Hello Elizebeth,
I am no historian nor an expert, but I do read and have heard many stories handed down from my Maryland side of the family. WBut what you heard was about the truth. Althoug I grew up in Alabama my father and all his people were from Charles and Prince Georges Counties. My Maryland ancestors fought for the South. According to a book I have, "Marylanders in the Confederacy", approximately 35,000 Marylanders served in the Confederate arms.

But yes, from what I have always been told and gathered from what I have read, the Maryland legislature was about to go into session, or was in session, to vote to suceed from the Union. Lincoln suspended the Writ of Habeas Corpus, had the Maryland legislature, or state government, etc, arrested, declared martial law in Maryland, and put pro-northern lackies in their place and appointed a military governor over Maryland, General Butler. One thing Butler did was to put out a dictate, or law, that if anyone in Maryland served, helped, clothed, fed, or helped the Southern cause in anyway whatsoever that their lands and wealth would be seized. I have heard that is what happened to some of my family (I am desceneded from the Old Southern Maryland families of Edelen, Montgomery, Middleton and Berry).

One more tidbit, when Lee's army marched into Maryland in 1862 during the Antietum (Sharpsburg) campaign, as they crossed the Potomac and stepped into Maryland they sang the old song "Maryland, my Maryland". You need to read the words.
Take care,
David Middleton Edelen II
Alabama