MD -- Turner's Gap:
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- TGAP_150802_06.JPG: 19th Century Backpacker
The Civil War Soldier
-- Antietam Campaign 1862 --
An unnamed citizen of Frederick City said the following of the Confederates he had beheld marching through his hometown: "I have never seen a mass of such filthy strong-smelling men. Three in a room would make it unbearable, and when marching in column along the street the smell from them was most offensive... The filth that pervades them is most remarkable... They have no uniforms, but are all well armed and equipped, and have become so inured to hardships that they care but little for any of the comforts of civilization... They are the roughest looking set of creatures I ever saw, their features, hair and clothing matted with dirt and filth, and the scratching they kept up gave warrant of vermin in abundance." Another observer described the Confederates simply as "a lean and hungry set of wolves."
- TGAP_150802_09.JPG: Battle at South Mountain
A Natural Barrier
-- Antietam Campaign 1862 --
The Battle of South Mountain erupted on September 14, 1862, when elements of the Union army tried to drive the Confederate rear guard from Crampton's, Fox's, and Turner's Gaps and break through to the western side of the mountain to attack Confederates there. When Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia marched into Maryland earlier in the month, he was looking for supplies and recruits for a possible invasion of Pennsylvania. He hoped while resting men at Frederick that the Union garrison at Harpers Ferry would flee and leave his lines of communication and transportation unhindered. When the garrison stayed put, however, threatening his rear, Lee issued Special Orders No. 191 to divide his army and send Stonewall Jackson with about half of the army to capture Harpers Ferry. Lee marched over South Mountain, using it as a screen to help conceal the remainder of his troops and keep Gen. George B. McClellan's pursuing Army of the Potomac at bay. But then the Federals found a dropped copy of Special Orders No. 191, and it became especially critical for the outnumbered Confederates to hold South Mountain passes until Jackson completed his mission and rejoined them. The day-long battle, it turned out, gave the Confederates just time enough.
- TGAP_150802_12.JPG: 1862 Antietam Campaign
Lee Invades Maryland
Fresh from victory at the Second Battle of Manassas, Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia crossed the Potomac River on September 4-6, 1862, to bring the Civil War to Northern soil and to recruit sympathetic Marylanders. Union Gen. George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac pursued Lee, who had detached Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's force to capture the Union garrison at Harpers Ferry. After the Federals pushed the remaining Confederates out of the South Mountain gaps, Lee awaited Jackson's return near Sharpsburg and Antietam Creek.
On September 17, at the battle of Antietam, the two armies clashed in the bloodiest single day in American history and suffered some 23,000 casualties. Lee soon retreated across the Potomac, ending his first invasion of the north.
Follow in the footsteps of Gens. Lee and McClellan along Maryland Civil War Trail's Antietam Campaign: Lee Invades Maryland, a 90 mile tour route that allows you to explore the stories of triumph and tragedy at more than 60 Civil War sites. Please travel carefully as you enjoy the beauty and history along the trail.
- TGAP_150802_14.JPG: Union forces advance to the pass
- TGAP_150802_20.JPG: Maryland Campaign of 1862
On September 4, 1862, General Robert E. Lee, hoping to shorten the war by winning a decisive victory on Northern soil, crossed the Potomac River into Maryland. Lee planned to draw the Army of the Potomac through South Mountain into Pennsylvania and fight on ground of his choosing. His plan depended on securing his supply line down the Shenandoah Valley past Harpers Ferry -- then garrisoned by nearly 13,000 Federal troops. When the Federals did not withdraw, Lee decided to attack them. From his camp near Frederick, Maryland, he divided his army into five parts. Lee gambled he could take Harpers Ferry and regroup before the Federals realized what he had done. He sent three units under the command of General T. J. "Stonewall" Jackson from Frederick to Harpers Ferry. A fourth marched into Hagerstown to guard against a rumored movement of Union troops from Pennsylvania. A fifth unit formed the rear guard at Boonsboro.
General George B. McClellan organized the Army of the Potomac into three wings and marched out of Washington along a twenty-five mile front. Learning that Lee's army was divided and marching in opposite directions well to the west, McClellan began his pursuit into western Maryland on September 11. Moving faster than Lee expected, he entered Catoctin Valley on the 13th and reached the foot of South Mountain on the 14th. The Battle of South Mountain smashed Lee's plan to invade Pennsylvania but did buy him time to concentrate his scattered army. Lee assembled his army at Sharpsburg and set up a defensive position behind Antietam Creek on the 15th. The Harpers Ferry garrison surrendered that morning. This event allowed Jackson to rejoin Lee. The Battle of Antietam was fought two days later.
In response to Lee's orders, Jackson marched via Williamsport and closed on Harper's Ferry from the north and west. McLaws moved via Brownsville Pass to occupy Maryland Heights, at the Southern end of Elk Ridge. Walker moved south and west to occupy Loudoun Heights. Lee moved with Longstreet to Hagerstown and D. H. Hill was ordered to cover the supply trains near Boonsboro.
Donated to the people of the United States by James W. Graham and Susan E. Kuecker of Iowa honor of the soldiers who fought and died at South Mountain.
- TGAP_150802_23.JPG: The Lost Orders
No other document of the Civil War has generated so much controversy as Lee's Special Orders No. 191. These "Lost Orders" detailed the movements of Lee's army for the operation against Harpers Ferry. On September 9 Lee sent copies of the order to his subordinate commanders. The copy that General George B. McClellan read on September 13 was found by three Federal soldiers in an abandoned campsite near Frederick in an envelope wrapped around three cigars. The envelope was addressed to General D. H. Hill. Due to confusion between General Lee's and General T. J. Jackson's headquarters over Hill's place in the chain of command, two copies of Special Orders No. 191 were sent to Hill. Hill received his copy from Jackson while the copy from Lee was lost.
McClellan's good fortune permitted him to move with a certainty he had never before displayed. Lee was puzzled by McClellan's uncharacteristic speed and took actions to protect his army until it could be concentrated. Later McClellan was criticized for not destroying Lee's army. Whatever criticism was due, it is unfair to argue that McClellan lost an opportunity presented to him by S. O. No. 191. By the time the Federals found the orders, they were already dated. Jackson was safely on the Confederate side of the Potomac and General James Longstreet could easily have crossed the Potomac at Williamsport. Had Lee chosen to seek safety across the Potomac, the Union troops in the Catoctin Valley could not have prevented him from doing so. On September 12 even before learning of S. O. No. 191, McClellan issued orders that would lead to the Battle of South Mountain. These orders placed the vanguard of General Ambrose E. Burnside's troops in the Catoctin Valley on the 13th. McClellan's main force did not arrive at the foot of South Mountain until the 14th.
If the Lost Orders had never been found, the battles of South Mountain and Antietam still would have occurred and Lee's gamble in Maryland still would have failed. Lee's chance for success was lost, not because his orders were found, but because his army remained divided too long and McClellan moved faster than Lee expected.
Donated to the people of the United States by Kenneth and Vickie Johnson of Virginia.
This is your heritage. To learn about battlefield preservation and interpretation, ask your park rangers.
- TGAP_150802_28.JPG: Turner's Pass Tablet T. P. 1
Between September 4th and 7th, 1862, the Army of Northern Virginia, General Robert E. Lee, commanding, crossed the Potomac near Leesburg and occupied Frederick, Maryland. On the 10th a movement was made to surround and capture the Union forces at Harper's Ferry. Early that morning Major-General T. J. Jackson, with Jackson's (Stonewall) Division and the divisions of R.S. Ewell and A.P Hill, left Frederick, marched over South Mountain at this Pass, crossed the Potomac near Williamsport on the 11th, seized Martinsburg on the 12th and marching by way of Charlestown, invested Harper's Ferry from the Virginia side of the Potomac on the 13th. J.G. Walker's Division, then near Monocacy Aqueduct, recrossed the Potomac at Point of Rocks on the night of the 10th, and occupied Loudon Heights on the 13th. Major-General Lafayette McLaws with his own division and R.H. Anderson's both of Longstreet's command, moved from Frederick on the 10th, via Middletown; crossed South Mountain at Brownsville Pass, seven miles south of this, on the 11th; Two brigades moved unto Maryland Heights and six down Pleasant Valley on the 12th, and invested Harper's Ferry from the Maryland side. Generals Lee and Longstreet, with the divisions of D.R. Jones and J.B. Hood, the brigade of N.G. Evans and the Reserve Artillery, marched on this road to Hagerstown. D.H. Hill's Division halted at Boonsboro to prevent the escape of the garrison at Harper's Ferry through Pleasant Valley and to support Stuart's Cavalry, which remained east of South Mountain to observe the movements of the Union Army and retard its advance.
- TGAP_150802_32.JPG: Turner's Pass Tablet T. P. 2
In the advance of the Union forces to repel the invasion of Maryland by the Confederates, the Army of the Potomac commanded by Major General Geo. B. McClellan, moved northward from Washington with its front extending from near the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to the Potomac River. On September 12th, Cox Kanawha Division of the Ninth Corps, occupied Frederick. On the 13th Pleasonton's Union cavalry, moving from Frederick on the National Road, forced the passage of Catoctin Mountain, Stuart's cavalry retired to Catoctin Creek and then to the east foot of this Pass. Cox's Division moved to Middletown. Willcox's and Sturgis' Division bivouacked at the west base of the Catoctin, and Rodman's at Frederick. The First (Hooker's) Corps bivouacked on the South side of the Monocacy near the crossing of the National Road, the Sixth (Franklin's) Corps at Buckeystown and Couch's Division between that place and the Potomac. The Second (Sumner's) and Twelfth (Mansfield's) Corps and Sykes' Division of the Fifth Corps concentrated at Frederick. Informed at Frederick of the position of the Confederate Army and the intentions of the Confederate commander, General McClellan, on the evening of the 13th, gave orders to cross South Mountain on the 14th, the main body by this pass to attack D.H. Hill and Longstreet, the Sixth Corps and Couch's Division at Crampton's Pass, six miles south, to attack McLaws and relieve Harper's Ferry.
- TGAP_150802_35.JPG: Turner's Pass Tablet T. P. 3
Hill's five brigades were encamped at and around Boonsboro to prevent the escape of the Union forces at Harper's Ferry, through Pleasant Valley. Informed that two Union brigades were approaching Turner's Pass, Hill, on the evening of September 13, ordered Colquitt's and Garland's Brigades from Boonsboro, to dispute the passage of the mountain. Colquitt, with Lane's battery of Georgia Artillery, moved nearly to the east foot of the mountain and formed north of this road. During the night Garland's brigade and Bondurant's Alabama battery took position a few yards east of this. The Fourth Georgia of Ripley's brigade was ordered to guard Hamburg Pass, nearly three miles north. Early on the morning of the 14th Col. T.L. Rosser, with the 5th Virginia Cavalry and Pelham's Battery occupied Fox's Gap one mile south of this, traversed by the old Sharpsburg Road. Upon the approach of the Union advance by the Sharpsburg Road, Garland moved South along the crest of the mountain and joined Rosser. Colquitt moved back and formed line across the road about 700 yards southeast of this point. Lane's battery took the position a few feet north of this point. George B. Anderson's brigade was ordered to support Garland. Later in the day, Rodes occupied prominent peaks of the mountain north of this, commanding the approaches by the Old Hagerstown Road, and three regiments of Ripley's Brigade were ordered to follow George B. Anderson to the right.
- TGAP_150802_38.JPG: Turner's Pass Tablet T. P. 4
Cox's Division of the Ninth Corps moved from Middletown at 6 A. M., September 14, by the Frederick and Hagerstown Pike, turned to the left at Koogle's Mill, on the Catoctin, nearly four miles southeast of this, and, marching on the old Sharpsburg road, at 9 A. M. encountered Garland's Brigade immediately south of Fox's Gap one mile south of this. A severe contest resulted in the death of General Garland, the dispersion of his Brigade, and Cox established himself on the crest of the mountain. George B. Anderson's Brigade coming to the assistance of Garland, attempted to regain the lost ground and was repulsed. At 2 P. M., Willcox's Division formed on Cox's right with Sturgis' Division in reserve. Harland's Brigade of Rodman's Division formed on Willcox's right and Fairchild's Brigade of the same Division on Cox's left. At 4 P. M., the whole line advanced and met with stout resistance by the Brigades of G. B. Anderson, Garland and Ripley of D. H. Hill's Division, Rosser's Cavalry, and the Brigades of Drayton and Geo. T. Anderson of D. R. Jones' Division and the two Brigades (Wofford and Law) of Hood's Division. The four Brigades last named marching that day from Hagerstown and arriving on the field between 3 and 4 P. M. The contest continued until dark, the Confederates holding Fox's Gap and the ridge north of it. Cox's Division maintaining its hold on the ridge south of the Gap. As the engagement closed Major-General J. L. Reno, Commanding Ninth Corps, was killed.
- TGAP_150802_44.JPG: Turner's Pass Tablet T. P. 5
During the contest at Fox's Gap, Hooker's (First) Corps was operating east and northeast of this point. The First Corps left the Monocacy at daybreak, passed through Frederick and Middletown and between 3 and 4 P. M., leaving Gibbon's Brigade on the main pike, turned to the right at Bolivar, nearly two miles southeast of this, and, marching on the old Hagerstown road, passed Mt. Tabor Church and formed line about one and a quarter miles east of this, Meade's Division on the right, Hatch's on the left, Ricketts' in reserve. By Hooker's advance, Rodes' Brigade was driven from its position on several prominent mountain peaks, the Union advance gaining ground to the left and front. During the action Longstreet arrived from Hagerstown with reinforcements, the Brigades of Kemper, Garnett and Evans going to Rodes' assistance, but the whole Confederate line east and northeast of this was forced back and at dark the First Corps had possession of the summit, the high ground commanding the road, and threatened the Confederate line of retreat.
- TGAP_150802_47.JPG: Turner's Pass Tablet T. P. 6
When Hooker moved to the right at Bolivar by way of the Hagerstown road, Gibbon continued on the main road and attacked Colquitt, in position about 700 yards southeast of this point. He drove Colquitt's skirmishers and reached the bend in the road in Colquitt's front, but was unable to drive Colquitt, and bivouacked in his front. When darkness put an end to the engagement, Cox's Division of the Ninth Corps held the summit of the mountain, south of Fox's Gap. Hooker's First Corps gained the high ground northeast, commanding the Confederate line of retreat on Boonsboro, and Gibbon held the ground gained by him along the turnpike to the south. The Confederate line of retreat being in great jeopardy, Lee, immediately after dark put his Army in motion for Sharpsburg, where Jackson, Walker and McLaws joined him.
- TGAP_150802_50.JPG: John Collins
Native of Frederick County, skilled hunter and a superintendent of provisions with the Lewis and Clark expedition, John Collins was the first Marylander to cross the North American continent. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were charged by Thomas Jefferson to lead an expedition to find a water route to the Pacific. From 1804 to 1806 the Corps of Discovery traveled 8,000 miles as they documented their encounters with inhabitants, identified natural resources and mapped the interior of western North America.
- TGAP_150802_57.JPG: Boundary stone. "F" indicates you're entering Frederick County.
- TGAP_150802_71.JPG: The Dahlgren Chapel:
This chapel was built around 1881 by Madeline Vinton Dahlgren, widow of Admiral John A. Dahlgren, USN, inventor of the Dahlgren gun, the armament used by the USS Monitor against the CSS Virginia, formerly the steam frigate USS Merrimack.
- Wikipedia Description: Turner's Gap
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Turner's Gap is a wind gap in the South Mountain Range of the Blue Ridge Mountains, located in Frederick County and Washington County, Maryland. The gap is traversed by U.S. Route 40 Alternate, the old National Pike. The Appalachian Trail also crosses the gap.
Geography
The gap is 200 feet (61 m) below the ridgline to the south, 400 feet (120 m) below the ridgline to the south and 400 feet (120 m) above the surrounding lowlands. To the east of the gap lies the Middletown Valley and to the west the Hagerstown Valley. Fox's Gap is 1 mile (1.6 km) to the south.
History
The Old South Mountain Inn and Dahlgren Chapel are located at Turners Gap.
Turner's Gap was the scene of heavy fighting during the Battle of South Mountain in September 1862 during the American Civil War. The area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Turner's and Fox's Gaps Historic District.
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