Battle of Monocacy

In 1864, General Ulysses S. Grant was putting pressure on the Confederacy by laying siege to Richmond. In order to draw the Union troops away, Confederate General Jubal Early and his men quietly made their way up the Shenandoah Valley until he reached Harpers Ferry, where his plan was discovered.

Photo: nps.gov (Jubal Early)

B&O Railroad President John Garrett heard reports from his men that there were attacks on the railroad in the west by Confederates. Attacks on the railroad were typical but this attack was larger and an indicator to Garrett that the Confederates were moving toward Washington, DC. The city was not prepared for a large scale attack because most of the troops protecting the capital city had been sent south to help with the siege of Richmond. Thus, it was the perfect time for Early to strike. But he was not counting on being halted.

Photo: nps.gov (John Garrett)

Major General Lew Wallace heeded the warning that Garrett brought him but was unsure as to whether the Confederates would attack Washington or Baltimore. Monocacy Junction was selected as the best location to defend: it would protect crucial railroad bridges, and Wallace figured it was the best place to defend both cities. Wallace had fewer than 7000 men to halt more than 14,000 Confederate troops.

Photo: nps.gov (Lew Wallace)

On July 9, the Battle of Monocacy began. Early sent cavalry around to attack the left flank of the Union troops while an artillery battle took place at the center of the line. The Union continued to fight throughout the day despite being vastly outnumbered. Fierce hand-to-hand combat ensued and the Union forces sustained heavy losses. By the afternoon, the Union troops could no longer hold their ground and they retreated. The road to Washington was clear for the Confederates but, weary from the trek and the rigors of the battle, they camped at Monocacy Junction for the night.

Photo: civilwar.org

The next day, July 10, 1864, they would move on to Washington, DC, which they thought to be sparsely defended. Little did they know that the delay at Monocacy had allowed time for Union troops to return to the capital where they were waiting for an attack.