July 9 marks the anniversary of the Civil War’s Battle of Monocacy, fought near Frederick, Maryland, in the summer of 1864.
This fierce engagement saw Union troops desperately attempting to halt a Confederate invasion aimed at capturing Washington, DC. Though a tactical loss for the U.S. Army, the battle delayed Confederate forces long enough for vital reinforcements to arrive, ultimately saving the nation’s capital from potential capture.
Today, Monocacy National Battlefield preserves these historic landscapes and shares powerful stories from this critical moment in American history.
During my time at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick, I had the privilege of hosting our popular YouTube series, “On Tour,” exploring Civil War medical history on location.
In July 2021, we collaborated with historians and park rangers at Monocacy to showcase the dramatic medical experiences of soldiers during and after the 1864 battle, revealing the struggles, resilience, and innovation that shaped battlefield medicine during the conflict.
The videos are below or can be found over on YouTube HERE.
I chat with my friend Tracy Evans, Park Ranger at Monocacy National Battlefield, about the Battle of Monocacy and its place in the story of the Civil War.
In this video, author and historian Ryan Quint and I chat at the Worthington Farm at Monocacy National Battlefield. Check out our podcast episode with Ryan about his book about the Battle of Dranesville in 1861.
Ryan and I discuss the events on July 9, 1864 at the historic Thomas Farm. Today, this is park headquarters for Monocacy National Battlefield. During the battle, this farm witnessed the most and intense and bloodiest combat.
In this final video in the series on the Battle of Monocacy, I discuss the aftermath of the Battle of Monocacy at United States General Hospital #1 in Downtown Frederick, Maryland.
I hope you enjoyed these videos – if you did, let me know what you think in the comments below. And be sure to go check out the National Museum of Civil War Medicine and Monocacy National Battlefield on your next visit to Frederick, Maryland.
More stories about Civil War medical history
A Civil War soldier learns of his brother’s death from typhoid fever | 1863
A Civil War officer’s grisly amputation at Spotsylvania Court House on May 10, 1864
Tour of the Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum | 2021
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