TARGETED TRACKS: The Cumberland Valley Railroad in the Civil War, 1861-1865

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Examines the importance of the Cumberland Valley Railroad, which connected Hagerstown, MD, to Harrisburg, PA, and played a central role in the Union war effort. It proved a tempting target for Confederate forces, not only for its valuable rolling stock, but also the supplies it transported. Includes 28 images and 3 maps.

Northern military and railway officials coordinated its generally successful defense while often butting heads. Southern horsemen wrought havoc on the Northern war effort by tearing up its tracks, seizing or torching supplies, and laying waste to warehouses, engine houses, and passenger depots.

In October 1859, Abolitionist John Brown used the CVRR in his fateful Harpers Ferry raid. The line was under direct threat by invading Confederates during the Antietam Campaign, and the following summer suffered serious damage during the Gettysburg Campaign. In 1864, Rebel raiders burned much of its headquarters town, Chambersburg, including the homes of many CVRR employees