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A Brief History of the First Maryland Volunteer Infantry

by Patrick McSherry
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General:

The First Maryland Volunteer Infantry served its term of service in the continental United States. It did not see overseas service.

Unit History:

Following President McKinley's call for volunteers, the regiment began organizing from elements of the First Maryland Volunteer National Guard. The regiment was sent to Camp Wilmer at Pimlico, Maryland. Here between May 16 and May 29, 1898, the unit was mustered into the federal service as the 1st Maryland Volunteer Infantry. At the time of muster-in, the regiment consisted of forty-three officers and 1,044 enlisted men.

In late May, the regiment was sent to Fort Monroe, at Hampton, Virginia as part of the military Department of the East. The headquarters, staff and eight companies arrived at Fort Monroe on May 26. The remaining companies arrived on July 6. Here the regiment spent its time in training. The men expected a transfer to take part in the invasion of Puerto Rico but no transfer was provided. While the regiment was at Fort Monroe, the United States and Spain agreed to an armistice which ended the war's fighting on August 12, 1898. Subsequently, the regiment was ordered to Camp Meade located at Middletown, Pennsylvania, with the Second Army Corps. The regiment departed Fort Monroe on September 7 and arrived at Camp Meade the following day. At Camp Meade the regiment was assigned to the First Brigade, First Division of the Second Army Corps. During it time at the new camp, the 1st Maryland was encamped next to the 10th Ohio and 35th Michigan volunteer infantry regiments.

The regiment was next ordered to Augusta, Georgia. On November 11, 1898 departed Camp Meade for Augusta, arriving the following day. While the regiment was at Augusta, the Spanish American War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898. The 1st Maryland Volunteer Infantry was mustered out of service at Augusta on February 28, 1899. 

At the time of its muster-out, the regiment consisted of forty-nine officers and 1,070 enlisted men. During its term of service, the regiment lost twelve enlisted men to disease, and one man to an accident. Thirty-two enlisted men were discharged on disability and fifty-three enlisted men deserted.



Bibliography:

Clerk of Joint Comittee on Printing, The Abridgement of Message from the President of the United States to the Two Houses of Congress. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1899). Vol. 3, 196, 494.

Correspondence relating to the War with Spain And Conditions Growing Out of the Same Including the Insurrection in the Philippine Island and the China Relief Expedition. Vol. 1 (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1902), 596.

Cosmas, Graham A., An Army for Empire : The United States Army in the Spanish American War. (Shippensburg, PA: White Mane Publishing Co., 1993).

Statistical Exhibit of Strength of Volunteer Forces Called into Service During the War with Spain; with Losses from All Causes. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1899).

Thomas and Williams, History of Allegany County, Regional Publishing Company, (1923) Vol. 1 pgs. 401, 402, 403 (submitted by Barbara Jean Hott granddaughter of Wilber H. Johnson)


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