Monocacy National Battlefield

History: On July 9, 1864, Union General Lewis Wallace's stubborn defense caused a two-day delay in Confederate General Jubal A. Early's advance on Washington, D.C. Though the Confederate army actually won the field and could claim its only military victory on Union soil, the action became known as "The Battle that Saved Washington," because Federal troops were able to reinforce the nation's capital.

It was also in this area during General Robert E. Lee's 1862 Maryland campaign that a Federal private, coming upon an abandoned Confederate campsite, found papers detailing Lee's battle plans. In Union General George McClellan's hands, "Special Orders No. 191" proved valuable during the ensuing Battle of Antietam.

More to Explore: The national battlefield is located less than two miles south of Frederick, which is tied into the Historic National Road Scenic Byway and the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Scenic Byway. Get your bearings at the Frederick Visitor Center on the former site of a spoke factory and then launch into a tour of the town's award-winning historic district. Performing arts centers and private galleries are surrounded by impressive architecture and public artworks. Numerous amenities are near the park. It is always a good idea to wear sturdy walking shoes on park trails and bring your own water, sunscreen, and insect repellent during hot or dry weather.