Monocacy National Battlefield - History & Culture (U.S. National Park Service)

Living Historians at Monocacy National Battlefield

The Battle ...

In the Summer of 1864, Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Early launched a campaign down the Shenandoah Valley with a corps of approximately 15,000 troops. The campaign was a last attempt to carry the war to the north and to relieve some pressure from General Robert E. Lee in the south. Early’s ultimate objective for the campaign was to march down the Valley, to swing to the east through Frederick, and to attack and capture Washington, D.C. from the north. more...

... and Beyond

But apart from the battle, the region has numerous stories to tell. Native Americans have been present in the area since the earliest human occupation of North America, nearly 10,000 years ago. European explorers and traders arrived in the region in the early 1700s. Learn more about the people, places and stories which shaped Monocacy.