# Snell's Bridge

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**Snell's Bridge** is an historic bridge over the [Patuxent River](/source/Patuxent_River) on the road between present-day [Highland, Maryland](/source/Highland,_Maryland) and [Ashton, Maryland](/source/Ashton,_Maryland). Farms surrounding the bridge were surveyed as early as 1720.[1] In 1777, George Snell was considered the owner of the bridge by Montgomery County with George Darby listed as the road overseer.[2] In November 1787, the State of Maryland funded a fifty-foot wide road to be built from Snell's Bridge and Greens Bridge upstream to [Ellicott's Mills](/source/Ellicott_City,_Maryland). Richard Green, Nathanial Owen, and [John Ellicott](/source/John_Ellicott_(miller)) were appointed commissioners for the project.[3]

The land next to the bridge is the birthplace of the Whig Major who ordered the *[Peggy Stuart](/source/Peggy_Stewart_(ship))* burned.[4]

During the British invasion of the [War of 1812](/source/War_of_1812), American troops led by [William H. Winder](/source/William_H._Winder) retreated east across Snell's Bridge on August 26, 1814. The President stayed at Brookville, with the disorganized troops gathering at the bridge for the night. After camping overnight at the bridge, the General concluded that he should proceed directly to Baltimore in case the British were advancing northward leaving Brigadier General Stansbury in charge of the troops at camp. The British were at the same time leaving Washington, and boarded ships to sail the Potomac and Chesapeake toward Baltimore.[5][6]

In the 1840s, the state funded a replacement to Snell's Bridge.[7]

The modern bridge is a concrete arch built in 1928 along with the widening of route 108 in Howard County. The bridge replacement was funded via the 1920 Lateral and Post Roads Act. A historical survey was conducted in 1995 without mention of the bridge's role in the War of 1812.[8]

## See also

- [Governor's Bridge (Patuxent River)](/source/Governor's_Bridge_(Patuxent_River))

## External links

- [Martenets 1860 Map of Howard County](https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3843h.la000296/)

## References

1. Thomas H. S. Boyd. *The History of Montgomery County, Maryland*. p. 38.

1. J. Thomas Scharf. *History of Western Maryland*. p. 697.

1. Maryland, William Kilty. "2". *The Laws of Maryland: 1785–1799*

1. Joshua Dorsey Warfield. *The Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, Maryland*. p. 410.

1. Ralph E. Eshelman. *A Travel Guide to the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake*. p. 53.

1. Mead Smith Karras. *Commodore Josiah Tattnall: From Pirates to Ironclads*. p. 95.

1. State of Maryland. *Index to the Laws of Maryland: From the Year 1838 to the Year 1845, Inclusive*

1. ["Maryland State Archives 15-95"](http://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/stagsere/se1/se5/024000/024000/024032/pdf/msa_se5_24032.pdf). Retrieved December 1, 2013.

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