Araby View in Frederick in Frederick County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Desperate Escape

Photographed by Shawn Oliver, April 2, 2015

1. Desperate Escape Marker

Inscription.
After Union General Wallace ordered the covered bridge burned, the railroad bridge became the only route of escape for Lieutenant Davis and his men, who were seperated from the rest of the Union forces by the river. His troops fought bravely all morning and afternoon, but by 4:00 p.m. the situation grew critical—the Confederates attacked with great force. Davis wrote, "It seemed we should be swept into the river." Overwhelmed, Davis ordered a retreat across the railroad bridge. Some of his men were shot before reaching the bridge, some fell through the bridge ties, but most escaped with Davis unharmed.

I knew nothing of the situation, or plan of battle, except as apparent to the eye...I received no orders from any source after the first gun was fired in the morning.
First Lieutenant George E. Davis, 10th Vermont Infantry

(caption)
(top right) On May 27, 1892, George E. Davis received the Medal of Honor for holding "two bridges against repeated assaults of superior numbers... delaying Early's advance on Washington."

Erected by Monocacy National Battlefield—National Park Service—U.S. Department of the Interior.

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Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Medal of Honor Recipients series list.

Location. 39° 22.173′ N, 77° 23.282′ W. Marker is in Frederick, Maryland, in Frederick County. It is in Araby View. It can be reached from the intersection of Urbana Pike (Maryland Route 355) and Araby Church Road, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located along the 0.5-mile Gambrill Mill Trail at Tour Stop 5 on the auto-tour route. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4823 Urbana Pike, Frederick MD 21704, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area

and in Central Maryland.

It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking

Desperate Escape Marker and Monocacy River Overlook image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Shawn Oliver, April 2, 2015

2. Desperate Escape Marker and Monocacy River Overlook

distance of this marker: Burning the Bridge (here, next to this marker); Retreat (about 800 feet away); CPL Kirk J Bosselmann (about 800 feet away); Monocacy Battlefield (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named A Bold Plan (approx. 0.2 miles away); Caring for the River (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named A Bold Plan (approx. 0.2 miles away); A Crossroads of History (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Frederick.

Other markers no longer nearby. Fleeing for Their Lives (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Burning of the Bridge (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Bush Creek Crossing (was about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been reported to have been replaced with another marker now near it); Monocacy National Battlefield (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named Monocacy National Battlefield (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been replaced

View of the Monocacy River from the "Desperate Escape" marker. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Shawn Oliver, April 2, 2015

3. View of the Monocacy River from the "Desperate Escape" marker.

with another marker now near it); Gambrill Mill (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); A Bold Plan (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Gambrill House (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been permanently removed).

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This wayside replaced an older one at this location titled “Fleeing for Their Lives”.

Also see . . . Monocacy National Battlefield. National Park Service website entry (Submitted on April 3, 2015.)

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, May 1, 2017

4. Desperate Escape Marker

Desperate Escape image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, May 1, 2017

5. Desperate Escape

Close-up of image on marker

George E. Davis image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, May 1, 2017

6. George E. Davis

On May 27, 1892, George E. Davis received the Medal of Honor for holding “two bridges against repeated assaults of superior numbers... delaying Early's advance on Washington.”Close-up of photos on marker

Credits. This page was last revised on April 4, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 2, 2015, by Shane Oliver of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 886 times since then and 31 times this year. Last updated on March 28, 2022, by Connor Olson of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 2, 2015, by Shane Oliver of Richmond, Virginia. 4, 5, 6. submitted on May 31, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.