The W3R® of Maryland  

General information contact: Robert Reyes at reyeser@hotmail.com
To join the W3R®-MD contact: Robert Reyes at reyeser@hotmail.com

W3R®-MD Board of Directors

  • Chair: Robert Reyes
  • Nick Fry
  • Jean Fugett
  • Mary Margaret Goodwin-Revell
  • Eric Mease
  • Darlene Perry
  • John Sower
  • Ellen Von Karjian

Maryland and DC Affiliates 

Major Historic Events in Maryland 

The Maryland Society SAR has determined the routes followed by the various elements of the troop movement south.

Five were by land:
      A) Washington and Rochambeau's ride (senior officers) by way of Mount Vernon.
      C2) The cavalry route (Lauzun's Legion; hussars)
      C1) The route of most of the French infantry
      C3) The wagon train route from Annapolis to Georgetown
      C3a) The wagon train detour

Four were by water:
      B) Most U.S. and some French infantry embarking from Elkton MD
      C1) Most French infantry embarking from Annapolis
      X1) route 3 (departure port not specified in the 2001 annual report)
      X2) route 4 (departure port not specified in the 2001 annual report)

Routes of Specific Elements

[B] The U.S. Continental artillery and troops traveled from Elkton MD to Williamsburg VA in row galleys that they had moved overland from Christiana DE by attaching wheels to the galleys. The French transport ships were delayed in getting to Elkton, so the French marched on.

[C1] The French Expeditionary Force rested for three days in Baltimore, where some of them boarded transports for the trip to Williamsburg VA. The remainder went south to Annapolis and there boarded transports at Annapolis for the trip to Williamsburg VA.

[C2, C3] The general staff, the baggage train, and the hussars went overland on the way south.
      Going north in 1782 the French stayed in Baltimore for a month and It was hard to transport the siege artillery on wagons, so they were left in Baltimore. The siege guns and their guard units were picked up by ships in 1783 for return to France.

  • The French used six camps in MD for both their southern and northern marches. Two others were used only for their southern march, and two others were used only for their northern march -- a total of ten camps in Maryland.

    • W3R®-MD Activities

    In 2001 January the Maryland SAR published a booklet (see cover below) entitled "Marching to Victory -- a 56-page guide to the Yorktown Campaign through Maryland and the District of Columbia", with a description of the route and photographs of historic homes along the route. This was updated in 2007; the latest version is posted here:
    "Marching to Victory" -- 2007 Nov version [a 2 Mb PDF file]
    To order a printed copy visit www.typestylesdp.com and use the Contact Us link to send an e-mail request for purchase. The 2013 price is $37.80, including shipping and Maryland sales ta.

    Photos of Maryland's historic roadside markers are being posted on the Web site of Maryland's Dept. of Transportation.

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    For activities, see the Events link on the W3R¨-US site