Near Buckeystown in Frederick County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Buckeystown Park
Soldiers’ Shortcake
— Antietam Campaign 1862 —
On the south end of this park, the road from Urbana to Buckeystown crossed the Monocacy River over a stone bridge. Some of the Confederate troops camped here on September 6, 1862, while some crossed the bridge to bivouac on a knoll overlooking the river on the south side of the road on William Graff’s farm.
On September 13, Union Gen. William B. Franklin’s VI Corps passed by here on the march from Urbana, and halted for an hour at the apple and peach orchards near the Dalaplaine (Michael’s) Mill. Then the corps continued west toward Burkittsville and South Mountain, where it fought the next day.
(Sidebar): George and Michael Buckey founded Buckeystown, located a mile west of here, in 1775. By the 1860s, it was a thriving town with a large milling and tanning industry and several stores. Buckey’s tavern and many of the old houses from the period are still standing along the picturesque tree-lined main street of Buckeystown. The town’s largest gristmill, Delaplaine Mill (Now Michael’s Mill), is on the hill in front of you. Since the Confederates had stopped the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad traffic, the mill had a thousand barrels of flour in its warehouse, over which guards were posted to prevent pilfering. William J. Grove later recalled, “My father was the railroad agent. He opened the warehouse for the troops [and] told the Confederates they would bake as much bread as they could to feed the troops. My mother had several good cooks who were her slaves. They baked for the soldiers day and night, generally shortcake, without lard or salt, but it was eaten ravishly by the hungry soldiers.”
Erected by Maryland Civil War Trails.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is September 1724.
Location. 39° 19.609′ N, 77° 24.936′ W. Marker is near Buckeystown, Maryland, in Frederick County. Marker is at the intersection of Michael's Mill Road (Maryland Route 880) and Fingerboard Road (Maryland Route 80), on the right on Michael's Mill Road. Between the road and the parking lot for Buckeystown Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7221 Michaels Mill Road, Buckeystown MD 21717, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Site of Buckeystown Methodist Episcopal Church (approx. one mile away); “Carrollton” (approx. one mile away); Buckeystown (approx. one mile away); The Battle That Saved Washington (approx. 2.1 miles away); History of the Monocacy River Valley (approx. 2.1 miles away); Clustered Spires of Frederick (approx. 2.1 miles away); Dennis Memorial (approx. 2˝ miles away); Civilians Under Siege (approx. 2˝ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Buckeystown.
More about this marker. The feature picture on the marker is a view of Buckeystown in 1885 (looking north from the intersection of what is today Routes 85 and 80). A smaller picture is of the mill. A map details unit movements and locations of other Maryland Civil War Trails sites.
Also see . . .
1. Monocacy River Water Trail Map. Frederick County PDF. (Submitted on July 16, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
2. Buckeystown Md: Something for Everyone!. Housewives of Frederick County website entry (Submitted on February 25, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Additional keywords. Antietam Campaign
Credits. This page was last revised on February 25, 2022. It was originally submitted on July 16, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,957 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on July 16, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.