Oakland in Garrett County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Oakland
Confederate Railroad Raid
On Sunday, April 26, 1863, a detachment of Confederate Capt. John H. McNeill's partisan rangers under Col. A. W. Harman attacked the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad facilities here in Oakland. They were part of Confederate Gen. William E. Grumble Jones incursion into West Virginia and Maryland to hamper the rail movements of Federal troops and supplies.
The town was defended by Company O, 6th West Virginia Infantry, a Preston County unit. The Confederates arrived about 11 a.m. and surprised the garrison. When Oakland's citizens emerged from church services, they found the town in possession of the Southerners. The Union commander, Capt. Godwin, was captured at the Lutheran Church on Green Street, and one by one, three more officers and fifty-seven soldiers were rounded up.
Apparently, only one shot was fired in Oakland, when Confederates who thought that a Union officer was recuperating at the Glades Hotel fired a warning shot from a small cannon past the building. After they turned the gun to face the hotel, the manager came out and begged them to inspect the interior rather than opening fire. They found no Federal officer in the building. Meanwhile, a few Confederates rode west to the Youghiogheny River railroad bridge, where they captured the guards at Fort Alice, disarmed them, and burned the bridge.
this page online
Erected by Maryland Civil War Trails.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), and the Maryland Civil War Trails series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is April 26, 1863.
Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 39° 24.612′ N, 79° 24.516′ W. Marker was in Oakland, Maryland, in Garrett County. It was on East Liberty Street west of South 2nd Street, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 117 East Liberty Street, Oakland MD 21550, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker was in the Baltimore Metro Region and in Western Maryland. It was also in the American Mid-Atlantic, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it was in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it found itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: 1884 Oakland Train Station (a few steps from this marker); Gettysburg Campaign (a few steps from this marker); Our Benefactors (a few steps from this marker); 1920 Baldwin Steam Locomotive (within shouting distance of this marker); 1955 B&O Railroad Caboose (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Oakland (within shouting distance of this marker); 1938 McCormick-Deering Farmall F14 & 1942 John Deere
Photographed by J. J. Prats, June 4, 2006
2. Three Markers In Front of the Oakland Train Station
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has been replaced with the linked marker.
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, September 22, 2013
3. Glades Hotel
Oakland's Glades Hotel as it appeared during the Civil War.
Close-up of photo on marker
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, September 22, 2013
4. McNeill's Rangers
McNeill's Rangers came to Oakland by a remote trail.
Close-up of image on marker
Credits. This page was last revised on August 26, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 17, 2006, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 3,282 times since then and 26 times this year. Last updated on July 24, 2024, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1. submitted on July 18, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on August 17, 2006, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 3, 4. submitted on September 26, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
