Last month Monocacy National Battlefield participated in Park Day 2026! This is an annual event put on by the @americanbattlefieldtrust . Monocacy National Battlefield has participated in this event for years, but the 2026 turnout was one of our best ever!
As ever, we had lots of individuals come out to plant, weed and take care of litter. This was particularly helpful around the visitor center, working with our native species gardens. We also had two big groups join us this year. Cub Scout Pack 392 and the US Navy Sea Cadet Corps - Pathfinders Division, both from right here in Central Maryland! During their time, Pack 392 went on litter patrol, covering much of the northern end of the battlefield landscape. The Sea Cadets spent Park Day removing invasive species, such as Garlic Mustard down on the Worthington Farm.
Thank you to everyone who came out and donated your time and energy to Monocacy National Battlefield!
#parkday
#parkday2026
#volunteerism
#thankyou
#monocacynationalbattlefield
Today we are at Thomas Farm, tour stop 3 on Monocacy National Battlefield near the small stream that runs through this landscape. This stream has a big role to play on July 9, 1864, during the Battle of Monocacy, but today we are looking at the conservation efforts by the National Park Service to preserve this fragile waterway.
To help protect these waterways, the National Park Service has planted a riparian buffer of native vegetation. This buffer zone native grasses, shrubs and trees helps to filter out sediments and pollutants that could be moving towards the stream. While the roots of the vegetation also help to stabilize the banks of the stream, protecting it from erosion. Thanks to Ranger Allie and the Resources Team for their work on this important project!
#stream
#riparianbuffer
#nativeplants
#thomasfarm
#monocacynationalbattlefield
***Update***
The Gambrill Trails at tour stop 4, both the Upper and Lower trails, are closed this morning for Herbicide Application until 11:30am.
The Worthington Ford Trail at tour stop 2 will be closed for the same reason from 11am to 3pm today as well.
This work is part of the NPS Eastern Grasslands Initiative. A partnership between the Southeastern Grasslands Institute and the National Park Serve to help restore native Grasslands.
The Thomas Farm Trail at tour stop 3 is closed for agricultural spraying until 1:30pm.
Please respect trail closures and any signs.
#easterngrasslands
#gambrilltrail
#worthingtontrail
#nativegrasses
#monocacynationalbattlefield
#MuseumMonday
Sometimes our Museum is an outdoor classroom! NMCWM staff and volunteers enjoyed a beautiful day today teaching @thenysmithschool Nysmith School students about the Civil War and Civil War medicine at @anti1862nps Antietam National Battlefield, @monocacynps Monocacy National Battlefield, and at the Museum.
Want to book a group tour? Find out how! /visit/group/nmcwm/
On May 4, 1864, the Army of the Potomac stepped off on what became known as the Overland Campaign. The first clashes between Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee. By the end of this campaign, one of the bloodiest of the American Civil War, Confederate forces had been driven into their defenses around Richmond and Petersburg, Virginia and Federal forces had suffered nearly 55,000 casualties in about 40 days.
Understanding the gravity of the campaign, Major General George G. Meade, the commander of the Army of the Potomac, put out a proclamation to be read to his forces before they stepped off in the pre-dawn darkness of May 4. This proclamation was to inspire confidence in the troops, and to introduce them to the fact that they were operating is conjunction with other Federal armies spread across the country. It also let them know that the new General-in-Chief, Ulysses S. Grant had the confidence of not only the administration, but of Meade and the rest of the Federal armies.
Amongst those soldiers were the men in the 3rd Division, VI Corps. These men, most of them transplants from the old III Corps, were soon to be considered some of the best soldiers in the Army of the Potomac. Little did they know where the campaign would lead them, though all hoped for a speedy end to the war. There is no doubt that none of them realized that just over two months later, they would be here, at Monocacy Junction, fighting to buy time for the very capital they were moving away from.
#overlandcampaign
#grantvslee
#armyofthepotomac
#georgemeade
#monocacynationalbattlefield
Inside the Farms of Monocacy Historic House Tours:
The Battle of Monocacy was fought amongst the farms, fields and forests along the Monocacy River on July 9, 1864. Each of the farms, and the people who lived on them, were impacted by the battle.
On Saturday, May 2nd, 2026, join Monocacy National Battlefield Rangers and volunteers as we explore two of these farms. Space is limited at both farms, so please reach out to Monocacy National Battlefield to reserve your slot. There are currently eight (8) openings for the Historic House Tours of the Worthington and Best house.
Programs start at 9am and end at 1:00 pm, with time built in for a break between houses.
Please email [email protected] to get on the list. We will confirm with the location of farm where you will begin.
Shoutout to our colleagues @usgrantnps !
Today is April 27, the birthday of future president Ulysses S. Grant! By 1864 Grant was 42 years old, a lieutenant general and the General-in-Chief of all Federal forces. In this capacity he worked with President Abraham Lincoln to prosecute an end of the American Civil War, which occurred the following year.
It was due to this cooperation with the Lincoln Administration that Grant found himself at Thomas Farm, tour stop two, about a month after the Battle of Monocacy, from August 4-6. It was here that Grant decided to give the Department of West Virginia to Major General Philip Sheridan, leading to the 1864 Valley Campaign.
While staying at the Thomas House, General Grant famously teased Virginia Thomas, asking the little girl if her parents were Yankee's or Rebels. Virginia was quick to explain that "Momma's a rebel, but Daddy is a Yankee when the Yankee's are here and a rebel when the rebels are here." By all accounts Grant found this answer hilarious.
#happybirthday
#ulyssessgrant
#thomasfarm
#generalinchief
#monocacynationalbattlefield
April 20 is the birthday of Lieutenant Colonel John Floyd King, an artillery battalion commander here at the Battle of Monocacy. One of the batteries of King's Battalion can be found at Tour Stop #2, Worthington Farm. From that position King's artillery engaged Federal forces on Thomas Farm and even bombarded the Thomas House at one point.
Lieutenant Colonel King was born in 1842 in Georgia and was only 22 years old during the Battle of Monocacy. Surviving the American Civil War, King moved to Louisiana and became a planter. In 1872 he passed the Louisiana bar and began to practice law. This career was also a gateway into politics. King was elected to Louisiana's 5th Congressional District in 1878 and served in Congress until 1884.
He remained in Washington, DC after his time as a congressman and engaged in mining operations. He even spent some time working for the Treasury Department before passing away in 1915. Today, John Floyd King rests in Section 16 of Arlington National Cemetery.
#johnfloydking
#artillery
#congress
#worthingtonfarm
#monocacynationalbattlefield
Today, April 18, the Best Farm Trail will be closed today for agricultural spraying. The Best Farm tour stop and parking area remains open, but please avoid the trails and respect trail blockers.
#trails
#trailclosed
#bestfarmtrail
#bestfarm
#monocacynationalbattlefield
On April 13, 1864, Major General John Sedgwick was reinstated as the commander of the VI Corps, Army of the Potomac. Though a beloved commander, known affectionately as "Uncle John" by his men, General Sedgwick had been under a cloud of review since the Gettysburg Campaign and was nearly sent to the Shenandoah Valley to command there.
However, he was retained as the VI Corps commander, but sadly only lived another month. During the brutal fighting at Spotsylvania during the Overland Campaign on May 9, General Sedgwick was mortally wounded.
Taking over for him was Major General Horatio Wright, who commanded the VI Corps for the remainder of the war. This included the Monocacy Campaign when his 3rd Division was raced north to Monocacy Junction, while the rest of the VI Corps headed for Washington DC. The Corps came back together following the Battle of Fort Stevens and General Wright led the pursuit of Confederate forces back into Virginia.
#johnsedgwick
#horatiowright
#VIcorps
#armyofthepotomac
#monocacynationalbattlefield
On April 6, 1865, Mosby's Ranger's fought their last significant engagement in the American Civil War, the affair at Charles Town, West Virginia. Colonel John Singleton Mosby and about 250 of his rangers surrounded and took the camp of a Unionist Virginia Ranger company, the Loudoun County Rangers.
Come to find out the Loudoun County Rangers had fought here at the Battle of Monocacy on July 9, 1864, attached to the 8th Illinois Cavalry. Unfortunately, this dedicated, but poorly trained unit did not impress the Illinois cavalrymen. Their commander referred to the Virginia Unionists as "worthless".
The capture of the Loudoun County Rangers camp on April 6, 1865, ended their participation in the American Civil War. Fortunately for them, the war was almost over, and they soon returned to their homes in the Loudoun Valley and southern Maryland.
#loudouncountyrangers
#mosbysrangers
#thegrayghost
#cavalry
#monocacynationalbattlefield
As our friends and partners on the National Mall are celebrating the Cherry Blossom Festival, that means Blue Bells here at Monocacy National Battlefield! Our Blue Bells are almost ready to bloom and will likely be in full bloom in the next week or so depending on the weather.
This moisture loving flower can be found in abundance along the Worthington Ford Trail at Tour Stop #2, the Worthington Farm. If you can't make it this week, don't worry! The Blue Bells tend to be in bloom for about two to three weeks here in Maryland.
Please remember to respect this native species for everyone to enjoy. Picking or digging up Blue Bells or any other plant on Monocacy National Battlefield is strictly prohibited.
#bluebells
#cherryblossom
#worthingtonford
#worthingtonfarm
#monocacynationalbattlefield
