After the war he returned to his civilian occupation as a lawyer, got involved in state politics, later as a Gold Democrats, and became an officer in the Maryland National Guard, eventually holding the appointment as Adjutant General.

[1] Henry Kyd Douglas grew up on Ferry Hill Place, on the opposite site of the Potomac River from Shepherdstown, then in Virginia, not far from Sharpsburg, Maryland.

[2] His home not being more than two miles from Harpers Ferry, he watched the storming of the engine house by the Marines that ended John Brown's raid, and later witnessed the treason trial that followed.

[4] In April 1861, Douglas enlisted at Harpers Ferry as a private in Company B, 2nd Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment which formed part of what was later to become the Stonewall Brigade.

The reality of war struck home when the Virginia forces retreated and he was among the men detailed to burn the bridge over the Potomac at Shepherdstown, in which his father owned stock.

[7] As a reward for his efficient fulfillment of duty, he was, the day after his return to HQ, made assistant inspector general on Jackson's staff.

When Stonewall's men were destroying a section of the B&O railroad, it was his job to check its thorough completion; being in the saddle all day and inspecting the whole stretch to be demolished.

A delicate task that once fell upon Douglas was when ordered to relieve General A. P. Hill from his command, due to his division's tardiness.

Another time, Douglas was approached by Belle Boyd, whom he knew since before the war, in the afternoon just before the battle of Front Royal, who urged him to inform General Jackson that the enemy force was very small and easy to defeat through a rapid advance.

In the funeral procession, he sat with the other staff officers in the carriage behind Mrs. Jackson and President Jefferson Davis, and saw Stonewall's earthly remains put on lit de parade in the Confederate Capitol.

As he was held as a prisoner of war, Douglas began a lengthy correspondence with the United States Army in order to convince it to honor his parole.

After a couple of months in Baltimore, Douglas had recovered enough to be transferred to the prison camp for Confederate officers at Johnson's Island.

[20] Outside Washington, Douglas rode by Silver Spring, Francis P. Blair's home, saw the house full of Confederate stragglers, and chased them away.

Having failed to make any permanent impression on the defenses of Washington, Early's corps returned to the Shenandoah, in order to fight Sheridan's advancing army.

Douglas now became commander of the much depleted Walker's Brigade, which he led at Sailor's Creek and at the last battle of the civil war in Virginia, at Appomattox Court House, and at the final surrender.

He was appointed associate justice of the Maryland Court of Appeals by Governor Jackson, but was not confirmed in the judicial elections in November the same year.