In June 1864, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee sent Gen. Jubal A. Early's corps from the Richmond battlefields to the Shenandoah Valley to counter Union Gen. David Hunter's army. After driving Hunter into West Virginia, Early invaded Maryland to attack Washington, D.C., draw Union troops from Richmond, and release Confederate prisoners held at Point Lookout. On July 9, Early ordered Gen. Bradley T. Johnson's cavalry brigade eastward to free the prisoners, and the next day Johnson sent Maj. Harry Gilmor's regiment to raid the Baltimore area. As Union Gen. Lew Wallace delayed Early at the Battle of Monocacy on July 9 and Federal reinforcements strengthened Washington's defenses, Early attacked near Fort Stevens on July 11-12, then withdrew to the Shenandoah Valley and stopped pursuing Federals at Cool Spring on July 17-18. Although Early failed to take Washington or free the prisoners, he did divert Federal resources. Late in the afternoon of July 9, 1864, Maj. Harry Gilmor and twenty men coming from New Windsor formed up, drew sabers, and charged into Westminster. Local residents had told Gilmor that 150 Federals were in town, but only a handful of Union soldiers were there, and after exchanging a few shots they fled toward Baltimore. In fewer than fifteen minutes, Gilmor's men secured the town and telegraph line and cut the line. Residents largely welcomed the Confederates, though many townspeople responded with drawn shutters and locked doors. Under orders from Confederate Gen. Bradley T. Johnson, Gilmor summoned Westminster's mayor and demanded 1,500 units of clothing, including boots and shoes, but when Johnson arrived several hours later, Gilmor persuaded him to drop the demands. The next morning Johnson's brigade rode toward Reisterstown and soon reunited with Early and the main army. During the raid, Johnson made his headquarters at the Westminster house of young Mary Shellman at 206 East Main Street. She later recalled that he stayed only a few hours and caused no damage. A year earlier she had seen a cavalry skirmish, jeered at passing troops, and been called a "little captive" by Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart. After the war, Mary Shellman maintained a lifelong connection to Union veterans, becoming an adopted member of several Grand Army of the Republic posts, caring for veterans at the Carroll County almshouse, burying indigent veterans in Westminster Cemetery, and establishing Westminster's Memorial Day parade.