Monocacy Maryland
American Civil War
- July 9, 1864
After marching north through the Shenandoah
Valley from Lynchburg, the Confederate army of Lt. Gen. Jubal
A. Early side-stepped the Federal garrison at Harpers Ferry and
crossed the Potomac River at Shepherdstown into Maryland on July
5-6. On July 9, 1864, a makeshift Union force under Maj. Gen.
Lew Wallace attempted to arrest Early's invading Confederate
divisions along the Monocacy River, just east of Frederick. Wallace,
joined by Ricketts's Division of the VI Corps that had been rushed
from the Petersburg lines, was outflanked by Gordon's Division
and defeated after putting up a stiff resistance. Hearing of
Early's incursion into Maryland, Grant embarked the rest of the
VI Corps on transports at City Point, sending it with all dispatch
to Washington. Wallace's defeat at Monocacy bought time for these
veteran troops to arrive to bolster the defenses of Washington.
Early's advance reached the outskirts of Washington on the afternoon
of July 11, and the remaining divisions of the VI Corps began
disembarking that evening. Monocacy was called the "Battle
that Saved Washington."
Result(s): Confederate victory
Location: Frederick County
Campaign: Early's Raid and Operations against
the B&O Railroad (June-August 1864)
Date(s): July 9, 1864
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace
[US]; Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early [CS]
Forces Engaged: Corps
Estimated Casualties: 2,359 total
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