About
Fort Alice is a Maryland Civil War Trails marker on the western edge of Oakland that tells the story of a small Union fort and the railroad bridge it was built to protect. It stands on Herrington Manor Road just east of Fingerboard Road (nearest address 580 W Liberty St), at the start of a short trail to what is left of the fort. It's a worthwhile stop if you're interested in the Civil War, railroads or Oakland's early history.
Guarding the B&O Bridge
The U.S. Army built Fort Alice in 1861 as one of many posts along the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad between Baltimore and the Ohio River. It was an earth-and-stone work about 15 feet high, set beside the tracks to defend the B&O bridge over the Youghiogheny River. Local troops manned it only part of the time, and the marker notes that discipline was loose.
The Raid of April 26, 1863
During the Confederate occupation of Oakland, a detachment of Capt. John H. McNeill's partisan rangers, part of Gen. William E. "Grumble" Jones's raid through West Virginia and Maryland to cut Federal rail lines, struck the bridge. With most of the garrison reportedly off hunting that morning, the raiders disarmed the soldiers who remained, wrecked the fort and burned the bridge.
What You Can See Today
From the marker, a path runs alongside the river for roughly 500 feet to low mounds in the woods, the remains of the fort's earthworks. The sign was moved closer to the road in recent years and now sits beside the trailhead. Several other Civil War and B&O markers, including The Blockhouse and Colonel Mulligan's Telegram, are close by in Oakland.
Wear sturdy shoes for the woodland path and take a few minutes to picture the bridge and fort as they stood in 1863.
Address
580 W Liberty St, Oakland, MD 21550