brigade, Maryland Heights, Division West Virginia, to October, 1863. 3rd Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps, to June, 1864. 1st Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps, to September, 1864. Reserve Division, Harper's Ferry, W. Va., to February, 1865. SERVICE:
Duty at Baltimore, Md., till November, 1861. Expedition to Accomac and Northampton counties November 14-23, 1861. Duty at Baltimore and on the Eastern Shore till June, 1863. Moved with Lockwood to Gettysburg, Pa., June 25-July 2. Battle of Gettysburg July 2-3. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Duty at Maryland Heights, W. Va., July 17 to October 5, 1863. Ordered to the Eastern Shore of Maryland and duty there till February, 1865. Company "A" mustered out by order of the War Department August 16, 1862. Regiment consolidated with 11th Maryland Infantry February 23, 1865. ROSTERS:
The rolls of this regiment contains the names of 1676 men.

Companies A, B and C were recruited in Dorchester County, Companies D, E, F and G in Caroline County, Company H in Talbot County, Company I at Baltimore City, and Company K in Somerset County. BIBLIOGRAPHY:

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