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The Emmitsburg & Waynesboro Turnpike
Maryland Route
140/Pa. Route 16 west.
Emmitsburg:
During the Civil War,
Emmitsburg served as a crossroad for the soldiers on both sides, and
helped to raised some of our country's best military units ready to
defend our country. William Emmit founded the town of Emmitsburg in
1785 and through the years Emmitsburg grew to become recognized as a
symbol of religion due to its many churches such as Saint Joseph
College, and Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary School.
The Emmitsburg area
played a major role in the Civil War, more than what has been given
credit and was a pivotal crossroad of the Waynesboro Pike.
Emmitsburg witnessed every raid that carried over into Pennsylvania
from JEB Stuarts’ first Chambersburg Raid of 1862, the Gettysburg
Campaign in the summer of 1863 and finally, General Early’s Raids of
July of 1864.
Emmitsburg Historical Society | Markers are located at Saint
Josephs and at the Visitor Center located on Route 15 South.
Zora:
 Located
between Emmitsburg, Maryland and Monterey Springs, Pennsylvania, is
the community of Zora. Although Zora was not a town until the late
1800’s, troops passed through and left an impact on the community
that took years to rebuild. Zora was only a crossroad at the time of
the Civil War. It was where the Emmitsburg-Waynesboro Road and the
Fairfield Road came together. Zora played a major role in the battle
of Monterey and the Confederate retreat from the fields of
Gettysburg and proved to be a key route for the armies during the
Civil War.
Due to communication reasons both
armies felt the need to obtain and protect their positions at these
crossroads and mountain gaps. Because of this troops encamped at
Zora. Instances such as these happened quite often, especially when
battles were waged nearby. Scouts and pickets used the crossroads to
see the troop movements that came from the direction of Emmitsburg
and Fairfield. Zora, just as Emmitsburg was always on the extreme
perimeter of major campaigns such as, Antietam, Gettysburg and
Early's Raid on Washington.
There are currently no markers.
Fountaindale:
 Although
being a small community today, Fountaindale, just as many of these
small towns along Waynesboro Pike, impacted the Civil War in it’s
own unique way. One June 28th, 1863, members of Cole's Cavalry
skirmished with Confederates who were foraging.
The Fountaindale
Spring House is where Confederate troops stopped to get bread and a
drink of water from the spring located in front of the house. When
General Lee's Army encamped in this valley on the first night of
it's retreat from the battle of Gettysburg, a badly wounded rebel
soldier died and was buried in the old Lutheran cemetery where the
skirmish of Fountaindale took place. A small marble marker used to
stand, but when modern day Route 16 was made, the construction crew
extended Jacks Mountain Road and paved over top of the grave of the
unknown Confederate Soldier. The only inscription on the old marker
stated: “Died, July 4, 1863. Aged 20 Years.”
Marker located at the Fountaindale Fire Department on Old Waynesboro
Pike
Monterey Pass:
On the evening of July 4th, 1863, one of the most
confusing battles of the Civil War occurred during the retreat from
Gettysburg known as the battle of Monterey Pass. General Robert E.
Lee had given the order to retreat from Gettysburg. During this
retreat General Ewell’s Confederate wagon train took the road
leading over Jack’s Mountain from Fairfield.
Around 9:00 p.m. near Fountaindale, Pa. the Union
cavalry under the command of General Kilpatrick came in contact with
the Confederate 1st Maryland cavalry under Captain George Emack, who
had a small detail guarding the approach to Monterey,
re-enforced by one cannon that was loaded with two rounds of
ammunition.
Darkness set in during a blinding rainstorm. The
Confederates wearing gum blankets, were mistaken as Union troops by
Kilpatrick’s cavalry as they made their way from Fountaindale.
Knowing that their identity was withheld, the order came from Emack
to fire the cannon. As the confusion subsided, the Confederates
charged, pushing the Federals back until they reached the Federal
artillery that was at Fountaindale.
General Kilpatrick gained the mountain summit of
Monterey six hours later. At the Monterey House, a Union battery
deployed and began shelling the enemy’s wagons. By 3:30 a.m. the
Union Cavalry reached the road where Ewell’s wagon train was
located, capturing and destroying 9 miles worth of wagons, taking
1,360 prisoners and a large number of horses and mules as they moved
on to Waterloo.
Monterey
Battlefield Association
Waynesboro:
 Waynesboro,
Pennsylvania was first founded by John Wallace in 1797 when he first
laid out plans for a new town. It was first called Mount Vernon and
then Wallacetown. To honor General Anthony Wayne, he changed the
name to Waynesburg and finally to Waynesboro. Waynesboro through the
Civil War saw many of it's men join the Union. The 126th
Pennsylvania Regiment was organized in August of 1862. Company E of
the 126th Pennsylvania was recruited in Waynesboro and was led by
Captain William W. Walker, 1st Lieutenant George W. Walker and 2nd
Lieutenant Thomas J. Nill. This Company saw some of the heaviest
fighting in the nine moth period it was active.
Confederate General Jubal Early and his Division entered
Pennsylvania on June 23rd and marched to Waynesboro. General Early's
Division entered Waynesboro in the late morning. As soon as the
Confederate took possession of Waynesboro, the Confederate Flag was
raised over the town hall.
Waynesboro was also occupied throughout the Civil War by both
armies since the Shenandoah Pike is a short distance away in
Greencastle. Just as any town near the Mason and Dixon Line or the
Shenandoah Pike, Waynesboro was always subjected to raids or troop
movements.
Waynesboro
Historical Society |
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