History Along the Antietam Campaign Scenic Byway in Frederick County, MD

If you’re traveling the Antietam Campaign Scenic Byway in Frederick County, Maryland, you are following the roads that carried two armies toward one of the most consequential moments in American history.

Designated as part of Maryland’s Civil War heritage landscape, this scenic byway traces the September 1862 campaign that led directly to the Battle of Antietam. In Frederick County, the story unfolded across farmland, mountain passes, and downtown streets that still look remarkably similar today. The events of late summer and early fall 1862 brought invasion, battle, occupation, medical crisis, and even a presidential visit - all within a matter of weeks.

Why This Byway Matters

In September 1862, Confederate General Robert E. Lee crossed the Potomac River and invaded Maryland, bringing roughly 40,000 soldiers into Frederick County. For more than a week, Confederate troops occupied Frederick, camping on surrounding farmland and marching through downtown streets. Residents recorded their shock and frustration as homes were besieged by hungry soldiers, and businesses were forced to accept Confederate currency that held no value in Maryland.

General George McClellan in Frederick in September 1862

These roads that now carry visitors once carried armies. The same streets that host shops and restaurants were filled with soldiers uncertain of what would come next.

The Lost Orders and the Road West

During the Confederate occupation of Frederick, Lee established his headquarters at what is now Best Farm at Monocacy National Battlefield. There, he issued Special Order 191 - a detailed plan outlining how his army would move west across South Mountain and deeper into Maryland.

The Best Farm at Monocacy National Battlefield served as Robert E. Lee's headquarters near Frederick 

In one of the most remarkable moments of the Civil War, a copy of that order was lost and discovered by Union soldiers. The “Lost Order” gave Union General George McClellan insight into Lee’s divided forces and set the stage for the battles that followed. From Frederick, Union troops marched west toward South Mountain, where the first major clash of the campaign unfolded on September 14, 1862.

The Battle of South Mountain

On September 14, Union and Confederate forces collided at the mountain gaps west of Frederick, including Fox’s Gap and Crampton’s Gap. More than 5,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or captured in a single day of fighting. The Union victory at South Mountain forced Lee’s army to regroup near Sharpsburg, leading directly to the Battle of Antietam on September 17 — the single bloodiest day in American military history.

The War Correspondents Memorial Arch stands on the battlefield at Gathland State Park - the Appalachian Trail crosses the park as well. 

Today, visitors can stand at Gathland State Park, Fox’s Gap, and South Mountain State Battlefield, where preserved landscapes still reflect the intensity of that day. The ridgelines, stone walls, and wooded slopes remain powerful reminders of the campaign’s turning point.

One Vast Hospital

In the aftermath of South Mountain and Antietam, Frederick County became what one observer described as “one vast hospital.” Churches, schools, hotels, and private homes throughout Downtown Frederick were transformed into medical facilities. By January 1863, more than 8,000 wounded soldiers had been treated in Frederick alone, more than doubling the town's population. 

Small historical marker outside the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Downtown Frederick

The care administered here influenced the development of modern military medicine. Visitors can explore this story at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine and follow walking tours that trace hospital sites throughout Downtown Frederick.

Lincoln’s Visit and a Nation at a Crossroads

In October 1862, President Abraham Lincoln came to Frederick County just weeks after issuing the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. His visit underscored the national importance of the campaign fought in and around Frederick. The events that unfolded here in 1862 helped set the stage for emancipation and reshaped the course of the war.

Harper's Weekly illustration of President Lincoln's speech at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad station in Downtown Frederick on October 4, 1862 (University of Michigan) 

A Landscape Worth Exploring

The Antietam Campaign Scenic Byway in Frederick County showcases more than battlefields, landscapes, and the historical context of one of the most important eras in the nation’s history.

Follow the campaign route. Stand where armies marched. Walk through downtown streets that once held wounded soldiers and visiting presidents.

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