Battle of South Mountain • Turner’s Gap • Fox’s Gap • Crampton’s Gap
Twelve miles west of Fredericksburg, Maryland, the National Road (now Alternate U.S. Route 40) crests South Mountain. On September 14, 1862 the 1st Corps of Major General George McClellan’s Federal army attacked the badly outnumbered defenders of Confederate General Daniel H. Hill. Today a number of historical markers commemorate and explain the battle, looked over by the Old South Mountain Inn that saw the original events.
There is a parking area on the south side of the highway next to the former Old South Mountain Inn. Maryland Department of Natural Resources has purchased the Inn, which will become a visitor center. The lot also provides parking for users of the Appalachian Trail, which crosses the highway at this point.
wayside markers
Turner’s Gap wayside marker trio:
1862 Antietam Campaign – Battle at South Mountain – 19th Century Backpacker
Maryland Campaign/Lost orders wayside marker Duo:
The Lost Orders – Maryland Campaign
historical markers
John Collins
War Department markers (set of 6)
Three wayside markers are on the south side of the highway next to the parking lot. A set of six War Department markers is on the north side of the highway, along with several more wayside and historical markers.
