Frederick in Frederick County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Retreat
Photographed By Shawn Oliver, April 2, 2015
1. Retreat Marker
At about 5:00 p.m. on July 9, 1864, the Confederates stormed the Union line on the Georgetown Pike. Union General Wallace ordered the withdrawal and chaos soon followed. With Confederates in hot pursuit, Union troops fled past Gambrill Mill, then through the field in front of you, and across Bush Creek behind you. After two miles the Confederates finally abandoned their chase.
The lines were thrown into great confusion. The advancing Confederates who, in great numbers, are bearing down upon us.
Private Alfred Roe, 9th New York Heavy Artillery
(captions)
(lower left) Brigadier General James B. Ricketts, commanded the Union defense at the Thomas Farm until ordered to retreat.
(lower center) Major General John B. Gordon commanded the Confederate division that defeated the Union forces.
(lower right) During the retreat, the color guards from the 10th Vermont Infantry were under heavy fire and unable to continue. Corporal Alexander Scott, fearing the union flags might be captured, ran both flags to safety. For his valor in saving the national flag he received the Medal of Honor on September 21, 1897.
Erected by Monocacy National Battlefield—National Park Service—U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics and series. This historical marker
this page online
Location. 39° 22.123′ N, 77° 23.136′ W. Marker is in Frederick, Maryland, in Frederick County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Urbana Pike (Maryland Route 355) and Araby Church Road, on the right when traveling west. This marker is located along the 0.5-mile Gambrill Mill Trail, located at 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.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Desperate Escape (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Edgewood (about 800 feet away); A Bold Plan (about 800 feet away); Burning the Bridge (about 800 feet away); CPL Kirk J Bosselmann (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named A Bold Plan (approx. 0.3 miles away); Caring for the River (approx. 0.3 miles away); A Crossroads of History (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Frederick.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. HMDb entry on the older wayside at this location titled “Brush Creek Crossing”
Also see . . .
Photographed By Shawn Oliver
2. Retreat Marker looking toward the Gambrill Mill House
Photographed By Shawn Oliver, April 2, 2015
3. Bush Creek
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 1, 2017
4. Corporal Alexander Scott rescues the flags.
During the retreat, the color guards from the 10th Vermont Infantry were under heavy fire and unable to continue. Corporal Alexander Scott, fearing the union flags might be captured, ran both flags to safety. For his valor in saving the national flag he received the Medal of Honor on September 21, 1897.Close-up of image on marker
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 1, 2017
5. Corporal Alexander Scott, of Co. D, 10th Vermont Volunteers
”at Monocacy July 9, 1864 this soldier, a corporal in Co. D, 10th Vermont Volunteers and carrying the State Flag while his regiment was withdrawing under very heavy fire of the enemy saw the color sergeant bearing the national colors fall out of line exhausted and drop to the rear which meant inevitable capture. Corporal Scott then nearly overpowered by the heat and fatigue picked up the national flag and carried both colors during the remainder of the action.” — Medal of Honor Citation.Close-up of photo on marker
Photographed By Tim1965 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 - Wikipedia, September 11, 2011
6. Scott's Headstone at Arlington National Cemetery
Medal of Honor
Cpl Co D
10 VT Inf
1844
1923
Credits. This page was last revised on March 20, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 3, 2015, by Shane Oliver of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 557 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 3, 2015, by Shane Oliver of Richmond, Virginia. 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 1, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
