Wedged strategically between the Mason-Dixon Line and the Potomac River,
Hagerstown was destined to play a significant role in the Civil War. A
diverse community, most residents gravitated toward the blue while some
sided with the gray. Slavery was not a major presence in western
Maryland, yet some local residents owned slaves along this route on the
Underground Railroad. The intriguing story of Hagerstown during the
Civil War is captured in this volume of vintage photographs, portraits,
drawings, and other illustrations. Learn the stories of participants,
both local and from across the country, whose wartime experiences in
Hagerstown forever affected them. From the secretive arrival of John
Brown in June 1859, to recent efforts to commemorate this history, the
reader will come to understand the rich heritage that can be found in
Hagerstown.