Civil War in Allegany County
Strategic Location
During the Civil War, thousands of
United States soldiers were stationed
here in Cumberland and Allegany
County to guard against raids and
incursions by Confederate forces.
Located only about 130 miles from
the capital at Washington. D.C.,
and a short march from Winchester,
Virginia, and Romney, West Virginia,
at the lower end of the Shenandoah
Valley, this area was strategically important to both sides in the conflict. Here in Cumberland was the
western terminus of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal. The National Road,
a principal east-west thoroughfare, also ran through the area. Most significantly, Cumberland was a major stop on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, an artery used for the rapid transportation of Federal troops,
supplies, and equipment. The protection of this vital lifeline between Wheeling, West Virginia, and Washington was concentrated in Cumberland. Because of its importance to the Union war effort, the railroad
in Allegany County became a prime target for Confederate raiders. Allegany County also became home to a large United States military hospital complex, where thousands of
sick, injured, and wounded soldiers received medical care. After the war ended, Cumberland became a major demobilization base.
Please enjoy your Maryland
Civil War Trails tour and drive carefully. We hope you learn a great deal
about the important role our community played in the conduct and
outcome of the Civil War.
Marker is on Canal Street south of Baltimore Street, on the left when traveling south.
Courtesy hmdb.org
