Richfield - Frederick, Maryland - Civil War Discovery Trail Sites on Waymarking.com

Located at the end of a driveway along route 15, this Civil War Trails marker sits next to two other markers as this place is rich in history. One marker is for George Washington and his visits to the home of former Governor Thomas Johnson which sat at the site of Richfield and the other marker is for the birthplace of Rear Admiral Winfield Scott Schley who fought in the Spanish-American War.

Richfield is the house that sits 150 yards east of the marker. It is private property, do not go further than these markers.

Marker Text
It was here that George Armstrong Custer was first introduced as a general to the troops he would command. The first order signed by Gen. George G. Meade as the newly appointed commander of the Army of the Potomac on June 28, 1863 promoted three young captains, Custer, Elon J. Farnsworth and Wesley Merritt, to the rank of brigadier-general, at the request of Gen. Alfred Pleasonton Commander of the Union Cavalry Corps. Two of them, Custer, age 23 and Farnsworth, age 25, were notified of their promotions at the City Hotel in downtown Frederick. They were assigned to the newly formed Third Division of cavalry camped here on June 28-29, as brigade commanders.
On June 29, Custer and Farnsworth arrived here to take command of their respective brigades. Some of the troopers, upon seeing Custer for the first time, called him "the boy General of the Golden Lock."
From Richfield, Custer and Farnsworth rode north to Gettysburg. Farnsworth died in battle July 3, while Custer went on to be one of the Civil War's great cavalry generals. He died on June 25, 1876 at the Battle of Little Big Horn, Montana Territory.
Also on June 29,1863, the I and XI Infantry Corps, Army of the Potomac, passed Richfield on their march to Gettysburg. Meade rode by while returning from Gettysburg on July 7.