The World Turned Upside Down - 2nd Maryland Continental Regiment.

The 2nd Maryland Regiment origins commenced with the authorizing on the 14th January 1776 of the formation of the Maryland State Troops as seven independent companies, and from the 6th July to 15th August 1776 the companies were assigned to the main Continental Army and officially adopted on the 17th August 1776. 

The Independent Companies formally became the 2nd Maryland Regiment in January 1777, with an additional company added, under the command of Colonel Thomas Price, a French Indian Wars veteran and de facto commander of the independent companies which he had led as a major in 1776 at the Battle of Harlem Heights, during Washington's defence of New York.

On 22nd May 1777 the 2nd Maryland Regiment was assigned to the 2nd Maryland Brigade in the main Continental Army under the command of Brigadier General Preudhomme De Borre, part of Major General John Sullivan's Division.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battle_of_Staten_Island,_1777.svg

On August 21st, the 2nd Maryland joined General Sullivan who gathered 1,000 troops from Maryland, New Jersey, and Canada together, after which they marched to Elizabethtown and began crossing over to Staten Island in the morning. The force broke into several smaller groups with differing objectives, and looking to take advantage of General Howe sailing with most of his army from New York City in July, and potentially leaving the British position on Staten Island vulnerable to a surprise attack.

As a result of not enough boats to effect a retreat, costing the American force two companies, an incompetent guide misleading one of the detachments to the front of the British positions rather than its rear,  American losses of dead, wounded, and captured were each double or more than those of the British, depriving Washington of some 180-300 men needed for his campaign to defend Philadelphia; and although Sullivan was accused of mismanaging the raid, a generous court martial held later in 1777 exonerated him of all charges.

The Philadelphia Campaign of 1777

In late August 1777, after a distressing 34-day journey from Sandy Hook on the coast of New Jersey, a Royal Navy fleet of more than 260 ships carrying some 17,000 British troops under the command of British General Sir William Howe landed at the head of the Elk River, on the northern end of the Chesapeake Bay near present-day Elkton, Maryland (then known as Head of Elk), approximately 40–50 miles southwest of Philadelphia.

2nd Maryland Brigade at Brandywine:

Brigadier General Chevalier Philippe Hubert Preudhomme de Borre

2nd Maryland Regiment - 118 men, Colonel Thomas Price
4th Maryland Regiment, Colonel Josias Carvil Hall - 200 men 
7th Maryland Regiment - 95 men

German Battalion - 305men
2nd Canadian Regiment, Colonel Moses Hazen - 393 men

Source: Greg Novak

Major General Sullivan's division extended northward along the Brandywine's east banks, covering the high ground north of Chadds Ford.

After a skirmish at Cooch's Bridge south of Newark, the British troops moved north and Washington abandoned a defensive encampment along the Red Clay Creek near Newport, Delaware, to deploy against the British at Chadds Ford on the Brandywine river, with Major General Sullivan's division extended northward along the Brandywine's east banks, covering the high ground north of Chadds Ford.

By 4 p.m., the British attacked, with he British Brigade of Guards catching de Borre's 2nd Maryland Brigade by surprise on the American left.

The British appeared on the Americans' right flank at around 2 p.m. and took a much-needed rest on Osborne Hill, a commanding position north of the Continental army, meanwhile having received intelligence from Colonel Bland's scouts, Washington ordered Sullivan to take overall command of Stirling and Stephen's divisions (in addition to his own) and quickly march north to meet the British flank attack. 

Howe was slow to attack, which bought time for the Americans to position some of their men on high ground near Birmingham Meetinghouse, about a mile  north of Chadds Ford. 

By 4 p.m., the British attacked, with the British Brigade of Guards catching de Borre's 2nd Maryland Brigade by surprise on the American left, before they had had time to fully form, and immediately sent them into disarray, causing the entire division to rout. Initially, Stephen's and Stirling's divisions held firm, aided by a battery of artillery on a knoll between their divisions, however, the British light infantry battalions, aided by the Jaegers, eventually caused Stephen's division to fall back, and a bayonet charge by the British grenadier battalions, in the centre, similarly forced Stirling to retreat. 

Charles Lefferts interpretation of a

Private, 2nd Maryland Continental Infantry in 1777.

It seems nigh on impossible to make definite pronouncements on Continental Infantry regiments and their appearance but most references agree that in 1777 most of the Maryland companies were uniformed in blue faced with red, as shown, and in the general orders of 1779, Washington desired the Maryland Line to wear blue faced with red, substituting long overalls and waistcoats of white linen in summer, and white woollen in winter, in place of the buckskin breeches shown in the picture. Hunting shirts of homespun were worn on field service in place of the uniform coats throughout the army at the same time, by all the regiments so equipped.

The American retreat was well organized, largely because of the efforts of the Marquis de Lafayette, who, although wounded, created a rallying point that allowed for a more orderly retreat before being treated for his wound, however on September 26th, 1777, British forces marched into Philadelphia unopposed.

After capturing the city Howe left a garrison of some 3,000 troops, while moving the bulk of his force to the outlying community of Germantown, and on the 4th October 1777 Washington's 11,000-strong army attacked the 9,000-man British army through a heavy morning fog with four separate columns designed to converge on the British position.

Battle of Germantown, October 4th 1777, showing the advance of Sullivan's 1st and 2nd Maryland Brigades advance met by Agnew's 4th British brigade and pushed back, as the American attack collapsed.

With the American reserve distracted into a costly attack against a 120 man British garrison holding Chew House, and a friendly fire exchange between the two centre columns, the American attack lost impetus and both columns retreated, whilst the two wide flanking columns numbering 3,000 American militia had little effect on the outcome. American losses were 152 men killed, 521 wounded and 438 captured, while Howe's men suffered 71 killed, 448 wounded and 14 missing.

During his tenure as colonel of the 2nd Maryland, Price's men endured heavy casualties at the Battle of Staten Island, Brandywine and Germantown, and throughout this period, Price was dogged by accusations of poor leadership and cowardice. He requested a court martial in November 1777 and was acquitted, but further complaints by other officers and another court martial, again successfully defended would see him forced to resign his commission.

Washington Rallying the Troops at Monmouth - Emanuel Leutze

The regiment would emerge from the Valley Forge winter quarters under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Woolford, and on the 2nd May 1778 reported a strength of 240 men and the following month would join with the 4th and 6th Maryland Regiments as part of the new 2nd Maryland Brigade in the Reserve at the Battle of Monmouth, June 28th, 1778, under Major-General Lafayette, now boasting some 345 men on strength.

On the 12th May 1779 the regiment was re-organized to nine companies and the 2nd Maryland Regiment, as part of the 2nd Maryland Brigade found itself part of Major General Johann von Robais, Baron de Kalb's Division and in April 1779 reported a strength of 293 men fit for duty from an on strength total of some 388 men.

The Siege of Charleston (1780) by Alonzo Chappel

After the unsuccessful attempt to capture Savannah, Georgia, under the command of General Benjamin Lincoln, the Southern Department of the Continental Army retreated to Charleston, South Carolina, and General Sir Henry Clinton moved his forces to surround the city where Lincoln's army had taken refuge, cutting off any chance of relief for the Continental Army. On the 12th of May, 1780 Lincoln surrendered the city but not before getting a message to Washington and the Continental Congress requesting aid. 

At the end of April 1780, Washington dispatched General de Kalb with 1,400 Maryland and Delaware troops, with the Maryland Line making up a large proportion of this force.

The movements of the various detachments of the British and American armies contesting control of the South after the fall of Charleston to the British in 1780.

General Clinton returned to New York on the 5th June, 1780 after the southern remnants of the Continental Army were defeated in May at the Battle of Waxhaws, tasking Lord Cornwallis with the pacification of the remaining portions of the state.

Battle of Waxhaws - Dale Watson

General de Kalb and his troops arrived at the Buffalo Ford on the Deep River, 30 miles south of Greensboro, in July 1780, to be joined by General Horatio Gates, the "Hero of Saratoga" who arrived in camp on the 25th July, to take command.

Major General Johann von Robais, Baron de Kalb

Two days later, Gates ordered his army to take the direct road to Camden, against the advice of his officers, including Otho Holland Williams, colonel of the 6th Maryland Regiment and serving in the post of Adjutant-General to General De Kalb. 

Colonel Otho Holland Williams
6th Maryland Regiment and Adjutant general to General De Kalb.

Williams noted the country they were marching through;

"was by nature barren, abounding with sandy plains, intersected by swamps, and very thinly inhabited,"

and what few inhabitants they might have come across were most likely hostile. All of the troops had been short of food since arrival at the Deep River.  

At Camden, Gates made a fatal decision, with his right wing was comprising 900 Maryland and Delaware infantry, commanded by Major General Johann de Kalb, he placed on the left wing some 2,500 untried North Carolina and Virginia militia and a handful of cavalry and other light infantry behind them, with seven artillery pieces throughout the line. Thus he ended up with the least reliable troops in front of the best British Regulars, this while he stayed 200 yards behind the front line with the reserve, comprised of three small Maryland regiments straddling the road. At Camden the 2nd Maryland were estimated to have had a strength of around 170 men with Greg Novak estimating the total number of Continentals to have been nearer 1,344 men.

After brief aggressive manoeuvring which threatened the British position in the Carolinas, Cornwallis moved his forces to engage the American forces, and the two armies met at the Battle of Camden on August 16th, 1780, six miles north of Camden, South Carolina. Due to several tactical errors on the part of General Gates, Cornwallis achieved a decisive victory, and deserted by their commander and facing opposition on all sides, the Continental Army was forced to retreat.

During this engagement, Williams had been stationed to the rear of the army and was unable to contribute until the end and General de Kalb was mortally wounded. Prior to his death three days after the battle, de Kalb paid a glowing tribute to the Maryland Troop under his command.

Late in 1780 Major General Nathanael Greene replaced General Horatio Gates as commander of the Southern Continental Army and divided his new command into smaller forces designed to spread out the fighting and give him time to rebuild the army after its losses at Camden. This strategy of avoidance and attrition against the British, saw the two forces fight a string of battles, illustrated in the movements map above, most of which were victories for the British Army, but with a high cost in casualties that weakened it, while the Continental Army remained largely intact to continue fighting.

The Battle of Cowpens - Don Troiani

On the 18th January 1781 Lord Cornwallis learned he had lost one-quarter of his army at the Battle of Cowpens, but never the less was still determined to pursue Greene into North Carolina and destroy his army.

The Battle of Guilford Court House was fought on the 15th March 1781 near Greensboro, North Carolina, which saw a 2,100-man British force under the command of Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis defeat Major General Nathanael Greene's 4,500 Americans, but caused the British to suffer considerable casualties, with estimates as high as 27% of their total force.

The three line battle arrangement adopted by Greene at Guilford Courthouse is illustrated, with the third line, 500 yards to the rear on a slight rise near the courthouse, being the main line of battle consisting of 1,400 Continentals from Virginia, Delaware, and Maryland on the west side of the road. The Maryland Brigade now under the command of Colonel Otho Williams consisted of the 1st and 2nd Maryland Regiments each around 360 men strong when they encountered the 2nd British Guards.

After the British forces had broken Greene's first line made up of North Carolina Militia and the second line made up of Virginia Militia they threatened the third line that included the 1st Maryland Regiment, under the command of Colonel John Gunby, and the 2nd Maryland Regiment. The Brigade of Guards, under the command of a Colonel Stewart, broke through the 2nd Maryland Regiment, captured two field pieces and threatened the rear of the 1st Maryland forces whom were already hotly engaged with the British brigade under the command of a Colonel James Webster.

The Battle of Guilford Court House (March 15, 1781) from Soldiers of the American Revolution by H. Charles McBarron. Washington's dragoons are depicted in the background charging to the assistance of the hard pressed Marylanders.

The 1st Maryland Regiment charged and forced Webster's forces to pull back in disorder, allowing them to turn to face the oncoming guards unit, which after a brief exchange of musket fire, in which 1st Maryland's commander's horse was shot from under him, the 1st Maryland Regiment charged the Guards who were driven back and subsequently charged by William Washington's dragoons.

My recent interpretation of the 6th Maryland which fought the rear guard
at Guilford Courthouse under Colonel Otho Williams.
JJ's Wargames - 6th Maryland Continental Regiment

Greene, not able to see this part of the battle from his vantage point, had already ordered a retreat, and thus, unsupported, the Maryland troops were soon forced to withdraw, with the 6th Maryland Regiment under Otho Williams acting as the rear guard of the army, and credited with holding off the British forces to allow Greene to move his forces to safety.

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse - Don Troiani.
The British Foot Guards are taken in the flank by William Washington's Light horse, which due to the wooded terrain, noise and smoke of battle caused the Guards not to see them coming. The dragoons rode through them and threw them into disorder but they recovered and the British won the battle, though at heavy cost.

The battle was "the largest and most hotly contested action" in the American Revolution's southern theatre, and on March 17th, two days after the battle, Cornwallis reported his casualties as 3 officers and 88 men of other ranks killed, and 24 officers and 384 men of other ranks wounded, with a further 25 men missing in action. Among the wounded was brigade commander, Lt. Colonel James Webster, who died two weeks later, and Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton, leading the British Legion cavalry, losing two fingers from taking a bullet in his right hand.

Greene reported his casualties as 57 killed, 111 wounded, and 161 missing among the Continental troops, and 22 killed, 74 wounded, and 885 missing for the militia, a total of 79 killed, 185 wounded, and 1,046 missing.

In the spring of 1781, Cornwallis moved into Virginia, intent on destroying Patriot supply centres, leaving the Carolinas with a garrison of roughly 2,500 men. General Greene sought to take advantage of Cornwallis's absence and entered South Carolina with 2,200 men with intent of driving the British back to Charleston.

Despite suffering setbacks at Hobkirk Hill and Ninety Six, Greene continued to drive the British from the South Carolina backcountry, and toward the end of August, he led his army out of the High Hills of the Santee intent on engaging a British force under Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Stewart.

The armies collided on September 8th, 1781, when Stewart detached roughly a quarter of his force to forage near his camp, and Greene’s vanguard capturing a number of the foragers, before engaging British dragoons and opening the battle.

Greene deployed his infantry in three lines, militia in front of regulars, and advanced towards the camp. Greene steadily drove the British back to their camp where Stewart made a stand at a brick mansion and adjacent palisaded garden. This bought time for the British to rally and launch a counterattack, forcing Greene to break off the fight and withdraw, and After camping on the battlefield, Stewart withdrew toward Monck’s Corner and eventually towards the protection of Charleston.

The 2nd Maryland had about 180 men, about half of Otho William's Maryland Brigade, fighting alongside Smallwood's 1st Marylanders.

Including the loss of the foraging party, and counting the 54 wounded men whom Stewart decided to leave behind on September 9th in the "wounded prisoners" category, gives total British casualties of 85 killed, 297 wounded, 70 wounded prisoners and 430 other prisoners. The final American revision of their losses at Eutaw Springs, compiled on September 25th, 1781, arrived at figures of 119 killed, 382 wounded and 78 missing. The British took 60 prisoners, including the wounded Colonel William Washington, and two artillery pieces.

The 2nd Maryland Regiment was furloughed January 1st, 1783 at Charleston, South Carolina and disbanded on November 15th, 1783.

As with my previous Continental regiments, my veteran 2nd Maryland are composed of the plastic offerings from Perry Miniatures, Regimental colours from GMB Designs and completed with a set of low-profile sabot bases from Supreme Littleness Designs.

Work on The World Turned Upside Down project continues on into 2026 with upcoming showcases of His Majesty's 17th Foot and the completion of my Maryland brigades with a look at the German Regiment.

As always, more anon.

JJ