About
Gettysburg Campaign is a Maryland Civil War Trails marker on East Liberty Street in downtown Oakland (117 E Liberty St), among the markers clustered at the 1884 Oakland train station. Part of the Gettysburg: Invasion & Retreat trail, it gives the big-picture story of the 1863 campaign that passed through western Maryland. It's an easy stop while you explore the station grounds.
The Story on the Sign
After Confederate victories at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville in the spring of 1863, Gen. Robert E. Lee carried the war north through Maryland into Pennsylvania. His infantry moved through the Shenandoah Valley and western Maryland while Gen. J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry harassed Union supply lines. The Union Army of the Potomac followed, with Gen. George G. Meade replacing Gen. Joseph Hooker in command on June 28. The armies met at Gettysburg on July 1 in a battle the marker says neither side meant to fight there, and the beaten Confederates retreated through Maryland, crossing the Potomac into Virginia on July 14. The panel includes a trail map and portraits of Meade and Lee.
Nearby at the Station
The marker shares the area with others about the 1884 Oakland Train Station, a 1955 B&O Railroad caboose and a 1920 Baldwin steam locomotive, so it's easy to pair Civil War history with the town's railroad heritage. The marker suggests picking up the Gettysburg: Invasion & Retreat map-guide at a Welcome or Visitor Center to follow the rest of the trail.
Plan a few extra minutes to walk between the markers and displays along East Liberty Street.
Address
117 E Liberty St, Oakland, MD 21550