Monocacy National Battlefield

Address: 
Urbana Pike (Maryland Route 355), on the right when traveling north, (east end of the parking lot, near the trail head) Frederick MD 21704

Monocacy National Battlefield

History: In the summer of 1864, Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Early launched a campaign down the Shenandoah Valley with approximately 15,000 troops in an attempt to capture Washington D.C. Learning of the advance of Early's troops, Union Major General Lew Wallace hastily organized a force of 5,800 men here at Monocacy Junction to delay Early's advance on the Capital. On July 9, 1864 Confederate and Union forces met here on the battlefield. The Confederates managed to drive the Federal troops back toward Baltimore, but time spent at the battle cost the Confederates a day's delay in marching on the Federal Capital, and exhausted Early's troops. It also provided time for the Union to reinforce Washington's defenses. Lieutenant General Early's attack was thus thwarted and the remainder of the war took place in the south.

More to Explore: Explore the Monocacy National Battlefield Visitor Center and participate in a ranger-led program or activity. Then discover downtown Frederick, a bustling city with a quaint downtown, perfect for shopping, dining, and browsing art galleries. Its popular Arts & Entertainment District also offers theater and performing arts venues. Be sure to stop by the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, where you can learn about the medical history of the Civil War. To celebrate the opening of museum season in Frederick County in early April, participating museums and historic sites around the area offer free admission and special events.

Photo Credits:

  1. "General Lew Wallace." Courtesy of Library of Congress.