Monterey Pass Battlefield Association

Hat tip to Randy Drais for bringing this to my attention:

The Emmitsburg, Maryland Historical Society is apparently one of the sponsors of a new battlefield advocacy group, the Monterey Pass Battlefield Association. The Battle of Monterey Pass has always been a favorite engagement of mine. I’ve written about it at length, first in an article that appeared in North and South magazine, then in my editing of James H. Kidd’s various writings, and then again at length in One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4-14, 1863.

Here’s the description of the group’s mission statement from the website:

Our goal is to identify & raise awareness to educate the public about the historical Civil War significance of the Monterey Area.

I think it’s an admirable goal, and I intend to join the organization and do what I can to promote its objectives. John Buford’s cavalry marched through the Pass on its way to Gettysburg, and most of the Army of Northern Virginia used the Pass during the retreat from Gettysburg. The battle on the night of July 4-5, 1863 was one of the most significant actions of the Gettysburg Campaign, both for what it was, an also for what it could have been.