Around this time in 1863, the Federal army was in Frederick, Maryland, chasing Lee as he moved north into Pennsylvania. Reynold's First Corps headed toward Emmitsburg, 25 miles distant. Hancock's Second Corps went off for Uniontown, 30 miles away. Sickle's Third Corps marched to Taneytown, a 17 mile trek. Syke's Fifth Corps followed the Second Corps, and Howard's Eleventh Corps followed the First Corps. Slocum's Twelfth Corps had to march 23 miles to Taneytown. Sedgwick's Sixth Corps, the largest in the army, headed toward New Windsor, a distance of 27 miles.
If you've ever driven any of these routes, you will know that the countryside through which the Union troops were about to march wasn't as rugged as the region that they had just traversed the past two days. Northern Frederick County and Carroll County were situated along the base of the Catoctin Mountains, rolling and hilly. All of those lands were dominated by countless creeks and streams that fed into the Monocacy River, a fast-moving stream that ran north to south, eventually emptying into the Potomac River at Point of Rocks. Meade travelled along the roads riding his favorite horse, Old Baldy.
His headquarters wagon followed him. He had little information of the whereabouts of the enemy. His goal was to successfully bring the Army of the Potomac into the heart of Carroll County, Maryland. Meade halted his army along and below a sizable stream known as Big Pipe Creek. Here he planned his strategy. Meade waited and watched. It was clear to him that the village of Gettysburg was going to be important in the coming battle. No army passing through the region could hope to bypass the town, which was like the hub of a wheel with roads radiating out in all directions. His Corps commanders were told to march "at a moment's notice."
All hell was about to break loose.