Moving North

In June of 1863, flush with a recent victory in the Chancellorsville Campaign, Robert E. Lee took the offensive by leading his Army of Northern Virginia into Maryland and Pennsylvania.  This was the first Confederate invasion of clearly Union territory which culminated in the Battle of Gettysburg.  JEB Stuart personally commanded most of Lee's cavalry and proceeded to lead them on a raid close to Washington City and then behind the Union army facing Lee.  In so doing, he passed through Rockville.

In Rockville

On Sunday, June 28, 1863, Confederate General JEB Stuart and 5,000 cavalrymen rode into Rockville to a warm reception. Stuart and his men remained in Rockville long enough to capture known Union sympathizers, pursue a long wagon train up the Rockville Pike, dine at friendly homes, cut the telegraph lines to Washington, and help themselves to horses and supplies. They left town with six prominent Rockville residents and other prisoners.

Ramifications

When Stuart met up with Lee and his army on July 2nd, two of three days of the Battle of Gettysburg were already over. Had Stuart’s forces not stopped so long in Rockville, perhaps the outcome of the battle — and the Civil War — would have been different.