Because they were situated near the Mason-Dixon line, Shepherdstown residents witnessed the realities of the Civil War firsthand. Marching armies, sounds of battle and fear of war had arrived on their doorsteps by the summer of 1862. The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 brought thousands of wounded Confederates into the town's homes, churches and warehouses. The story of Shepherdstown's transformation into "one vast hospital" recounts nightmarish scenes of Confederate soldiers under the caring hands of an army of surgeons and civilians. Author Kevin R. Pawlak retraces the horrific accounts of Shepherdstown as a Civil War hospital town.

"The present seems to be the most propitious time since the commencement of the war for the Confederate Army to enter Maryland," wrote Robert E. Lee following his army's stunning success at Second Manassas. Confederate armies advanced across a thousand mile front in the summer of 1862. The world watched anxiously--could the Confederacy achieve its independence? Reacting to the Army of Northern Virginia's trek across the Potomac River, George B. McClellan gathered the broken and scattered remnants of several Federal armies within Washington, D. C. to repel the invasion and expel the Confederates from Maryland. "Everything seems to indicate that they intend to hazard all upon the issue of the coming battle," he said of the invading force. Historians Robert Orrison and Kevin Pawlak trace the routes both armies traveled during the Maryland Campaign, ultimately coming to a climactic blow on the banks of Antietam Creek. That clash on September 17, 1862, to this day remains the bloodiest single day in American history. To Hazard All: A Guide to the Maryland Campaign, 1862 offers several day trip tours and visits many out-of-the-way sites related to the Maryland Campaign. Chapters include: Confederates Enter Maryland The Federals Respond The Investment of Harpers Ferry The Battle of South Mountain The Battle of Antietam Return to Virginia

Experience the history of the Maryland Campaign with this Civil War chronicle and guide featuring battlefield information and day-trip itineraries. In the summer of 1862, the world watched anxiously as Confederate armies advanced across a thousand-mile front. Reacting to the Army of Northern Virginia’s trek across the Potomac River, George B. McClellan gathered the broken and scattered remnants of several Federal armies within Washington, D. C., to repel the invasion and expel the Confederates from Maryland. “Everything seems to indicate that they intend to hazard all upon the issue of the coming battle,” he said of the invading force. Historians Robert Orrison and Kevin Pawlak trace the routes both armies traveled during the Maryland Campaign, ultimately coming to a climactic blow on the banks of Antietam Creek. That clash on September 17, 1862, remains the bloodiest single day in American history. To Hazard All offers several day trip tours and visits many out-of-the-way sites related to the Maryland Campaign.

In June, 1863, the army of Northern Virginia, divided into three corps under Longstreet, Ewell, and A. P. Hill, commanded by General Lee, crossed the Potomac at Williamsport and Shepherdstown and marched into Pennsylvania; a part going as far as Carlisle, the remainder halting at Chambersburg. The Union army, under General Hooker, had in the meantime crossed the river at Edwards Ferry and headed towards Frederick City, Md. On June 27th, Hooker having been refused the use of some ten thousand men then not needed at Harper's Ferry tended his resignation, which was accepted-General Meade succeeding to the command.BATTLE-FIELD OBSERVATORYWas erected in 1878 on the high ground east of the National Cemetery, (a portion of the Memorial Park,) from which a grand view of the Battlefield can be obtained, including the town. Cemetery, Round Top, Gulp's Hill, Seminary Ridge and surrounding country for 15 or 20 miles.CODORI'S FARM.Upon this farm some of the most desperate fighting was done. It is situated about I mile south of town, on the Emmitsburg road.

• Offers latest information on sources and techniques, including online resources • Contains contact information for hundreds of sources • Provides examples of specific documents included in genealogical research It has been more than 40 years since the last comprehensive guide to tracing and researching Civil War ancestors was published. The Civil War Research Guide goes beyond, but does not exclude, such major national sources such as the National Archives in Washington, and features information on little-known publications, websites, auctions, memorabilia dealers, and patriotic organizations. The authors lay out a systematic procedure for performing research and recording the results in order to build a proper file on a Civil War soldier, making the experience both educational and entertaining.

Explore the sites of the American Civil War’s Battle of Antietam and its history with this extensive guide. September 17, 1862—one of the most consequential days in the history of the United States—was a moment in time when the future of the country could have veered in two starkly different directions. Confederates under General Robert E. Lee had embarked upon an invasion of Maryland, threatening to achieve a victory on Union soil that could potentially end the Civil War in Southern Independence. Lee’s opponent, Major General George McClellan, led the Army of the Potomac to stop Lee’s campaign. In Washington D.C., President Lincoln eagerly awaited news from the field, knowing that the future of freedom for millions was at stake. Lincoln had resolved that, should Union forces win in Maryland, he would issue his Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. All this hung in the balance on September 17: the day of the battle of Antietam. The fighting near Sharpsburg, Maryland, that day would change the course of American history, but in the process, it became the costliest day this nation has ever known, with more than 23,000 men falling as casualties. Join historian Daniel J. Vermilya to learn more about America’s bloodiest day, and how it changed the United States forever in That Field of Blood. “I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the Battle of Antietam.... Vermilya is a fine author who has done a great service to this series.” —Gettysburg Chronicle “A meticulous and impressively informative read, That Field of Blood is a very highly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library American Civil War History collections and supplemental studies lists.” —Midwest Book Review “A very good job presenting conclusions and providing a springboard for further discussion about the campaign and its historical consequences. That is what a good historian should do.” —Civil War News “Buy it, read it, think about it...then go to the battlefield. I've always stressed that standing in the very spot where significant historical events took place is essential when attempting to take in the full scale of the history. On the battlefield, That Field of Blood would make a great companion to the experience.” —The Rogue Historian