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United States Regiments & Batteries > Maryland

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The Purnell Legion lost 7 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 24 enlisted men by disease, a total of 31. Company A is honored with a monument at Gettysburg.

Company A

1861
September to November	Organized as a legion of nine companies of infantry, two companies of cavalry, and two batteries of light artillery by Colonel William Purnell, Postmaster of Baltimore, at Pikesville Arsenal, under special authority of the Secretary of War. Attached to Dix’s Division, Baltimore, Maryland.
1862
February	Colonel Purnell resigned and the Legion was broken up into a regiment of infantry, two independent companies of cavalry and Battery A and Battery B, Maryland Light Artillery.
July	Attached to Lockwood’s Brigade, District of the Eastern Shore, 8th Army Corps, Middle Department; Duty on the eastern shore of Maryland and in St. Mary’s County, Md.
1863
January	Attached to 1st Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps
June	Attached to 3rd Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps. The company was stationed at the Monocacy River Bridge outside Frederick, Maryland with a section of the 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. As Lee’s invasion of Pennsylvania unfolded it was withdrawing to Baltimore when it was almost overrun by Stuart’s cavalry raid. The company then attached itself to McIntosh’s Cavalry Brigade of the Army of the Potomac, accompanying it to Gettysburg.
July 1-3	Battle of Gettysburg Commanded by Capt. Robert E. Duvall. The company brought 78 men to the field and had no casualties.
July 14	Near Harper’s Ferry, W. Va.
December	Attached to 1st Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps
1865
July 28	Mustered out

 

Company B

1861
September to November	Organized as a legion of nine companies of infantry, two companies of cavalry, and two batteries of light artillery by Colonel William Purnell, Postmaster of Baltimore, at Pikesville Arsenal, under special authority of the Secretary of War. Attached to Dix’s Division, Baltimore, Maryland.
1862
February	Colonel Purnell resigned and the Legion was broken up into a regiment of infantry, two independent companies of cavalry and Battery A and Battery B, Maryland Light Artillery.
July	Unattached, 8th Army Corps, Maryland and Delaware
1863
January	Annapolis, Md.
1864
May	Attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
May 28	Dismounted
June 7	Joined Purnell Legion Infantry in Army of the Potomac
June 7-12	Battles about Cold Harbor
June 16-19	First Assault on Petersburg
June 16 – October 26	Siege of Petersburg
June 22-23	Jerusalem Plank Road
July 30	Mine Explosion, Petersburg (Reserve)
August 18-21	Weldon Railroad
September 29 – October 2	Poplar Springs Church
October 2-5	Chapel House
October 7-8	Peeble’s Farm
October 26	Mustered out.
November 17	Veterans and Recruits transferred to 8th Maryland Infantry

 

Company C

1862
September	Company C organized at Baltimore, Md. and attached to Defenses of Baltimore, Md., 8th Corps, Middle Department; At Camp Bradford
1863
January	1st Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps
February 5	Moved to Harper’s Ferry, W. Va., then to Drummendsville, Va., and to Wilmington, Del., and duty there
June 3rd	Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps
July	District of Delaware, Middle Department
1864
May	Attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
May 28	Dismounted
June 7	Joined Purnell Legion Infantry in Army of the Potomac
June 7-12	Battles about Cold Harbor
June 16-19	First Assalt on Petersburg, Va.
June 16 to October 26	Siege of Petersburg
June 22-23	Jerusalem Plank Road
July 30	Mine Explosion, Petersburg (Reserve)
August 18-21	Weldon Railroad
September 29 – October 2	Poplar Springs Church
October 2-5	Chapel House
October 7-8	Peeble’s Farm
October 26	Mustered out
November 17	Veterans and Recruits transferred to 8th Maryland Infantry