March 19, 2014

One of the regiments in which I’ve always been interested is the 1^ST Maryland Battalion CSA (later known as the 2^ND Maryland). I knew they had a flank marker near Pardee Field at Culp's Hill but had never seen it . . . I figured it was in some out-of-the-way place, hidden in the woods. In fact, recently, as I took some new photos of Pardee Field, I thought of that flank marker and resigned myself to the fact that it was very unlikely I’d discover it.

Fortunately, some earlier visitor had unwittingly left me a clue. We were driving along and I looked to the right, and lo and behold there was a big Maryland flag next to a flank marker. I thought, ‘there’s a Maryland flag and a Confederate flag, and the only Confederate Maryland regiment was the 1^ST Battalion who fought right here’, so I got out and sure enough, it was the one I was looking for. Were it not for that Maryland flag, I would have passed it by as any other flank marker and not even bothered to look. I crunched through the snow, took some photos, and looked at the panorama in the distance, Pardee Field and the Union line sitting as if frozen in time.

The view at first glance . . . thanks, flags!

The flank marker is located to the left of this Pardee Field photo

Maybe the Maryland boys spoke to me that day.

**HONORED TODAY**

PVT. DAVID SIPE

Co. C, 28^TH North Carolina Infantry

Born September 09, 1829 --- Died July 06, 1863 at age 33

Pvt. Sipe’s eldest child Frances was only seven when he enlisted in August 1861, while his other children were five (Candace), three (Harriet), and Deborah (two). Less than two years later they would be fatherless. Pvt. Sipe’s death date is listed variously as July 3 and July 6. His place of burial is unknown.


(c) 2013-2014 Skies of Blue and Gray