Oakland's One-Day Civil War Uproar To Be Commemorated
While the Civil War of 1861-1865 played out chiefly in areas beyond Garrett County, there was at least one incident in the town of Oakland and nearby area during that conflict that was indeed significant. This was the Jones-Imboden Raid, an effort on the part of the Confederacy, in part to destroy the Union supply lines supported by the B&O Railroad (the president of which, at the time, happened to be John Garrett, for whom the county is named). As part of this campaign, the town was raided by the Confederate Cavalry on April 26, 1863, and for several hours was under control of the Confederates. The soldiers did successfully burn the B&O bridge just a mile west of town, although it was rebuilt in a matter of days by the railroad workers. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of this notable event, the Garrett County Historical Society, the town, and several organizations and individuals are hosting Oakland Civil War Days from April 25 to 28. A number of events will take place throughout the weekend, all to be highlighted in the next three issues of The Republican newspaper. Two special dinners are slated, with historians/authors to be featured speakers. See information of these dinners in today’s issue. More stories and photos will be published as the four-day commemorative event nears.
Posted on 04/16/2013 in garrett county # civil war
