Echoes of War Drums

Though the mountains of Western Maryland were not the site of any major battles during the Civil War, the area did have its share of activity and minor skirmishes. One of the most-daring raids of the war occurred in Cumberland in 1865 when McNeill's Rangers kidnapped two Union generals from their hotels beds and carried them off to Richmond, Va. Also, because of its location on the B&O Railroad, the county was also the site of many temporary hospitals to care for wounded soldiers. Echoes of War Drums is a collection of three dozen stories and more than 50 pictures of the Civil War in Mountain Maryland. From spies to generals, from battles to healing, James Rada, Jr. looks at the Civil War in the region from all angles with attention-getting stories.