When the Civil War divided the nation, Maryland stood on the pivotal border between North and South. Its people were caught in a crossroads of conflict and became leaders, freedom fighters, and spies. Citizens experienced the harsh realities of war on their doorsteps as communities split over secession and slavery, men left for the battlefront, wounded soldiers were hospitalized in homes, barns, and churches, and massive armies left areas in ruin without food and supplies. Three major military campaigns left a lasting impact: the bloody Antietam Campaign led to Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Campaign ended in another Union victory, and the Battle of Monocacy delayed a Confederate army marching into Maryland in a desperate attempt to capture the nation's capital.