People

The landscape that encompasses Monocacy National Battlefield has been shaped by both natural processes and people. From the pre-historic migration of Native peoples through the twentieth century, moving people and supplies has been the impetus for creating and changing transportation systems through the landscape as well as manipulating the land to provide food and commodities. Monocacy Junction’s geographic location, combined with the natural and cultural landscape, set the stage for a day-long battle that saved the nation’s capital. But, what do we know about the people who shaped this landscape? Did their method of labor contribute to the growing cultural and political divisions that were manifest in a Civil War? How did the Civil War affect their lives? Here, we explore the history of the people of Monocacy Junction. For some we know a great deal, for others, particularly those who were enslaved and Native Americans, their paper trail is scarce or non-existent. Ongoing research will hopefully enrich our work further, however, we invite anyone with oral histories or family research concerning people who lived on this landscape to please contact the park.

 

People of Monocacy

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  Fishing for Eel

  Native Americans

  Native Americans hunted and fished the Monocacy River valley for thousands of years before Europeans arrived.

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  Westward Expansion Began Here

  Early European Settlers

  European settlers began surveying and settling the land of the Monocacy River Valley in the 1720s.

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  Forgotten No More

  People Held in Bondage

  Slavery was legal in Maryland until November 1, 1864. Enslaved laborers lived and worked on the lands of the battlefield.

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  The Battle that Saved Washington

  Soldiers

  Union forces held Confederate troops at the Monocacy River for a full day. The delay bought time for reinforcements to arrive in Washington.

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  Life Goes On

  Civilians

  Before and after it was a battlefield, Monocacy Junction was home to local families.