Battle of Monocacy

The Battle of Monocacy, often called “The Battle that Saved Washington,” delayed the Confederate army’s march on Washington,D.C.until after Union reinforcements arrived.

Hoping to alleviate pressure upon the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia at Petersburg, Virginia, General Robert E. Lee ordered Lt. Gen. Jubal Early to lead his 15,000-man corps across the Potomac and to threaten Washington, D.C. Early began to cross the Potomac on July 4 near Shepherdstown, West Virginia and reached Frederick, Maryland on July 8.

Union Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace, who commanded the Middle Department, Eighth Army Corps, with headquarters in Baltimore, organized a scratch force of less than 7,000 men to confront Early and advanced with them to Monocacy Junction. On July 9 the battle began. After some early morning skirmishing at Monocacy Junction, at around 10:00 a.m.Confederate cavalry forded the Monocacy River below the Junction and forced Union cavalry to retreat. The Confederates clashed with Union infantry commanded by Brig. Gen. James Ricketts. Another Confederate attack was made at Monocacy Junction in the late morning, prompting Wallace to order the covered bridge over the river burned, which stranded the Union force west of the Monocacy River. In the late afternoon the Confederates made a series of attacks on Rickett’s battle line. After an attack on the weakened Union right flank, Wallace ordered his force, also low on ammunition, to retreat. They made their way toward Gambrill Mills and then to Baltimore. Early’s exhausted men camped on the battlefield.

The Battle of Monocacy was the only Confederate military victory in the North. The stubborn defense put up by Wallace’s outnumbered force, however, delayed Early’s advance against Washington,D.C.It gave additional time for Union reinforcements to arrive at Washington and swell the city’s defenses. Early advanced to the outskirts of the capital and probed for weaknesses, but chose not to risk an attack against the string of reinforced forts that surrounded it.