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Federal Regiment

Purnell Legion Infantry

Organized: Baltimore, MD; mustered in 12/31/1861
Disbanded/Mustered out: 10/24/1864

 

Commanding Officer on the Antietam Campaign:
  LCol. Benjamin L. Simpson

 

This Regiment's Chain of Command:
  Army - Army of the Potomac
  Corps - Twelfth Army Corps
  Division - 2nd Division, 12th Corps
  Brigade - 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 12th Corps


Unit history

Purnell Legion Infantry, Maryland Volunteers, consisting of nine companies of infantry, two companies of cavalry, and two batteries of light artillery were recruited under the auspices of the Hon. William H. Purnell, Postmaster at Baltimore, Md., at Pikesville Arsenal, near Baltimore, between October 31, 1861, and December 31, 1861. The Legion was raised, under special authority of the Secretary of War, to serve three years.

Upon the resignation of Colonel William H. Purnell, in February, 1862, the legion organization was discontinued and the different arms of the service—infantry, cavalry, and artillery—were made independent of each other.

Source: History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-6, Volume 367, Page 460, from the Maryland State Archives Online.

Maps Showing this Unit

Battlefield Tablets for this Unit

Tablet #120: Army of the Potomac - 17 Sep, 5 AM to 17 Sep, 12 PM
Tablet #114: Goodrich's Brigade, Greene's Division - 17 Sep, 6 AM to 17 Sep, 10 AM
Tablet #27: Twelfth Army Corps - 17 Sep, 6 AM to 17 Sep, 12 PM
Tablet #20: Goodrich's Brigade, Greene's Division - 17 Sep, 6 AM to 17 Sep, 9 AM
Tablet #113: Goodrich's Brigade, Greene's Division - 17 Sep, 6 AM to 17 Sep, 9 AM

We have 8 individuals in the AotW database who were on the Maryland Campaign with this unit:

 

Co. Rank Name Casualty? Details*
BPvtReed, David MWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtEngish, James KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
EPvtBurns, Jonathan P.WIA   09/17
EPvtMeans, John KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
FPvtSpicer, Adam C.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
GPvtBrittingham, John S.WIA   09/17
HLtBogardus, Jr., Stephen H.WIA   09/17     We have a picture for this person We have some details for this person
F&SLColSimpson, Benjamin Louis        We have a picture for this person We have some details for this person

 

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