Wedged strategically between the Mason-Dixon Line and the Potomac River, Hagerstown was destined to play a significant role in the Civil War. A diverse community, most residents gravitated toward the blue while some sided with the gray. Slavery was not a major presence in western Maryland, yet some local residents owned slaves along this route on the Underground Railroad. The intriguing story of Hagerstown during the Civil War is captured in this volume of vintage photographs, portraits, drawings, and other illustrations. Learn the stories of participants, both local and from across the country, whose wartime experiences in Hagerstown forever affected them. From the secretive arrival of John Brown in June 1859, to recent efforts to commemorate this history, the reader will come to understand the rich heritage that can be found in Hagerstown.
Washington County's involvement in the Civil War conjures images of the terrible aftermath of the Battle of Antietam. But many other events occurred there during the war. Wedged into a narrow neck between Pennsylvania and West Virginia, the area was the setting for many important events in the conflict. From John Brown launching his raid on nearby Harpers Ferry at the Kennedy Farm in 1859 to the dragnet that ensnared local citizens following President Lincoln's assassination in 1865, the military was a constant presence. Antietam changed the course of the war and provided President Lincoln the military events needed to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Harper's Ferry, the C&O Canal, and several rail lines were of vital importance for projecting Union strength into the Shenandoah Valley. They were regularly attacked and defended, and Hagerstown was nearly burned in 1864. Many from across the nation returned home indelibly affected by their experiences in Washington County; some never made it back at all.
Washington County's involvement in the Civil War conjures images of the terrible aftermath of the Battle of Antietam. But many other events occurred there during the war. Wedged into a narrow neck between Pennsylvania and West Virginia, the area was the setting for many important events in the conflict. From John Brown launching his raid on nearby Harpers Ferry at the Kennedy Farm in 1859 to the dragnet that ensnared local citizens following President Lincoln's assassination in 1865, the military was a constant presence. Antietam changed the course of the war and provided President Lincoln the military events needed to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Harper's Ferry, the C&O Canal, and several rail lines were of vital importance for projecting Union strength into the Shenandoah Valley. They were regularly attacked and defended, and Hagerstown was nearly burned in 1864. Many from across the nation returned home indelibly affected by their experiences in Washington County; some never made it back at all.
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