To the Citizens of Maryland and the United States

The Soldiers and Sailors of Maryland, who are now as true to their country as in the bloody days, months and years which have passed by, who are as ready and willing to resist a revolutionary overthrow of the Republican Government of the United States by the arts of Northern Conservatives or Copperheads, led on by a traitorous and recreant accidental Executive, as by the arms of Southern traitors on the battle-field; who represent, by their names and record, that the principles for which they fought cannot be bought or sold out for policy, and whose names will call up no recollections of the Custom House, Postoffice, or any other department of the Public Crib, from which the recruits are drawn who compose the great Bread and Butter Brigade; who remember that the grass is not yet grown on the graves of our dead comrades, and that even now burial parties are busy collecting their unburied bones from a hundred battle-fields, where they fought and fell by our side for principle, respectfully present this, our Protest, against being considered as in any way politically identified with men who are representing themselves to the people of Maryland and the Union as the Soldiers and Sailors of Maryland, and who are thereby casting upon us the odium of bartering our principles for a miserable “My Policy.”

We, the Boys in Blue, endorse cordially, heartily and entirely the Congress of the United States, and hereby notify the loyal men of the country that the Soldiers and Sailors of Maryland will be found on the day of trial in the front line of battle, contending, as of old, foot to foot, and hand to hand, with traitors and their allies.

[Here follow dozens of names, including Joseph Rundle, Jr.]