Memoir of Jane C. Johnson. 35
withdrawing from the convention, and uniting with the States Rights members, North and South, in the Democratic National Convention, which nominated Breckinridge and Lane.
The members who remained as the National Democratic Conven- tion nominated Douglas and Johnston. The result is history.
In all this exciting time Mrs Johnson was always with her husband, heart and soul, and sustaining his every act, with soul stirring sym- pathy and chivalric courage.
When it became clear that the issue of arms was to be made and tried, her husband, with her constant support, enlisted a company of boys at Frederick, which he armed and clothed, very poorly but the best that could be done at his own expense, and prepared to lead them to Virginia, she entirely consenting and assisting.
She had a fine house, well furnished, with every comfort and con- venience. She left that just as it was, to the care of S. Teakle Wil- lis, John Hanson Thomas, Ross Winans, John C. Brune, and the rest of the Baltimore Delegation in the legislature, which was in Frederick, in session.
On May 7, 1861, she went to Chestnut Hill, Va., the residence of a friend, Mrs. Mason, and the next day her husband followed her with his company the Frederick Volunteers to Point of Rocks. There, in a few days, he was joined by a company from Baltimore, Capt. Edelin, and other companies were rapidly collected at Har- per's Ferry. They were all mustered into the service of the Con- federate States on May 21-22, 1861, the object being to form them as a nucleus for the Maryland Line, which was to be the representa- tive of Maryland in the Southern Confederacy and to win for their State a place in the new government. But a crisis soon confronted the Marylanders. Of the 500 men at the Point of Rocks and Har- per's Ferry, Company A, from Frederick only were armed, and that only with Hall's Carbines, the original antiquated and useless breech- loader, long since discarded by the army of the United States. The men had nothing, no arms, no clothes, no tents, no camp equipage, axes, hatchets, skillets nor camp kettles.
They could draw rations, but did not know how to cook them, even if they had had the utensils.
Utter and entire disorganization faced them. On every side were cordial invitations to join Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina or Mississippi Companies.'
But the men all knew that the disappearance of that battallion from the army would mean the death of Maryland's hopes to join
