Western Maryland serves as the first site of a battle to open 1862:
"Stonewall" Jackson had long urged the strategic value of an offensive out of the Shenandoah Valley, which could threaten Washington and wreck Union east-west communications by breaking the Baltimore & Ohio railroad.
He started from Winchester to Bath with the objective of disrupting traffic on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. On January 5, after skirmishing with the retiring Federals, Jackson's force reached the Potomac River opposite the garrisoned town of Hancock, Maryland. His artillery fired on the town from Orrick's Hill but did little damage. Union garrison commander Brig. Gen. F.W. Lander refused Jackson's demands for surrender. Jackson continued the bombardment for two days while unsuccessfully searching for a safe river crossing. The Confederates withdrew and marched on Romney, in western Virginia, on January 7.
There were a series of events that took place to commemorate the battle. Follow this link.
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