Two competing American forces battled on Southern soil for more than a year before finally tumbling into Northern territory in 1862. General Robert E. Lee believed that a victory on Union land might solidify foreign support for the Confederate cause. Maryland loomed as an attractive target: Not only was it a border state with widespread secessionist sympathies, but it offered key transportation and supply links along with access to Washington, D.C. In Western Maryland, Lee’s efforts came to head with the bloodiest single-day battle of the Civil War at Antietam. As the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War continues, discover Maryland’s authentic stories through one of four Civil War driving and walking tours.

These carefully mapped tours link together a collection of both well-known and less-known sites from Baltimore City, throughout the Chesapeake Region, in Southern Maryland and Western Maryland. For more information on the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War and to order your Civil War Trail guides, call 1-877-333-4455 or click here.

Hip and historic Frederick County boasts unique shopping and dining experiences, battlefields, museums, covered bridges, and abundant outdoor recreation. Request a free travel packet!

St. Mary’s County, Maryland. Visit Point Lookout, site of the war’s largest prison camp, plus Confederate and USCT monuments. A short drive from the nation’s capital.

Explore the past in Baltimore during two commemorative events: the War of 1812 Bicentennial and Civil War 150. Plan your trip at Baltimore.org.

Historic sites throughout the county throw their doors open the first Saturday of every month through October. Free admission!

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