Civil War In Allegany County
Strategic Location
During the Civil War, thousands of United States soldiers were stationed here in Cumberland and Allegany County to guard against raids and incursions by Confederate forces. Located only about 130 miles from the capital at Washington, D.C., and a short march from Winchester Virginia, and Romney, West Virginia, at the lower end of the Shenandoah Valley, this area was strategically important to both sides of the conflict. Here in Cumberland was the western terminus of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. The National Road, a principal east-west thoroughfare also ran through the area. Most significantly, Cumberland was a major stop on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, an artery used for the rapid transportation of Federal troops, supplies, and equipment. The protection of this vital lifeline between Wheeling, West Virginia and Washington was concentrated in Cumberland. Because of its importance to the Union war effort, the railroad in Allegany County became a prime target for Confederate raiders. Allegany County also became home to a large United States military hospital complex, where thousands of sick, injured, and wounded soldiers received medical care. After the war ended, Cumberland became a major demobilization base.
Please enjoy your Maryland Civil War Trails tour and drive carefully. We hope you learn a great deal about the important role our community played in the conduct and outcome of the Civil War.
Gettysburg Campaign
Invasion & Retreat
After stunning victories at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, Virginia, early in May, 1863, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee carried the war through Maryland, across the Mason and Dixon Line and into Pennsylvania. His infantry marched north through the Shenandoah Valley and western Maryland as his cavalry, led by Gen. J.E.B. Stuart, harassed Union supply lines to the east. Union Gen. Joseph Hooker, replaced on June 28 by Gen. George G. Meade, led the army of the Potomac from the Washington defenses in pursuit. The Federals collided with Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on July 1, starting a battle neither side had intended to fight there. Three days later, the defeated Confederates began retreating through Maryland, retracing their steps to the Potomac River and crossing into Virginia on July 14.
To follow in their footsteps and to discover their stories, stop by any Welcome Center or local Visitor Center to pickup a Gettysburg: Invasion & Retreat Civil War Trail map-guide. Please drive carefully as you enjoy the history and beauty of Maryland Civil War Trails.