Middleton, MD, where the generals pass

infomanpa

1st Lieutenant
Joined
Feb 18, 2017
Location
Pennsylvania
When I was in Middleton, Maryland, I was impressed as to the number of generals that passed though there. This town was involved in both the Antietam and Gettysburg campaigns. For the Union, McClellan, Meade, for the Confederates, Lee, Jackson. This doesn't include all of the corps, division and brigade commanders that were generals. I believe that during the French & Indian War, Washington and Braddock may have also passed this town.

20180911_144718.jpg

Compare this modern photo with the illustration below:

20180911_144815.jpg

20180911_144844.jpg
 
28 June [1863], Sunday, and the sound of church bells in Middleton sounded pleasant indeed. Went over to Gen. [Oliver O.] Howard’s [headquarters] with Gen. [John] Reynolds. Picked out a camping place near the alms house, a mile west of the town. (War Diary and Letters of Stephen M. Weld - aide to Reynolds)

Another view of the church:
CivilWarMiddletownMD.JPG
 
I live just a few miles from Middletown near Fox's Gap and the town is rich in Civil War history:
  • Yes, Gen. Braddock probably came through--you have to go over Braddock Mountain to get here from Frederick (F&I War).
  • Stonewall Jackson called it a dumpy mountain hamlet.
  • town was ransomed for $5,000 by Jubal Early, another general who came through on his way to ransoming Frederick https://www.fredericknewspost.com/n...cle_dad5448b-6d7e-5d66-921a-78842d369e58.html
  • was also home to Nancy Crouse, who defiantly defended her US flag when Confederate cavalry tried to enter her house to take it down. See my thread on this: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-valor-of-nancy-crouse-the-“valley-maid.121828/#post-1281855
  • Col. Rutherford B. Hayes was wounded nearby in the battle at Fox's Gap and recuperated in Middletown. The house is still there. He wasn't a general, but went on to become president.
  • regarding the condition of Main St., there's a 3-year project to redo the water and sewer lines that pass under the street, repave the street, and rebuild the sidewalks, so things are a mess on Main St., but should be real nice when they're done.
Here's a first hand account of Middletown from Captain Greenlee Davidson of the Letcher Artillery; September 10, 1862:

"After passing through the City [Frederick] we turned into the National road and moved in the direction of Hagerstown. About 10 o’clock passed through Middletown–a village nearly as large as Lexington [Virginia]. It has the reputation of being the bitterest abolition hole in the state. The people are as valid as those of any village in Massachusetts or Vermont. We found the place almost deserted. The houses were locked up and all the merchants had closed their stores and fled. It looked indeed like a deserted village.

"After leaving Middletown we passed through a most beautiful country. The lands are in the highest state of cultivation and every farm has a barn almost as large as Noah’s Ark. But strange to say, none of these magnificent barns, or roomy smokehouses contain neither corn or meat. I visited nearly a hundred farm houses during the day and did not succeed in buying a pound of meat or a bushel of corn. It is true that a considerable number of the houses were deserted, but where I found the owners at home, they all told me they had nothing to sell. It is perfectly evident that the people of this section of the State are as hostile to us as if we were north of Mason and Dixon line."
 
Some more soldier mentions regarding the town:

September 1862: We met no smiles; a decided Union sentiment was in evidence. (David E. Johnston, 7th Virginia)

28 June 1863: A nice little village. (Thomas W. Stevens, 20th Indiana)

27-28 June 1863: Four churches, five taverns, five or six stores, etc. (Franklin Boyts, 142nd Pennsylvania)

Circa 8 July 1863: Camped near this village of a dozen houses. (146th New York)

October 1862: Marched through town, people were waving flags and our men were cheering. ... 8 June 1863: The poor fellows left are too tired to raise more than a faint hurrah. Later that night the town was very lively. I took a room at a hotel and wrote a letter or two. (Col. McCalmont, 142nd Pennsylvania)

27 June 1863, 11 p.m.: Ladies serenaded us with patriotic songs and the bands played, we were received with great enthusiasm, waving of flags and white handkerchiefs. Quite a contrast to our reception in Virginia towns. (George R. Crosby, 1st Vermont Cavalry)

September 1862: Private houses, churches and the academy of music thrown open to receive the wounded. Bridge over Catoctin Creek had been burned. (Isaac Hall, 97th New York)

27 June 1863: Small town, very dirty place, went over to an old farmers and took dinner there with a couple of young ladies. (Lt. Samuel Sanders, 76th New York)

28 June 1863: Middletown has probably fewer disloyal men in it than Homer or Cortland. The ladies are all for the Union. But for orders not to leave camp I should attend church today. (Uberto Burnham, 76th New York)

25 June 1863: Very nice place here. (Daniel Zackman, 82nd Ohio)

Mid-1863: Headquarters in a house. (Henry Clay Christiancy, on Gen. Humphreys’ staff)

Mid-1863: Quite a good-sized congregation of houses and boasts two or three steeples. (Capt. A. F. Cavada, on Gen. Humphreys’ staff)

28 June 1863: Received by Union inhabitants with their usual hospitality (Abner Hard, 8th Illinois Cavalry.)

28 June 1863, morning: Pleasant village, nestled among the hills, a short distance from South Mountain. Some of the buildings show the marks of bullets fired here 11 September 1862; left morning of 29 June. (8th New York Cavalry)

27 June 1863: Rode into town last night with Capt. Clark and was invited by a citizen to take tea with him. There were some ladies there which made it all the more pleasant. (Surgeon Charles A. Wheeler, 12th Massachusetts)

28 June: Arrived, guards were thrown out, as was the custom, and it happened that the women and girls who were coming from Sunday school, which was held in one of the churches of the town, were compelled to pass by Charley Wilson, one of the guards. Wilson told them they could not pass. They became very much alarmed and began to cry, whereupon Wilson told them they could pass if they gave him a kiss. This each one did, and were allowed to pass by the guards. At this place two young women came among the soldiers and announced that if any had letters they desired to be sent, they should give the letters to them and they would be stamped and mailed. They gathered a large supply of letters, nearly all of which were unstamped, and so far as is known, every letter was mailed to its destination. (Simon Hubler, 143rd Pennsylvania)

June 1863: I stopped in a house in Middletown and the woman there gave me some milk and good bread and butter. (Wesley Boyle, 143rd Pennsylvania)

8 July 1863: A neat southern village of large size, contains two or three churches. (Capt. George Lockley, 1st Michigan)

Mid-1863: Middletown is a very fine place of about 800 inhabitants. Situated in Pleasant Valley, surrounded by a very rich country and encircled by mountains. We pitch tents about three quarters mile from the place after passing through the edge of it. (Stryker A. Wallace, 153rd Pennsylvania)

9 July 1863: Came to Middletown where Sallie Smith sung to the soldiers. Ate supper at Mr. Morrison’s. (W. A. McDowell, Cavalry Corps, 2nd Division, 3rd Brigade)

26 June 1863: Very nice Union town about 8 miles from Harper’s Ferry, this is one of the finest wheat growing country I have ever seen. (Jacob Thomas Zehrung, 73rd Ohio)

30 June 1863: Met with a fair reception; saw some of the “Secesh” spirit manifested. (Boies, 33rd Massachusetts)

Mid-1863: On reaching Middletown we found the street blocked up by a double row of wagons and a regiment of (Federal) cavalry. (Dr. D. G. Brinton, 11th Corps, 2nd Division)

7 July 1863, about 10 p.m.: We got into our old camp at Middletown about 10 pm. We were in the rear of the division, so we were last in; but we got all of our regiment in a small-sized wagoner’s shop out of the rain. (Marlow D. Wells, 157th New York)

Mid-1863: Our troops were warmly greeted, the stars and stripes flying from almost every house. (Horace Smith, 154th New York)

26 July 1863: Numerous instances of enthusiastic and outspoken patriotism. (William Wheeler, 13th New York Battery)
 
I've visited. My wife and I enjoyed cold beer/light dinner after visiting South Mountain battlefield park.
I bet you guys stopped in at "The Main Cup" or "Dempsey's Grille." Both are on Main Street and both are great pit stops.
 
Some more soldier mentions regarding the town:

September 1862: We met no smiles; a decided Union sentiment was in evidence. (David E. Johnston, 7th Virginia)

28 June 1863: A nice little village. (Thomas W. Stevens, 20th Indiana)

27-28 June 1863: Four churches, five taverns, five or six stores, etc. (Franklin Boyts, 142nd Pennsylvania)

Circa 8 July 1863: Camped near this village of a dozen houses. (146th New York)

October 1862: Marched through town, people were waving flags and our men were cheering. ... 8 June 1863: The poor fellows left are too tired to raise more than a faint hurrah. Later that night the town was very lively. I took a room at a hotel and wrote a letter or two. (Col. McCalmont, 142nd Pennsylvania)

27 June 1863, 11 p.m.: Ladies serenaded us with patriotic songs and the bands played, we were received with great enthusiasm, waving of flags and white handkerchiefs. Quite a contrast to our reception in Virginia towns. (George R. Crosby, 1st Vermont Cavalry)

September 1862: Private houses, churches and the academy of music thrown open to receive the wounded. Bridge over Catoctin Creek had been burned. (Isaac Hall, 97th New York)

27 June 1863: Small town, very dirty place, went over to an old farmers and took dinner there with a couple of young ladies. (Lt. Samuel Sanders, 76th New York)

28 June 1863: Middletown has probably fewer disloyal men in it than Homer or Cortland. The ladies are all for the Union. But for orders not to leave camp I should attend church today. (Uberto Burnham, 76th New York)

25 June 1863: Very nice place here. (Daniel Zackman, 82nd Ohio)

Mid-1863: Headquarters in a house. (Henry Clay Christiancy, on Gen. Humphreys’ staff)

Mid-1863: Quite a good-sized congregation of houses and boasts two or three steeples. (Capt. A. F. Cavada, on Gen. Humphreys’ staff)

28 June 1863: Received by Union inhabitants with their usual hospitality (Abner Hard, 8th Illinois Cavalry.)

28 June 1863, morning: Pleasant village, nestled among the hills, a short distance from South Mountain. Some of the buildings show the marks of bullets fired here 11 September 1862; left morning of 29 June. (8th New York Cavalry)

27 June 1863: Rode into town last night with Capt. Clark and was invited by a citizen to take tea with him. There were some ladies there which made it all the more pleasant. (Surgeon Charles A. Wheeler, 12th Massachusetts)

28 June: Arrived, guards were thrown out, as was the custom, and it happened that the women and girls who were coming from Sunday school, which was held in one of the churches of the town, were compelled to pass by Charley Wilson, one of the guards. Wilson told them they could not pass. They became very much alarmed and began to cry, whereupon Wilson told them they could pass if they gave him a kiss. This each one did, and were allowed to pass by the guards. At this place two young women came among the soldiers and announced that if any had letters they desired to be sent, they should give the letters to them and they would be stamped and mailed. They gathered a large supply of letters, nearly all of which were unstamped, and so far as is known, every letter was mailed to its destination. (Simon Hubler, 143rd Pennsylvania)

June 1863: I stopped in a house in Middletown and the woman there gave me some milk and good bread and butter. (Wesley Boyle, 143rd Pennsylvania)

8 July 1863: A neat southern village of large size, contains two or three churches. (Capt. George Lockley, 1st Michigan)

Mid-1863: Middletown is a very fine place of about 800 inhabitants. Situated in Pleasant Valley, surrounded by a very rich country and encircled by mountains. We pitch tents about three quarters mile from the place after passing through the edge of it. (Stryker A. Wallace, 153rd Pennsylvania)

9 July 1863: Came to Middletown where Sallie Smith sung to the soldiers. Ate supper at Mr. Morrison’s. (W. A. McDowell, Cavalry Corps, 2nd Division, 3rd Brigade)

26 June 1863: Very nice Union town about 8 miles from Harper’s Ferry, this is one of the finest wheat growing country I have ever seen. (Jacob Thomas Zehrung, 73rd Ohio)

30 June 1863: Met with a fair reception; saw some of the “Secesh” spirit manifested. (Boies, 33rd Massachusetts)

Mid-1863: On reaching Middletown we found the street blocked up by a double row of wagons and a regiment of (Federal) cavalry. (Dr. D. G. Brinton, 11th Corps, 2nd Division)

7 July 1863, about 10 p.m.: We got into our old camp at Middletown about 10 pm. We were in the rear of the division, so we were last in; but we got all of our regiment in a small-sized wagoner’s shop out of the rain. (Marlow D. Wells, 157th New York)

Mid-1863: Our troops were warmly greeted, the stars and stripes flying from almost every house. (Horace Smith, 154th New York)

26 July 1863: Numerous instances of enthusiastic and outspoken patriotism. (William Wheeler, 13th New York Battery)

And of course, let's not forget General Jackson's remarks from my picture: 10 September 1862: We evidently have no friends in this town.
 
And of course, let's not forget General Jackson's remarks from my picture: 10 September 1862: We evidently have no friends in this town.

“We evidently have no friends in this town,” General Stonewall Jackson said to his staff as two little girls with red, white, and blue ribbons in their hair waved small Union flags at him. Always the consummate Southern gentleman, Jackson raised his hat to the little girls who taunted him.
 
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