The sacking of Summit Hall in Gaithersburg

 Summit Hall was a prominent local farm owned by John T. DeSellum. Though DeSellum was a slaveholder, he was also an outspoken Unionist and a Federal enrollment officer.

 On Sunday, June 28, 1863, when Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart and an estimated 5,000 cavalrymen raided the property en route to the Battle of Gettysburg. They seized:

  •  Fresh horses
  •  Forage for their animals
  •  Food and other supplies

 The property is now part of Bohrer Park and the historic home and barn remains intact.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Where did General J.E.B. Stuart’s cross the Potomac River on June 27, 1863?

Where did General J.E.B.  Stuart’s cross the Potomac River with 5,000 Rebel cavalry bound for Gettysburg on June 27, 1863 as part of his “ride around” the Union army? Tradition, and a historical marker, say it was at Rowser's Ford on   Violette’s Lock Road, but evidence refutes that and suggests that the actual crossing was at Muddy Branch Ford, two miles downstream. Evidence for Muddy Branch being the crossing point comes from Union officers and contemporary newspaper reports including from Major D.W.C. Thompson of the California 100 Cavalry.   Read more about it here . 
Read more

Aspin Hill Pet Cemetery

  Aspin Hill Pet Cemetery is located in Aspen Hill, Maryland.  Note the difference in spelling. That is not a typo.  the cemetery, now known as "Aspin Hill Memorial Park", was stablished in 1920 as a breeding and boarding kennel and contains more than 50,000 pet and over than 50 human graves . The cemetery's origins trace back to Richard and Bertha Birney, who purchased the land on what is now Georgia Avenue. While the surrounding neighborhood eventually adopted the spelling "Aspen Hill" (inspired by local aspen trees), the Birneys chose the unique spelling "Aspin Hill," likely in honor of an English estate.  Notable animals buried there include  "Rags" a  World War I hero dog from the First Division of  the American Expeditionary Force, "Napoleon", the Weather Prophet cat, and "Rickey" the sled dog who  participated in two of Admiral  Richard E. Byrd’s expeditions to  Antarctica.  More information at Montgomery History a...
Read more

How Glens Falls, NY got its name

 Glens Falls, New York is named after a waterfall on the Hudson River that doesn't exist.  This waterfall used to exist but a dam was built directly above it to divert the water for mills and factories. Now, there are two hydro-electric power plants using water from the river. The Finch Pruyn and Company Inc. Hydro generating plant is on the north side of the river and the  South Glens Falls Hydroelectric Facility is on the other.  A bridge carries the road over the Hudson River directly downstream of the dam. You can also take a short road to the base of the dam and walk out to Cooper's Cave Overlook. You can't really see the cave, but it is supposed to be the inspiration for a hiding place in The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper.
Read more