Germantown, Maryland

====American Civil War====
[[File:Maryland, Germantown. Headquarters Christian Commission in the Field. - NARA - 533327.jpg|thumb|A field headquarters of the U.S. Christian Commission at Germantown in September 1863]]
Although it avoided much of the physical destruction that ravaged other cities in the region, the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] was still a cause of resentment and division among residents of Germantown. Many Germantown residents were [[Abolitionism|against slavery]] and had sons fighting for the [[Union Army]]. In contrast, other residents of Germantown owned slaves, and even those who were not slave-owners had sons fighting for the [[Confederate States Army|Confederate Army]]. As a result, many people in Germantown, who had been on friendly terms with each other, made an effort not to interact with each other, such as switching churches, or frequenting a store or mill miles away from the ones they would normally do business with.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.germantownmdhistory.org/?q=node/2|author=Germantown Historical Society|work=Germantown Historical Society|quote=The Civil War took a terrible toll on Germantown, not because there was any actual fighting here, but because of the animosities between neighbors that it created. Many of the families of German descent were against slavery and had sons fighting in the Union army. Many of the families of English descent owned slaves and even many who didn't, had sons fighting in the Confederate army. Many people who had formerly been friendly went out of their way to not have to deal with each other, some changing churches, or going to a mill or store miles distant from the one they usually used.|title=Germantown's History, A Brief Overview|access-date=March 10, 2013}}</ref>

Late in the summer and fall of 1861, there were more than twenty thousand Union soldiers camped to the west of Germantown, in neighboring [[Darnestown, Maryland|Darnestown]] and [[Poolesville, Maryland|Poolesville]]. Occasionally, these soldiers would come to Germantown and frequent the stores there. In September 1862 and in June 1863, several regiments of Union Army soldiers marched north on [[Maryland Route 355]], on their way to the [[Battle of Antietam|battles of Antietam]] and [[Battle of Gettysburg|Gettysburg]], respectively. In July 1864, General [[Jubal Early]] led his army of Confederate soldiers down Maryland Route 355 to attack the Union capital of [[Washington, D.C.]] Throughout the course of the war, Confederate raiders would often pass through the Germantown area. Local farmers in the Germantown area lost horses and other livestock to both Union and Confederate armies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.germantownmdhistory.org/?q=node/2|author=Germantown Historical Society|work=Germantown Historical Society|quote=In the late summer and fall of 1861 there were more than 20,000 Union soldiers camped to the west of Germantown in the Darnestown and Poolesville areas. Sometimes these soldiers would come to the stores in Germantown. In September, 1862, and June, 1863, many regiments of Union soldiers marched north on Rt. 355 on their way to the Battles of Antietam and Gettysburg. In July, 1864, Gen. Jubal Early led his Confederate army down Rt. 355 to attack Washington, D.C. Confederate raiders also came through the area several times during the War. Local farmers lost horses and other livestock to the armies of both sides.|title=Germantown's History, A Brief Overview|access-date=March 10, 2013}}</ref>