Fleeing For Their LivesA wayside marker, "Fleeing for Their Lives," is along a walking trail in the Monocacy National Battlefield outside Frederick, Maryland. The modern railroad bridge visible from the marker crosses the river at the site of the Civil War bridge.
Another wayside marker on the Battle of Monocacy, Burning of the Bridge, referring to the destruction of the nearby turnpike bridge, is a few feet away.
Location and directionsThe marker is on a walking trail whose trailhead is at the Gambrill Mill parking area, whose entrance is on Urbana Pike (Maryland Route 355) about 0.9 mile south of the National Park Visitor Center. (39.369509° N, 77.388055° W; see map)
Text from the marker:
Fleeing for Their Lives 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. July 9, 1864
Distressed that their main escape route had been burned, the stranded Federal skirmishers fought on as they faced periodic Confederate attacks. Late in the afternoon, they gradually fell back towards the Baltimore & Ohio bridge.
About 5:00 p.m., they noticed their compatriots retreating across the Gambrill Mill property toward the Baltimore Pike and fled across the railroad bridge to join them. The skirmishers had protected the Union center and the escape route toward Baltimore. "Your people," Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace wrote 1st Lt. George E. Davis, "held their position with great tenacity."
... we kept together and crossed the railroad bridge, stepping upon the ties, there being no floor. The enemy were at our heels, and before we could get away...[took some] prisoners. One man fell through the bridge to the river, forty feet below, and was taken to Andersonville. 1st Lt. George E. Davis |
defense of the bridges.
(above) The Fleeing for Their Lives wayside marker on the Civil War battlefield of Monocacy, outside Frederick, Maryland (see enlargement)
(above) The marker looks over the Monocacy River at the railroad bridge (below) that is the same location as the Civil War bridge (see enlargement)
