Union or Confeds?

[Unionist]

This isn't a photograph but I didn't know where else to put it. This is from Harper's Weekly and I can't tell if it is Union or Confederate. Both regiments were called First Maryland Regiment. Can anyone tell if which side the men playing football are on? The uniforms look like Union but the wiki page says they are Confederates. But I've been burned using wiki before.

Expired Image Removed

 

[Rob9641]

The First Maryland Eastern Shore was a Union regiment.

 

[Unionist]

The First Maryland Eastern Shore was a Union regiment.

Is that who this is? Because the Confederates were also called First Maryland? And the pic doesn't say Eastern Shore, at least that I could find. Here is the wiki page which uses this picture:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Maryland_Infantry,_CSA

 

[ErnieMac]

The original photo in Harper's Weekly was captioned "Camp Johnson, near Winchester Virginia - The First Maryland Regiment playing foot-ball before evening parade." Based on the date of the photo (August 1861, Winchester was first occupied by Union troops in March 1862) and the name of the encampment (Camp Johnson - Colonel Bradley T. Johnson commanded the 1st Maryland, CSA) I'd say it was the Confederate regiment. An interesting link concerning a 150 year anniversary of the game follows.
http://www.shenandoahmuseum.org/press_room/press_detail.php?news_ID=134

 

[Rob9641]

Erniemac's link settles it. Confederate.

 

[John Hartwell]

They certainly look like Federal uniforms, but, so early in the war, the Confederate regiment might well have been wearing some prewar (militia?) variant, perhaps even blue.

It is a bit unexpected to find this in Harper's Weekly, though, a very pro-Union New York magazine.

jno

 

[Unionist]

So are we back to being unsure? I'm so confused lol

 

[matthew mckeon]

It's a northern newspaper. The engraver/illustrator might never have seen the actual scene he drew. So he puts in federal type uniforms.

 

[Unionist]

I think it's Union:
http://mitchellarchives.com/football-during-the-civil-war.htm

 

[ErnieMac]

The closest Union troops to Winchester were at Harper's Ferry.

 

[Mdiesel]

Is that who this is? Because the Confederates were also called First Maryland? And the pic doesn't say Eastern Shore, at least that I could find. Here is the wiki page which uses this picture:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Maryland_Infantry,_CSA

When talking about regiments from Maryland with the designation of "1st", things can get confusing. There was the 1st Maryland, CSA & the 1st Maryland, US volunteers. These two regiments fought each other at Front Royal during Jackson's Shenandoah Campaign. The 1st Maryland, CSA disbanded when enlistments expired in summer of 1862. They had fought from 1st Manassas through Seven Days. A core group of veterans then formed the nucleus of the reincarnated 1st Maryland, CSA. They famously fought Union Marylanders at Culp's Hill. By 1864 their designation was changed from 1st Maryland to 2nd Maryland, CSA. The regiments they faced at Culp's Hill were the 1st Maryland Potomac Home Guard & 1st Maryland Eastern Shore (confused yet?). Lol, that makes 2 Confederate Regiments that carried the designation of "1st Maryland" & 3 Union "1st Maryland" regiments... not so strange I quess, everybody wants to be #1

BTW, I agree with ErnieMac that image above is of the Confederate 1st Maryland playing Football.

 

[Deleted member 8452]

I have read that Confederate soldiers from Maryland had the best looking uniforms of the confederate army, and the fact that this picture takes place in early 1862, the neat uniforms, and possible federal style is not a suprise

 

[Mdiesel]

I have read that Confederate soldiers from Maryland had the best looking uniforms of the confederate army, and the fact that this picture takes place in early 1862, the neat uniforms, and possible federal style is not a suprise

It was said that their attire was "Natty", which meant neat in the parlance of the times. They were orphans literally as they were exiled from returning home by the Unionist legislature of War time Maryland. Therefore, I believe they had a number of sponsors in the South who were touched by the Marylanders sacrifice in becoming political pariahs at home in order to serve the Confederacy. Aside from that they were fanatical in support of the Confederacy & the members of the 2nd Maryland were often used on picket duty late in the war. At a time of high levels of desertion, these hard core Rebel Marylanders were trusted to stick to their posts!

 

[Unionist]

It was said that their attire was "Natty", which meant neat in the parlance of the times. They were orphans literally as they were exiled from returning home by the Unionist legislature of War time Maryland. Therefore, I believe they had a number of sponsors in the South who were touched by the Marylanders sacrifice in becoming political pariahs at home in order to serve the Confederacy. Aside from that they were fanatical in support of the Confederacy & the members of the 2nd Maryland were often used on picket duty late in the war. At a time of high levels of desertion, these hard core Rebel Marylanders were trusted to stick to their posts!

That's pretty cool. Looked up my CSA relatives to see if any were in the Maryland regiment. Nope. So what ever came of them after the war? Did MD allow them back in?

 

[Mdiesel]

That's pretty cool. Looked up my CSA relatives to see if any were in the Maryland regiment. Nope. So what ever came of them after the war? Did MD allow them back in?

Yes, many of the Confederates were from the "upper crust" of Maryland society. The law exiling them was overturned not long after the war. They not only returned, but returned to power holding positions of influence.

 

[Unionist]

Do you have any links on their banishment?

 

[Mdiesel]

Do you have any links on their banishment?

Look up the Maryland Constitution of 1864. It was a historic document that abolished slavery in the State. It also disenfranchised all those Marylanders who served the Confederate Cause or gave material aid, or simply gave voice to Southern sympathy.