Travelers impression of Montgomery county- Potomac, Maryland - U.S. Civil War Sites on Waymarking.com

One of two Civil War signs that mention the flora and fauna and the environment of the region. If you know where to look, the items mentioned below still grow in the wild and are a pleasure to find while hiking or exploring the Potomac River valley.

Along with the main marker text below there are 4 photos of houses and buildings as they were during the 1860s.

Marker Text:
While the built environment may not have impressed travelers, the variety of natural resources in this area garnered admiration. Sergeant Henry C. Lyons of the 34th New York Volunteer Infantry, while stationed in Poolesville, sent samples of both paw-paw and persimmon seeds to his home in South Pulteney, New York. Lyons directed his brother to plant the seeds in the spring of 1862, "I will be up there by the time they are large enough to make a shade for me to lie under." Sadly, Lyons died at the Battle of Antietam later that same year.

Interest in plants went beyond just being local curiostity with medical supplies and drugs becoming increasingly scarce as the war progressed, reliance on natural remedies increased. The bark and root of the persimmon, for example, was used as an astringent to clean wounds and to cure kidney problems and diarrhea. For hungry soldiers, the natural environment offered an additional source of food. Trees such as the pawpaw provided seasonal fruit that could be enjoyed on a nice sunny day under a full leaf canopy.

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