In Maryland's mountains and valleys during the Civil War, bold steps were taken to secure freedom for the enslaved, armies fought desperate battles, and civilians endured the war's onslaught. Union forces helped save American democracy through fateful battles that shaped the nation's course. The 1862 Antietam Campaign led to President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and freedom for millions of enslaved African Americans. The next year, Union and Confederate troops clashed at Gettysburg, where Union victory led to Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. The following summer, during the Battle of Monocacy, Union troops delayed and foiled a Confederate force intent on capturing the nation's capital. Across these landscapes, roads, mountain passes, graveyards, and waterways bear the stories of the nation's struggle for self-determination.
