Learn about the Civil War
Battlefields in Western Maryland by reading Civil War
Battlefields - On Site History Lesson Without Exams by
Charlie Spence, IFA Member and Aviation Writer. It features a
mini, but thorough tour of the destination, plus all you'll need
to know to plan your trip including getting there, objective
information on places to stay and eat, and things to do. At the
end of the article, we've provided a summary of the contact
information for your easy reference. Enjoy!
Civil War
Battlefields - On-Site History Lesson Without Exams
by Charlie Spence, Aviation Writer and
IFA Member

Here you will hear the dramatic stories of the War along with the
developments that set medicine on the path toward the modern era.
Photo courtesy of The
National Museum of Civil War Medicine
One hundred fifty years ago
Maryland was a divided state, sending some to fight for the North and
some to join the Confederates in the Civil War. Today, however, there
are no conflicting opinions about this being an ideal place to absorb
the events of this historic period in America.' A trip to the
battlefields of Central and Western Maryland brings to life the events
of this era.
Fly in to the Hagerstown Airport
and you're in the city that was at the crossroads of the Civil War and
the town held for ransom by the South's General Jubal Early. In any
direction from Hagerstown you will be immersed in Civil War national
memorials. You also have the option to fly into the Frederick
Municipal Airport. From Frederick, you have just as many Civil War
locales to visit.
South of Hagerstown, visit the
site of the bloodiest single day of the war. At Antietam, 41,000
Southern soldiers under Robert E. Lee made the first of two attempts
to move into the North and faced an 87,000-man Federal army. As you
tour the battlefield you will cross the little stone bridge where wave
after wave of Northern troops were cut down by Confederates on higher
ground. Before the day ended, Federal losses numbered 12,410 and
Confederate losses reached 10,700. In addition to Burnside Bridge,
your eight-mile drive through the battlefield includes The Cornfield,
Dunker Church, and Bloody Lane. Take time to read some of the 350
monuments, markers, and tablets and to touch a few of the authentic
cannons. July 4th holiday is one of the special times of year to visit
the battlefield where at night they put on a fantastic fireworks show
complete with firing canons and a live orchestra.
Frederick is a short drive east of
Hagerstown where you can soak up more Civil War lore. Remember John
Greenleaf Whittier's poem immortalizing the 95-year old woman who
shouted 'Shoot if you must this old gray head, but spare your
country's flag' as she waved an American banner at the Confederate
troops from the upper window of her home? You'll find Barbara
Fritchie's reconstructed house and museum on West Patrick Street.

The Barbara Fritchie House -
The restored home of Frederick's feisty Civil War heroine immortalized
in Whittier's poem.
Photo courtesy of the Tourism Council of Frederick
County
The battles were so fierce in this
area of Maryland that Frederick became a medical center for both
sides. At the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, you will learn of
the advances in medical treatment, anesthesia and plastic surgery
developed at this time.
Only a few minutes south of
Frederick stop at another national battlefield that commemorates one
of the important but lesser known battles--the Battle of the Monocacy.
Here raw recruits from training in Baltimore rushed in to face a
strong Confederate force trying to move into Washington. The untrained
troops suffered heavy casualties and lost the battle, but delayed the
advance of the Southern troops until reinforcements could arrive. This
was known as 'The Battle That Saved Washington.'
Travel northeast from Hagerstown
or due north from Frederick to the Gettysburg national battlefield in
Pennsylvania. Here, too, the monuments and markers help you visualize
the struggles that were fought there. The town of Gettysburg is quaint
and worth spending time in to visit the shops and dine.
Harper's Ferry is only a short
drive from either Hagerstown or Frederick. Here you will see the site
of John Brown's raid where he and his followers tried to secure
weapons to arm the slaves.
The South Mountain battlefield is
nearby as is the town of Burkettsville where you will see the Gathland
Arch, the only monument to honor journalists who covered the War
Between the States. If you want more Civil War lore, it is a short
flight from Hagerstown or Frederick to Manassas, Virginia, where the
airport is but a short distance from the battlefields.
Besides the markers, monuments,
and museums relating to the Civil War, many of the sites offer live
reenactments of the battles at various times during the year. Drive
through the battlefields on self-guided tours at no cost or take
guided tours. For these, and entrance to some of the museums, there
are small fees and most major credit cards are accepted. For details
about special events, check the websites:
www.visitmaryland.org or
www.visitfrederick.org.
Details
Where to Land
Take your pick of two good airports - Frederick Municipal or
Hagerstown. Both have instrument approaches, good runways, and
services. Both are outside the Class B airspace that covers so
much area around Washington DC and Baltimore. Frederick has ILS,
VOR, RNAV, and GPS approaches. There are no landing fees, but
overnight parking charges are $6 for singles, $10 for twins.
Hagerstown has GPS, RNAV,
ILS, and VOR approaches. No landing fee for aircraft below 6,500
pounds; parking fees range from $10 to $100 a day, but are
waived if fuel is bought; overnight parking is $7.50 for
singles, $10 for light twins. Check the airport website: https://hagerstownairport.org.
When approaching either
Frederick or Hagerstown Airports, be careful not to enter P-40,
the prohibited area over Presidential Camp David, which is now
larger than shown on most sectionals.
Where to Stay
Places to stay abound in the area with wide ranges of rates. A
few in the Hagerstown area include:
- Comfort Suites rates: $69 to $160
- Plaza Hotel rates: $65.95 to $75.95
- Four Points rates: $69 to $149.00
- Wingrove Manor Inn rates: $125 to $140
Frederick has similar
accommodations:
- Hampton Inn rates: from $75
- Courtyard by Marriott rates: $98 to $103
- Fairfield Inn rates: $69 to $101
- Travel Lodge rates: $32 to$90
- Comfort Inn rates: $79 to $109
- EconoLodge rates: $54 to $79
Plus, a variety of bed and
breakfasts are available.
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Where to Eat
In Hagerstown:
- Nick's Airport Inn - "it's name gives its location" offers a fine
introduction to the area.
- Burhans Food and Spirit Station offers fine dining
- Bavarian Inn, located in nearby Shepherdstown, West Virginia,
presents cuisine with an old world touch. The Inn also has room
accommodations overlooking the Potomac River.
- The Old South Mountain Inn is a four star restaurant near the
battlefield site.
In Frederick:
- Dutch's Daughter and Dutch's Dungeon - casual to formal dining; excellent atmosphere
and menu
- Old South Mountain Inn - a short drive west of the city; appetizers $6
to $10; entrees $16 to $23
- Brewer's Alley - Selection of brewed-on-site beers; big plate
meals $14.95 up
- Inn at Buckeystown - Old Victorian mansion with five guest rooms
and excellent meals.
Notice: This information is current as of June 2002. It
is recommended that you contact the numbers, and/or visit the websites
above to determine any changes to the information.
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