Honor Role

Rockville residents that served in the Civil War

This is a list of Rockville residents (or thereabouts) that served during the Civil War.  This list is not comprehensive, but assembled from documentary fragments on the subjects.  We regret an omission by a lack of our knowledge.  If you can provide documentation on anyone please contact Peerless Rockville or the webmaster for this site.

Nathaniel Warren  

Mariner, U.S. Navy (Union)

Nathaniel Warren was a free black resident of Rockville, who enlisted as a mariner in the U.S. Navy in Philadelphia in 1859, at the age of twenty-four.  Thus, he was already in regular (Union) service before the war.  [Note: the U.S. Navy was integrated by race prior to the Civil War.]   Details of his service are not known.  He served throughout the war and returned to Rockville afterward.

William Veirs Bouic  

Captain, Rockville Rifles (pre-war milita)

William Veirs Bouic commanded (with militia rank of captain) the Rockville Rifles, a local militia based in town prior to the war.  The militia consisted of local residents that were organized and trained, by loose military standards, for civil defense functions--similar to National Guard units today.  Union army officials disbanded this militia unit and confiscated their weapons upon arriving in town during the Rockville Expedition, in 1861.  With known Confederate sympathies in Rockville (and being commanded by Mr. Bouic as a prominent and outspoken secessionist), having an armed militia unit in Rockville was considered a military risk to Union forces in the area.  Later in 1861, Mr. Bouic was arrested briefly for attending a disloyal meeting.

Mr. Bouic was variously a lawyer, farmer, state's attorney, Town Commissioner (1861-67) and judge.  He did not serve in a further military capacity during the war.

Levi Hoskinson

Private, Company H, 7th Virginia Infantry, "the Washington Volunteers"  (Confederate)

Levi Hoskinson was the first casualty among Rockville soldiers.  He was killed at the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas), July 21, 1861.  His obituary, reporting the circumstances of his death, appeared in the Montgomery County Sentinel, in December.  About 4:00pm on July 21, the 7th Virginia Infantry was advancing uphill to attack already retreating Union forces.  The Confederates were shelled by Union artillery covering the Union infantry withdraw.  Levi was killed by this artillery fire.  In civilian life, he was a printer for the same newspaper, likely working in the printing office at the SE corner of Washington Street and Commerce Lane (today: W. Montgomery Lane; this site is now occupied by the "old" post office).

Levi volunteered early in the war for the Confederacy.  His unit initially formed in May of 1861 in Alexandria, VA, mostly from Secessionist enlistees from Washington DC and the surrounding countryside.  But when the unit went to enlist formally, Confederate army ranks had withdrawn to Culpeper, as Alexandria was viewed as indefensible due to proximity to Washington City and exposure on the river front, controlled by Federal gunboats.  So this fresh unit reformed in Culpeper and enlisted there.  Some confusion ensued as to how to designate the unit, as this was typically done by state, but accepting a unit designated from the Federal capital was not thought proper.  So it was assigned and absorbed into the 7th Virginia Infantry (from central portions of that State) which became a magnet for other likewise "orphan" units.  

Mortimer Moulden

Provost Marshal, Rockville, Maryland  (Union)

Mortimer Moulden was a clerk of the court.  He lived on Jefferson Street; he was thirty-five in 1861.  He was appointed as Provost Marshal when the Union Army formally occupied the town during the Rockville Expedition.  A Provost Marshal is the military administrator for a civilian jurisdiction, in wartime.  He nominally commanded the garrison and was responsible for all Federal interests in the Town.  He reported disloyal citizens that aided rebel marauders or passed information.  He wrote "Is the Government aware that a letter could be thrown across the river at the Falls by wrapping it around a stone, thus giving the rebels a chance to learn our movements?  And there are plenty of rebel sympathizers to do it."

George Patterson

Teamster, 11th New York Cavalry (Union)

George Patterson was a free (black) man.  He enlisted in the Union army in the late summer of 1862, prompted by President Lincoln signing an emancipation bill for slaves in the District of Columbia.  At this stage, black recruits were not assigned fighting posts, likely leading to George's assignment as a teamster (supply wagon driver).

James Anderson

Captain, Company D, 35th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry  (Confederate)

James Anderson volunteered in 1862 for Confederate service, at the age of thirty-three.  He joined the cavalry unit led by Elijah Veirs White (35th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry), whom recruited many Montgomery County residents into service in the Confederate cause.  James rose to the rank of captain.  He was captured twice and held as a prisoner variously in Baltimore, Washington, Ohio, Delaware and South Carolina.  An interesting side story is that James' father, James Wallace Anderson lost his job at the post office in Washington for refusing to sign a loyalty oath in May 1861.  That oath likely would have had him disavow his son and foresworn any support or comfort for him while serving in the Confederate army. James Anderson was a teacher and surveyor as a civilian before the war.  He returned to live on his family farm and to education as a profession after the war, but as an administrator.  He became one of the earliest administrators of public schools in Montgomery County and helped form the Montgomery County Public School system.

Montgomery County Historical Society

Edward Wootton

[rank unknown], 35th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry  (Confederate)

Edward Wootton joined the cavalry unit led by Elijah Veirs White (35th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry) in 1862, whom recruited many Montgomery County residents into service in the Confederate cause.  

Lawrence Dawson

Draft Commissioners  (Union)

Lawrence Dawson owned the Rocky Glen Farm just south of Town.  His home is preserved in the historic district at Dawson Farm Park (in the Hungerford neighborhood).  In mid-1862, he was appointed as a draft commissioner.  He served as an enrollment officer for Rockville.  This was a very unpopular job, that of enrolling and selecting your neighbors sons for military service.  In Rockville, resentment was compounded by the Southern sympathies in Town, against involuntary service in the Union army.  The Dawson family was "ostracized from society."  Lawrence Dawson was among those arrested by JEB Stuart's Confederate cavalry when they visited Rockville, undoubtedly for this position.  The rest of the Montgomery County Draft Board was John Higgins (of Rockville), Richard Williams (clerk) and John DeSellum (of Gaithersburg). 

John Higgins

Draft Commissioner  (Union)

John Higgins was a merchant.  He owned and operated Higgins Store off Courthouse Square.  His home still stands at the NE corner of Middle Lane and Adams Street.  In mid-1862, he was appointed as a draft commissioner.  This was a very unpopular job, that of enrolling and selecting your neighbors sons for military service.  In Rockville, resentment was compounded by the Southern sympathies in Town, against involuntary service in the Union army.  John Higgins was among those arrested by JEB Stuart's Confederate cavalry when they visited Rockville, undoubtedly for this position.  His wife Dora provides the best local account of this episode in a letter.  The rest of the Montgomery County Draft Board was Lawrence Dawson (of Rockville), Richard Williams (clerk) and John DeSellum (of Gaithersburg).

Montgomery County Historical Society

James Barber

[rank and unit unknown] (Union)

James Barber was a slave owned by Olivia Wootton.  He enlisted in late 1863, perhaps because of a bounty offered by the State of Maryland to black soldiers, or perhaps as a paid replacement in the draft.  Details of his service are not known.

Reuben Hill

[rank and unit unknown] (Union)

Reuben Hill was a slave owned by Samuel Stonestreet.  He was drafted into service in the Union army in 1864.  His owner received compensatory payment from the Federal government.  Details of his service are not known.  He returned to Rockville after the war and lived in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.

William Preston

Private, 28th Regiment, U.S. Colored Troops (Union)

William Preston was a slave owned by Chandler Keys.  He was drafted into service in the Union army in 1864.  His owner received compensatory payment from the Federal government.  Details of his service are not known.

Dr. Edward Stonestreet

Draft Medical Examiner  (Union),  Doctor (no side taken)

Dr. Stonestreet served as a medical examiner for the Union draft in Montgomery County.  In October 1862, he exempted 233 county men for medical reasons (including rupture [hernia], lung disease, deafness, rheumatism, mental derangement, spinal disease, and hemorrhoids).  

Dr. Stonestreet also served as the town doctor and treated assorted military wounds and injuries in the local area.  In the best tradition of his profession, he appears to have done so based on treatment need, not political persuasion.