Camp Carroll

Camp Carroll. The War Came by Train. , Located approximately one mile west along the B&O Railroad's right-of-way was the site of Baltimore's largest Civil War training camp. Known variously throughout the War as Camp Carroll and Camp Cheesebrough, it was located on property once owned by the Carroll family west of the Mount Clare mansion between the B&O Railroad's tracks and Washington Boulevard (Route 1). The camp served as a temporary home for over 18 Union infantry, cavalry, and artillery units during the war., Soldiers stationed at Camp Carroll guarded Baltimore's critical transportation routes, patrolled and maintained order in the surrounding area, and trained for deployment to the battlefield., We drilled on foot daily, both sabre and foot drill, and many times my writs was lame trying to learn the sabre drill… I learned the drills about as fast as any of the recruits…We remained at Camp Carroll all the fall and winter. Having drawn our horses we were kept quite busy drilling. , Thomas Hinds, 1st Maryland Cavalry, Company A, Perhaps the most critical job for units based at Camp Carroll and Camp Chesebrough involved guarding the B&O Railroad's Mt. Clare Station and shops. The B&O's facilities were crucial to the Union war effort. They moved through thousands of troops, tons of supplies, and were the heart of the B&O's 500 mile system linking the mid-west with Baltimore, points north, and the nations capital, "…The morning of June 6th, found it [First Maryland Regiment] on route to Baltimore, where it went into camp for instruction and drill, on the grounds familiarly known to Baltimoreans as 'Camp Carroll,' situated at the junction of the Camden Station and Mount Clare branches of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad." , Colonel John R. Kenley, First Maryland Infantry, 1861, The camp consisted of barracks and buildings, including a chapel and hospital constructed by the soldiers and adequate space for parade and training grounds. Established by the Union occupying forces of Baltimore as Camp Carroll in 1861, the site was renamed Camp Chesebrough by the 1st Connecticut Cavalry, honoring Lt. Colonel William G. Chesebrough. The name Camp Carroll was reinstated in 1864. Following the war the site served as a camp for a reunion of Union War veterans in 1884 and portions were subsequently purchased by Baltimore City and comprise present day Carroll Park.