November 15 & 16, 2022 Extraordinary Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2022
The Bottony Cross is inextricably associated with Confederate Maryland troops. As part of the quartered Calvert-Crossland arms, revived on the state’s Great Seal in 1854, it became a state symbol on the level of the Palmetto Tree for South Carolinians, perhaps valued the more as the state itself did not secede. Bradley Johnson used it on his headquarters flag while commanding the Maryland Line, and it is found on a guidon of the 4th Maryland (Chesapeake) Artillery. Period photos show the symbol in cloth occasionally displayed on some headgear, but these pins are more usually seen. This example appears to be constructed of a silver alloy and has a long T-bar pin on the reverse. The obverse has a simple line border. A brass numeral “2” is sweated onto the obverse at center. This could be the 2nd Maryland Infantry, Cavalry, or the 2nd Maryland Battery. The 2nd Battery, known as the Baltimore Battery or Brockenbrough’s Artillery was very active, organizing in August 1861 and seeing action in the Valley in 1862 as well as on the Peninsula, at 2nd Manassas, Antietam, where it purportedly fired the first shot of September 17, Fredericksburg, Winchester, Gettysburg, and numerous other battles all the way to Appomattox, where the survivors were serving as infantry. The 2nd Maryland Cavalry was Harry Gilmor’s battalion of partisan rangers, who saw constant action against Sheridan. The 2nd Maryland Infantry was the second iteration of the old 1st Maryland, and officially redesignated the 2nd in January 1864. It saw heavy action under its new designation against Grant in 1864 at Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Peebles Farm, and Hatchers Run, with 50 or fewer survivors to surrender at Appomattox. CONDITION: Very good.