Blue and Gray Trail
Civil War Encyclopedia
Civil War in Georgia
On the Blue and Gray Trail
Civil War by state
Today in the Civil War
This year in the Civil War
Battles
Images
Places
Feature Stories
Links
Search
The Civil War in Maryland
Baltimore Riot of 1861
Maryland and Secession
James Archer
Roger B. Taney
Antietam
Confederate Order of Secession
| September 11, 1786 September 14, 1786 |
The Annapolis Convention (in Maryland) backs calling a Constitutional Convention to begin in May, 1787 in Philadelphia | Maryland Virginia New Jersey Delaware New York Pennsylvania |
| February 15, 1817 | [circa] Frederick Douglass born near Easton, Talbot County (may be 1818) | Maryland |
| Frederick Douglass | ||
| December 12, 1831 | National Republicans hold a convention in Baltimore. They nominate Henry Clay unanimously on the first ballot to run for President. John Sergeant of Pennsylvania is chosen as his running mate | Maryland |
| Henry Clay | ||
| Election of 1832 | ||
| May 21, 1832 | Democratic-Republicans hold a convention in Baltimore, nominating Andrew Jackson for President and Martin Van Buren for Vice-President. | Maryland |
| Election of 1832 | ||
| Andrew Jackson | ||
| Martin Van Buren | ||
| Democratic Party | ||
| May 20, 1835 May 22, 1835 |
Democrats hold their Presidential nominating convention in Baltimore more than a year before the election | Maryland |
| Election of 1836 | ||
| Democratic Party | ||
| September 3, 1838 | Frederick Douglass travels from Baltimore to New York under an assumed named, escaping slavery | Maryland New York |
| Frederick Douglass | ||
| May 8, 1840 | Democratic National Convention in Baltimore nominates Martin Van Buren for President. | Maryland |
| Martin Van Buren | ||
| Election of 1840 | ||
| Democratic Party | ||
| May 27, 1844 | The Democratic National Convention is held in Baltimore. On the ninth ballot the delegates nominate James Polk to run for President and George Dallas for Vice-President | Maryland |
| Election of 1844 | ||
| Democratic Party | ||
| May 22, 1848 May 25, 1848 |
In a convention in Baltimore, Maryland, Democrats nominate Lewis Cass for President and William Butler for Vice President | Maryland |
| Election of 1848 | ||
| Democratic Party | ||
| June 12, 1852 | On the 49th ballot, the Democratic Convention in Baltimore elects Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire | Maryland |
| Democratic Party | ||
| June 2, 1856 June 6, 1856 |
Democratic Convention - After 14 ballots, sitting President Franklin Pierce withdraws his name from nomination. Stephen Douglas withdraws at the end of the 16th ballot. James Buchanan is nominated by acclamation | Maryland |
| Stephen A. Douglas | ||
| Election of 1856 | ||
| James Buchanan | ||
| Franklin Pierce | ||
| Democratic Party | ||
| October 16, 1859 | John Brown takes the armory at Harpers Ferry | Maryland |
| Causes of the Civil War | ||
| John Brown | ||
| Harpers Ferry | ||
| Baltimore and Ohio Railroad | ||
| May 8, 1860 May 9, 1860 |
The Constitution Union Party, meeting in Baltimore, creates a platform taken heavily from the U. S. Constitution and selects John Bell of Tennessee for President and Edward Everett of Massachusetts for Vice-President. It represents southern Whigs and Know-nothings (American Party). Sometimes called the Bell-Union Party | Maryland |
| The Election of 1860 | ||
| June 18, 1860 June 23, 1860 |
The Democrats reconvene in Baltimore to select a nominee, but Douglas can't make the necessary 2/3 majority until the anti-Douglas delegates leave on June 22 and the floor rules are changed to require 2/3 vote of the members present. On June 23rd the Convention nominates Stephen Douglas and Herschal V. Johnson | Maryland |
| The Election of 1860 | ||
| 1860 Democratic National Convention | ||
| Stephen A. Douglas | ||
| 1860 Democratic Party Platform | ||
| Democratic Party | ||
| January 6, 1861 | Maryland's pro-Union governor denounces secession in a speech to the residents of the state. | Maryland |
| February 18, 1861 February 19, 1861 |
Maryland convenes a secessionist convention in Baltimore to consider its options. The convention ends without a declaration of secession | Maryland |
| Maryland and Secession | ||
| February 22, 1861 February 23, 1861 |
Under the watchful eyes of Allan Pinkerton, Abraham Lincoln travels in secrecy to Washington, D. C. Pinkerton had been worried about the trip through Baltimore, Maryland, a Southern-leaning city | Maryland |
| Abraham Lincoln | ||
| Washington D. C. | ||
| April 19, 1861 | Southern sympathizers in Baltimore cut telegraph lines and bridges to Washington, D. C. While passing through the city, the 6th Massachusetts Regiment is attacked. They open fire on a crowd. When the dust settles, three soldiers and one civilian were dead, the first casualties during fighting in the Civil War. | Maryland |
| Civil War Firsts | ||
| Washington D. C. | ||
| Baltimore and Ohio Railroad | ||
| Maryland and Secession | ||
| April 22, 1861 | Maryland Governor Thomas Holliday Hicks calls a session of the Maryland legislature to consider secession | Maryland |
| Maryland and Secession | ||
| April 29, 1861 | The Maryland legislature votes 53-13 against convening a secessionist convention, dashing the hopes of a sizable pro-South group, but did not vote to end the session | Maryland |
| Maryland and Secession | ||
| May 12, 1861 | Benjamin Butler takes control of Federal Hill and threatens to fire on downtown Baltimore if Southern sympathizers protest. | Maryland |
| Benjamin Butler | ||
| May 28, 1861 | Confederates seize the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from Point of Rocks to Cumberland | Maryland West Virginia |
| Baltimore and Ohio Railroad | ||
| July 2, 1861 | General Robert Patterson crosses the Potomac at Williamsport, Maryland and moves towards Harpers Ferry. | Virginia Maryland |
| Harpers Ferry | ||
| August 7, 1861 | The Maryland legislature adjourns without seceding, but votes to reconvene in September | Maryland |
| September 11, 1861 | Abraham Lincoln has Secretary of War Simon Cameron order the arrest of Maryland legislators who are openly pro-South. | Maryland |
| Maryland and Secession | ||
| December 7, 1861 | Stonewall Jackson destroys the West Virginia side of Dam Number 5 on the Potomac River, disrupting the C&O Canal and impacting the Union's ability to repair the B&O Railroad. | Maryland West Virginia |
| Baltimore and Ohio Railroad | ||
| Attack on Dam Number 5 | ||
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| September 5, 1862 | Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia enters Maryland | Maryland |
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| Antietam | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| September 6, 1862 | Army of Northern Virginia enters Frederick | Maryland |
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| Antietam | ||
| September 12, 1862 September 15, 1862 |
Battle of Harpers Ferry
Stonewall Jackson takes 12,000 prisoners |
Maryland Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Battle of Harpers Ferry | ||
| Harpers Ferry | ||
| Lafayette McLaws | ||
| Antietam | ||
| September 13, 1862 | George McClellan's men find a copy of Lee's Special Orders No. 191 issued on September 9, detailing deployment of Confederate troops during the initial phase of the invasion of Maryland, including the attack on Harper's Ferry | Maryland |
| Battle of Harpers Ferry | ||
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| George McClellan | ||
| Special Orders No. 191 | ||
| Antietam | ||
| September 14, 1862 | Battle of Turners Gap
Battle of Fox's Gap Battle of South Mountain Battle of Cramptons Gap George McClellan reacts to finding Special Order No. 191 with attacks on the gaps in South Mountain, forcing Lee to reorganize at Sharpsburg |
Maryland |
| George McClellan | ||
| Special Orders No. 191 | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| Antietam | ||
| William B. Franklin | ||
| Rutherford B. Hayes | ||
| September 14, 1862 | Brigadier General Samuel Garland [CS] is mortally wounded during the Battle of Fox's Gap, dying later that day. Later that day, Major General Jesse Reno [US] is also mortally wounded a few feet from the spot where Garland fell. | Maryland |
| Generals Who Died In the Civil War | ||
| Samuel Garland | ||
| September 17, 1862 | Battle of Sharpsburg (Confederate)
Battle of Antietam (Union) Army of the Potomac under McClellan [US] defeats the Army of Northern Virginia under Lee [CS], resulting in the bloodiest day in American history. Union losses:12,401 men 2,108 dead 9,540 wounded 753 missing Confederate losses:10, 406 1,546 dead 7,752 wounded 1,108 missing |
Maryland |
| Bloodiest Civil War battles | ||
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| George McClellan | ||
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| Army of the Potomac | ||
| George Meade | ||
| Lafayette McLaws | ||
| Antietam | ||
| Edwin Vose Sumner | ||
| September 19, 1862 September 20, 1862 |
Skirmishes at Shepherdstown, Ashby's Gap, Williamsport, and Hagerstown, as Confederates under A. P. Hill covered the retreat of the Army of Northern Virginia from Sharpsburg. Lee would keep a heavy cavalry presence in the area until October. | Maryland Virginia West Virginia |
| Antietam | ||
| A. P. Hill | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| October 2, 1862 | Abraham Lincoln arrives at George McClellan's headquarters in Sharpsburg | Maryland |
| Abraham Lincoln | ||
| October 9, 1862 October 12, 1862 |
J. E. B. Stuart "rides around McClellan's Army" for a second time | Maryland Pennsylvania |
| J. E. B. Stuart | ||
| July 14, 1863 | Battle of Falling Waters | Maryland |
| June 7, 1864 | The Republican (National Union) Convention opens in Baltimore, Maryland. | Maryland |
| Election of 1864 | ||
| Republican Party | ||
| June 8, 1864 | The Republican National Convention nominates Abraham Lincoln to run for President and Andrew Johnson to run for Vice-President | Maryland |
| Election of 1864 | ||
| Abraham Lincoln | ||
| Republican Party | ||
| July 9, 1864 | Battle of the Monocacy
General Lew Wallace [US] with an irregular force of 6,000 men is routed by Jubal Early's 10,000 man battle-hardened division |
Maryland |
| Jubal Early's Raid on Washington D. C. | ||
| Jubal Anderson Early | ||
| Lew Wallace | ||
| March 23, 1867 | Maryland rejects the 14th Amendment | Maryland |
| 14th Amendment | ||
| April 4, 1959 | Maryland ratifies the 14th Amendment | Maryland |
| 14th Amendment |
Battles | Places | Events by year | Events by date | Feature Stories |
Bookstore | Links | Who We Are |