Middletown: Union Left Flank

History: When Gen. Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia invaded the North in 1863, the Union Army of the Potomac was in hot pursuit. Gen John F. Reynolds and his men of the Union left flank occupied the Middletown Valley and guarded the South Mountain passes against a Confederate advance. On Saturday night, June 27, valley farmers and villagers brought pies, cakes, and milk to the camps. The next morning, Reynolds and his men marched through Frederick on their way to Gettysburg. After the Battle of Gettysburg, most of the Union Army returned to pursue the retreating Confederates.

More to Explore: Stop for a bite to eat in Middletown or travel just west on South Mountain to the Old South Mountain Inn, a tavern on the Historic National Road for over 200 years that today serves American haute cuisine. Visit the Central Maryland Heritage League/Lamar Cultural Heritage Center to tour the center, see the restored Dahlgren Chapel or take a self-guided driving tour of Middletown and the South Mountain Battlefield, part of the Antietam Campaign.

Photo Credits:

1. “Pencil sketch of Middletown”
2. "Photograph of Union Cavalry Gen. John Buford, who pursued the Confederate forces through Middletown."
3. "Photograph of Gen. John F. Reynolds." Photos courtesy of Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.