User Tools

Site Tools


ellicotts_mills

Military Operations at Ellicott's Mills, MD, 1861-1865

Images of Ellicott's Mills

Letters from Camp Johnson

5/6/1861 - “DEPARTMENT OF ANNAPOLIS, May 6, 1861.

Lieutenant-General SCOTT:

GENERAL: In obedience to your command, I have occupied the station at the Relay House, nine miles from Baltimore, with the Eighth New York Regiment. I have learned however that a force of two regiments of dragoons had been raised and were in force at Ellicott's Mills, some eight miles from this point, and I therefore ordered up Major Cook's light battery, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, which was with me at Annapolis; and as I was moving Colonel Jones' Sixth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia from the capital, I ordered them also here…” - War of the Rebellion: Serial 002 Page 0623 Chapter IX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

5/31/1861 - “An advance guard of sixty United States troops were at Hallafield, above Ellicott's Mills, yesterday morning.” - Baltimore Sun, 5/31/1861

7/31/1861 - 4th Wisconsin - “One such detachment under the command of Company I's Sergeant James Farnsworth guarded the woods near Ellicott's Mills on the Harper's Ferry Railroad. Its instructions were to inspect all goods which passed south…”

10/1861-11/1861 - “During its stay at the Relay House, a detachment occupied Ellicott's Mills, guarding the Harper's Ferry R. R., and examining the goods which passed toward the enemy…” - History and catalogue of the Fourth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers, from June, 1861 to March, 1864.

11/9/1861 - 10th Maine - “Lieut. Turner of Company B., has a detachment of twenty men with him at Ellicott's Mills.” - Lewiston Daily Evening Journal, 11/15/1861

11/14/1861 - “Three companies of the 10th Maine have arrived. One relieves the railroad guard; one the company at the fort, and the other one goes to Ellicott's Mills.” - Manitowoc Herald, 11/14/1861

11/30/1861 - “On Wednesday, a soldier named Knight, belonging to Captain McGowan's company of Home Guards, at Ellicott's Mills, went over to the Patapsco bridge, and while there a gun in the hands of a member of a New York regiment [60th], guarding the bridge, was accidentally discharged, injuring Knight so severely as to cause his death on Thursday.” - Baltimore Sun, 11/30/1861

2/27/1862 - 10th Maine. “At Ellicott's Mills, two miles further on, Capt. Jordan was put off with Co. C.” - History of the first, tenth, twenty-ninth Maine Regiments…by John Mead Gould.

3/9/1862 - 10th Maine. “We have been up here to Ellicotts Mills over a week.” - Ned Mitchell letter from Maryland, 1862, Blanchard family papers, Maine Historical Society.

9/8/1862 - “Monday morning, September 8th, we rise early…take the Baltimore and Ohio train for Ellicott's Mills…where we unload at 3.20, march up a high hill, or young mountain, steep as a house roof, form camp, and pitch tents on the level, grassy summit…” - History of the men of Co. F, with description of the marches and battles of the 12th New Jersey Vols. … Dedicated to “our dead.” by New Jersey Infantry. 12th regt., 1862-1865. Co. F; Haines, Wm. P. (William P.).

9/12/1862 - “September 12, 1862-2.30 p. m.
General HALLECK, General-in-Chief:
You can put any of my troops under McClellan's command. They are all on the railroad, in detachments and regiments. I have two regiments at the Relay House, one at Ellicott's Mills, one at Elysville…” - War of the Rebellion: Serial 028 Page 0275 Chapter XXXI. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

9/12/1862 - A detachment of the 13th Pennsylvania Cavalry reported to be doing Provost duty at Ellicott's Mills on 9/12/1862, and also on 12/10/1862.

9/15/1862 - “ELLICOTT'S MILLS, September 13th….The Twelfth New Jersey Regiment…is doing garrison and picket duty at this point” - The Philadelphia Enquirer, 9/15/1862

9/16/1862 - “Our regiment, Twelfth New Jersey, has been here nearly a week..Our regiment is now on detached service, some companies being on picket six miles from camp; others are guarding bridges, railroads, &c.” - The Philadelphia Inquirer, 9/16/1862

10/5/1862 - “The camp although situated on what seems to us a very high hill, lay at our feet while on either side of it was a diversified view of hill and vale, woods, and farms and to crown all the Patapsco rushing over its rocky bed in a series of miniature rapids and waterfalls…” - Letter of Lt. Joseph Pierson, 12th New Jersey Infantry

10/25/1862 - “ELLICOTT'S MILLS…The 12th New-Jersey Regiment…are encamped near Ellicott's Mills on an elevated and healthy position…” - [New York] Methodist, 10/25/1862

12/4/1862 - “BALTIMORE, MD., December 4, 1862-10.10 p.m.
Major General H. W. HALLECK,
General-in-Chief:

I have received your dispatch. I think I can spare three regiments and a battery of six pieces-one regiment from Ellicott's Mills and two from the Northern Central Railroad. If necessary, hereafter they can be replaced by drafted militia. Let me know when you desire the troops sent.

JOHN E. WOOL,
Major-General.” - War of the Rebellion: Serial 031 Page 0829 Chapter XXXIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.

12/10/1862 - “…the time has come for the regiment to leave the pleasant hills and associations of Ellicott's Mills, but not to forget the…healthful location, with that memorable spring gushing forth from the rocks, supplying the whole regiment with its clear, pure waters.” - History of the men of Co. F, with description of the marches and battles of the 12th New Jersey Vols. … Dedicated to “our dead.”

[“HOWARD COUNTY Ellicott City Population in 1910 1,151 Examination of the water system was made in January Ellicott City is served by a public water supply…Originally this supply was obtained from three springs and a tubular well situated on a hill northwest of the town The spring water flows to a storage reservoir …”] - Annual Report of the State Board of Health of Maryland, For the Year Ending 1913.

2/5/1863 - 138th Pennsylvania. “The regiment spread out at different points all along the railroad. Four companies were stationed at Relay Station, two on duty one day, the other two on duty the next. Company G was stationed at Fort Dix, near to the junction, while Company B was stationed at the village of Ellicott's Mills.” - “From the 138th Regiment” Star and Banner , 5 February, 1863, p. 2, column 5.

6/27/1863 - “The Regiment reached Ellicotts Mills on the evening of the same day; pitched shelter tents, for the first time; and amid the fragrant grasses of a lofty hill near the town slept as only soldiers can.” - Second Lieutenant John H. Shane, Co I (E.S.) Md, National Tribune, 11/27/1924

6/28/1863 - “On the 28th June, we received marching orders… Without incident, we rapidly passed over the beautiful country that lies each side of the Frederick turnpike, and entered the village of Ellicotts Mills, as the sun was going to rest. The excitement of the city had spread to the village. The whole population turned out to give us welcome, and cheer us on. National banners were displayed from every house we passed. Loyal-hearted men gathered in groups, and gave loud expression to their sympathies, while beautiful ladies clapped their hands for joy, and loaded us down with choice flowers. The heart of this loyal village was stirred, and we were deeply grateful for this sudden and unexpected ovation. We encamped near by, serenaded the ladies, and enjoyed the substantial hospitalities of our new made friends until a late hour of the night. The morning of the 29th..Preparations were made for a speedy departure…Before leaving, I could but linger, and admire the beautiful scenery that lay around me — we had encamped upon the summit of a lofty hill. In front was the thriving village, just beginning to stir with life; at the foot of the hill lay the smiling valley of the Patapsco, dappled all over with elegant homesteads of a wealthy and refined population…” - Col. James Wallace of the 1st Eastern Shore, “Our Country”, edited by Almira Hart Lincoln Phelps.

6/28/1863 - “Baltimore, June 28, 1863.
(Received 7. 45 p. m.)
Honorable E. M. STANTON,
Secretary of War:

General Schenck is advised that a strong brigade of Confederate cavalry has crossed the Potomac above Washington, near Poolesville, and that it is undoubtedly making its way to the Washington Branch Railroad. General Meade telegraphs General Schenck to increase the force at Ellicott's Mills, with orders to hold that bridge, and also the Relay House, at all hazards. General Schenck has ordered a regiment of 375 men from Baltimore to the Relay, for which transportation is now waiting. The Sixth New York, from the Monocacy, will also be sent to the Relay, reaching that point about 8 this p. m. He will also send the Third Potomac Home Brigade, to protect the important bridges at Elysville. The force between the Relay and Washington is small. If such an attack as stated is to be made, increased forces should be placed at once to cover the principal bridges, viz: At Bladensburg, Laurel, and Savage. …” - War of the Rebellion: Serial 045 Page 0382 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.

9/1863 - 11th Maryland at Ellicott's Mills, per OR. - The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official … ser.1:v.29:pt.2:Correspondence.

ellicotts_mills.txt · Last modified: 2019/06/21 17:37 by admin