Monocacy NB

The Battle that Saved Washington, DC

During the summer of 1864, the Confederacy carried out a bold plan to turn the tide of the Civil War in their favor.  They planned to capture Washington, DC and influence the election of 1864.  On July 9, however, Federal soldiers outnumbered three to one, fought gallantly along the banks of the Monocacy River in an effort to buy time for Union reinforcement to arrive in Washington, DC.

14 July 2014

We had a great time here. This is a battle that gets little attention but played a huge part in the Civil War and even though it was a Union loss, the 24 hours it delayed the Confederate troops gave time for the Union to move troops into position to protect Washington DC. The VC has great displays and tells the story nicely. The battle ground tour is short enough to complete in half a day. This being our 100th park and the 1/4 mark of our quest to see all the parks will make this a special park for us.

NPS Website

Our 100th NPS Unit