1862 Antietam Campaign - Maryland Civil War Trails
Frederick County, Maryland
In September 1862, Robert E. Lee ordered the Army of Northern Virginia to cross the Potomac River into Maryland. The Confederate army made its way through Frederick County and encamped around Frederick City. General George McClellan's Army of the Potomac pursued and one of the most important campaigns of the Civil War began. On September 14, 1862, these armies clashed in western Frederick County in the ferocious Battle of South Mountain, a battle that set the stage for the Battle of Antietam just three days later.
Use the map below to plan your trip to Civil War Trails sites in Frederick County and to learn more of the stories of the people who experienced this history firsthand and the places where it happened.
