Thurmont Formerly Mechanicstown - Thurmont MD - Civil War Discovery Trail Sites on Waymarking.com

TEXT from the Historical Marker:

Thurmont Formerly Mechanicstown— Gettysburg Campaign —
On June 29, 1863, Mechanicstown was full of the noise of an army on the move as Union Gen. John F. Reynolds marched I Corps to Emmitsburg. Until then, residents had only heard rumors of the advancing Confederates as nervous farmers hurried horses and personal belongings through town. Now they new the rumors were true. To guard the Federal rear, Gen. John Buford posted his reserve brigade, the First Cavalry Division, under the command of Gen. Wesley Merritt, here in Mchanicstown.

After the Battle of Gettysburg, Federals passed through the town again while pursuing the Army of Northern Virginia. On July 5, Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart rested his cavalrymen for an hour outside of Mechanicstown near Graceham to feed and water their tired horses at a grain mill. Learning of Union cavalry here to guard the pass over the mountain to Cavetown (on present-day Rte. 77), he rode around Mechanicstown on paths through Harbaugh Valley. In the confusion of troop movements, stories spread that the Confederates had actually occupied Mchanicstown.

Although this was a stressful time, most area residents kept up their courage. One of Stuart’s cavalrymen noticed that a little girl helping water the horses was crying. Assuming she was terrified, he assured her that she could stop crying because she was in no danger. The girl replied that she was not afraid but had a very painful toothache. Life would soon return to normal here.

Type of site: Transportation Route or Facility Address: Intersection of Main Street (Maryland Route 77) and Water Street / North Church Street Thurmont, MD United States 21778 Admission Charged: No Charge Website: [Web Link] Phone Number: Not listed Driving Directions: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   12/01/2021 Don.Morfe visited it