Snow's Battery

History: In Port Deposit during the summer of 1861, men volunteered for an artillery battery to fight for the Union. Capt. Alonzo Snow led the approximately 155-man unit. Organized in September, Snow's Battery left the Eastern Shore in May 1862 to join the army in Virginia for the Peninsula Campaign. Lt. Theodore Vanneman wrote home complaining about the lack of action, but over the next three years, Snow's Battery served in the Seven Days' Battles and the Antietam Campaign, at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, New Market, Piedmont, and Lynchburg, and in the 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaigns. Of all the battles, Antietam made the deepest impression.

More to Explore: Port Deposit is home to the Conowingo Dam, which is located right on the Susquehanna River. Whether you are an avid bird-watcher or simply appreciate the beauty of nature, from mid-October to mid-March, large numbers of bald eagles can be seen here, but they do appear year round along with gulls, blue herons, ospreys, and several other species of birds. The energy firm who owns the dam, Exelon, even sponsors annual eagle photo contests. Photographers constantly line the dam to capture images of these magnificent birds in their natural habitat. Stop and get a bite to eat in one of Port Deposit's restaurants or taverns, housed in charming historic stone and wood buildings in this quaint riverside town.

Photo Credits:

1. “Reunion, Snow’s Battery, Port Deposit, 1900.” Courtesy of Historical Society of Cecil County.
2. “Capt. Alonzo Snow.” Courtesy of Historical Society of Cecil County.