2nd Maryland Artillery Company (C.S.A.)

Confederate Regiments & Batteries * Maryland

“Baltimore Battery” “Brockenbrough’s Artillery”

1861
August 17 Organized at Richmond.
July Assigned to Elzey’s Brigade at Centreville.
1862
March 2 John B. Brockenbrough became captain of the battery. He was a native of Lexington, Virginia, an attorney and a graduate of the University of Virginia who had been an organizer and officer in Virginia’s Rockbridge Artillery.
Assigned to Army of the Valley
Battle of Front Royal
Assigned to Ashby’s cavalry in the retreat up the Shenandoah Valley
Battle of Harrisonburg
June 8
Battle of Cross Keys

Supported the 1st Maryland Infantry Regiment
June 9
Battle of Port Republic

General Taylor presented two captured Napoleons to the battery.
June 26
Gaines’ Mill
June 29
Dispatch Station
July 1
Malvern Hill
July Moved to Charlotteville and rested for a month.
August 21 Engaged with United States Regulars. Four men were killed.
August 24-26 Marched 50 miles in 48 hours with nothing to eat except the green corn in the fields, then gorged on Federal supplies at Manassas Junction.
August 29-30
Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run)
September Crossed the Potomac and spent three days in Frederick.
September 12 Recrossed the Potomac and drove Federal troops out of Martinsburg
September 14-15
Harpers Ferry

The battery was positioned on Loudon Heights.
September 16 Marched to join Lee’s force at Sharpsburg, arriving in the evening.
September 17
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)

The battery was commanded by Captain John B. Brockenbrough and was equipped with one 3″ Ordnance Rifle, one Blakely Rifle, one 10-pounder Parrott and one 12 pounder Howitzer. The Howitzer was iron, and may have been unique at Antietam. The battery is said to have fired the first shots of the battle on the morning of September 17.

From the monument to the battery on the Antietam battlefield:

The Battery, under the command of Capt. J.B. Brockenbrough, occupied a position near this marker at daybreak, and opened the battle on the Confederate side. 

From a tablet next to the monument:

The Baltimore Battery (Confederate) fired from this spot into the Union forces in the Cornfield. It included a 12-pounder iron howitzer (like the small gun before you), the only one of its kind among the 500 cannon at Antietam.
October Went into winter quarters near Newmarket.
December 13
Battle of Fredericksburg

Captain Brockenbrough was wounded in the arm.
1863
March 2 Captain Brockenbrough was promoted to major and assigned as Chief of Artillery to Brigadier General Taliferro. Captain William H. Griffin took over command of the battery.
June Assigned to Horse Artillery, Cavalry Division, Army of the Potomac
June 9
Battle of Brandy Station
June 12 Marched to Winchester with the Maryland Line.
June 13-15
Second Battle of Winchester

The battery shelled Star Fort, and was given first choice of the captured Federal guns.
June 16 Temporarily assigned to Jenkins’ Cavalry Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army of Northern Virginia.
July 1 Skirmish at Carlisle and bombardment of Harrisburg.
July 2-3
Battle of Gettysburg

Commanded by Captain William H. Griffin, it brought four 10-pounder Parrotts to the field. Temporarily assigned to Latimer’s artillery, 2nd Corps on Benner’s Hill.
Duel at Mount Zion with Battery M, U.S. Regulars
Battle of Hagerstown
September 10
Culpeper Court House

The battery lost one of its guns and crew captured after its infantry support withdrew.
October 10 Assigned to Young’s Brigade, Hampton’s Division, Cavalry Corps for a raid on James City
October 12 Raid at Brandy Station
October 14
Bristoe Station
October To Hanover Junction to join the reformed Maryland Line.
1864
May 10 Temporarily attached to Stuart’s cavalry to intercept Sheridan’s raid on Richmond.
May 11
Yellow Tavern

Dueled three Federal batteries at 800 yards range, losing heavy casualties and almost losing two guns.
June Attached to General Bradley Johnson’s 1st Maryland Cavalry, Army of the Valley
July 30
Burning of Chambersburg
August 7
Battle of Moorefield

The battery lost thirteen men killed and wounded before they could even load their guns during a Federal surprise attack.
August Moved to New Market and were refitted and reinforcements from Marylanders who had been serving at Fort Sumter.
September 21-22
Battle of Fisher’s Hill
October 9
Woodstock
1865
March 2
Battle of Waynesboro

The battery lost four guns and 23 men captured as the remnants of Early’s Army of the Shenandoah were overwhemed and either captured or scattered.
March Survivors ordered to Petersburg to fight as infantry.
April 9
Appomattox Court House

Surrendered with Lee’s army

Other officers included Lieutenants William B. Beam, John McNulty, James T. Wilhelm, and John W. Goodman.