Monterey Pass Walking Tours – July 24-25
Join Civil War professional John Galie as he walks you through guided tours of the battle that took place on July 4th, 1863. Walk the road taken by a 20 mile long wagon train, a part of Gen Robert E. Lee’s retreat. Finish at the road Union cavalry (including Brig Gen George Armstrong Custer) used to cut them off and destroy Confederates supplies.
Walking tours are fre. Times of the walks are:
11 AM and 2 PM on Saturday, and 11 AM on Sunday. Meet at the Monterey Pass Battlefield Museum.
For more on Monterey Pass, visit montereypassbattlefield.org.
Monterey Pass Battlefield Hosts Campfire Pork Roast
Monterey Pass Battlefield, is hosting a campfire pork roast on June 29, 11 AM to 5 PM. All the trimmings will be served with the roast plus corn soup and beans cooked in kettles over the campfire. Beverages include lemonade and iced tea.
Throughout the 125-acre site will include living history portrayers, speaking during the day. Geo caches will be placed on the walking trails. Period artisans will be displaying their wares., including soap and honey.
Tickets to enjoy the whole day at the site are $20. Take-out meals are $15. Monterey Pass includes the battlefield, museum, and walking trails with interpretive signage. The battlefield is the site of the second largest confrontation in Pennsylvania, fought as part of the retreat from Gettysburg in the late hours of July 4 and early hours of July 5.
The Monterey Pass Battlefield Park is a 125-acre natural, cultural and historical park, located along PA Route 16. The park includes Rolando Woods, Happel’s Meadow Wetlands, and Monterey Pass Museum. The history of the area dates back to 1747, when immigrants looking for a new life traveled through the area to Appalachia on the Great Wagon Road. Discover more on June 29.
Monterey Pass Battlefield Park Adds Parking Area
Monterey Pass Battlefield Museum and Park has a new parking area adjoining Rolando Woods Park. It will allow more visitors to discover the 125-acre natural, cultural and historical preserve. Monterey Pass Battlefield Park includes trails and a museum, interpreting the Monterey Pass Battle, fought on the retreat from the Battle of Gettysburg. The battlefield trails are fully interpreted and are broken down into six stops. Trails are open 8 AM to dusk year-round.
The Battle
On July 4, 1863, a seventeen-mile train of wounded and dying men began the retreat from Gettysburg through Franklin County. During the retreat on the night of July 4-5, 1863, Civil War came to South Mountain in what is known as the Battle of Monterey Pass. The Battle of Monterey Pass was the second largest battle in Pennsylvania, fought in two states, Pennsylvania and Maryland, and four counties (Adams and Franklin Counties PA and Frederick and Washington Counties in MD).The conflict involved 10,000 Confederate and Union soldiers.
The Battle of Monterey Pass is one of the most confusing battles of the Civil War.For several hours, during the blinding thunderstorm in the middle of the night, the battle was carried out in between lightning strikes and muzzle flashes. Six hours of heavy fighting had spilled over to Fairfield Gap as well as Leitersburg while General Kilpatrick gained the South Mountain summit of Monterey Pass. At Fairfield Gap, a portion of the 1st Michigan Cavalry was beaten back by Confederate cavalry while at the Monterey House, two guns of Pennington’s battery began shelling the Confederate wagons.
By 3:30 a.m. on July 5th, Kilpatrick successfully reached the turnpike where Ewell’s wagon train was located, capturing and destroying 9 miles worth of wagons, taking 1,360 prisoners and a large number of horses and mules as they moved on toward Ringgold, Maryland.
The museum is open Weekends from 10 AM to 4 PM from April to November. Admission is free but donations are welcomed.
Visit online at www.montereypassbattlefield.org