National Park Service Monocacy U.S. Department of the Interior National Battlefield Maryland

From every point of view it was heroism. —Union Gen. on the defense of the bridges

Burning the wooden bridge over the Monocacy. NPS / KEITH ROCCO The Battle that Saved Washington, DC Monocacy National Battlefield preserves the site of a Civil War battle fought on July 9, 1864, south of Frederick, Maryland, during the third and final Confederate invasion of the North. The Battle of Monocacy is less famous and smaller than the battles of Antietam and Gettysburg—during the first and second invasions—but it also proved crucial. The Battle of Monocacy delayed Confederate forces sent to cap- ture the Nation’s Capital and ultimately forced them to withdraw to . Third Confederate Invasion of the North Lt. Gen. Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace By mid-1864 the tide of war had turned headed east toward Frederick and the road Early, one of Lee’s most Ulysses S. Grant said against the Confederacy. In the West its to Washington. Seeing their movements, experienced command- that Wallace’s defeat at army was being beaten back toward Atlanta, railroad agents alerted and Ohio ers, was ending his Monocacy contributed invasion of Maryland, “a greater benefit to the Georgia. In the East, Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Railroad President John W. Garrett, who no- when he said, “Major, cause than often falls to Army of Northern Virginia was forced to tified Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace, the Union we haven’t taken Wash- the lot of a commander establish battle lines around Richmond and commander in Baltimore.­ Wallace quickly ington, but we scared of equal force to render Petersburg,­ Virginia. To bolster Union forces assembled 3,200 troops, mostly new or Abe Lincoln like hell!” by means of a victory.” be­­sieging the cities, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant short-term recruits without experience. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS removed thousands of troops from the defen- sive ring of forts around Washington­ , DC, Unsure of Early’s strength or whether the leaving the city lightly defended and a Confederates were headed to Baltimore or tempting target. Washington, Wallace rushed his troops by railroad to Monocacy Junction, an impor- To relieve pressure on his beleaguered tant trade and transportation center. There, army, Lee sent 15,000 troops under Lt. Gen. the Georgetown­ Pike to Washington and Jubal Early to secure the the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad crossed the and then invade Maryland. Lee hoped to Monocacy, as did the nearby National Road force Grant to divert troops to protect the to Baltimore.­ Guarding the three bridges North by threatening—and possibly captur- and several fords, Wallace hoped to delay ing—Washington. Early headed west to the Early until Washington could be reinforced. Shenandoah Valley, then swept north into Maryland. His goal was to threaten or cap- By dawn on July 9, the last of the 3,400 ture the Nation’s Capital. Lee also hoped Union veterans that Grant had sent reached that this third invasion of the war-weary Monocacy Junction, more than doubling North would further erode public support Wallace’s force to 6,600. Early’s army—in for the war there. Frederick now—still outnumbered Wallace more than two to one, although­ Early had Early’s army reached Harpers Ferry, West sent some cavalry to raid the Union prison Virginia, on July 4. Crossing the Potomac at Point Lookout and free the thousands River near Sharpsburg­­ , Maryland, they of Confederates held there.

The Armies Clash at Monocacy Confederate artillery on the Best Farm f­­­ires Wallace determined that Early was headed on Union troops at the toward Washington. He concentrated his Battle of Monocacy, July 9, 1864. veterans on the east side of the river at NPS / KEITH ROCCO Monocacy Junction, where the road to Washington crossed. He also placed a line of skirmishers along the railroad tracks on the west side. On the morning of July 9, advancing Confederates attacked Union troops defending the Monocacy River bridges.

The Confederates brought up artillery and heavy fighting ensued around the Best Farm as they tested the Union defense. Early decided a direct frontal assault would be too costly. Instead, his cavalry found a place downstream to ford the river and attack the Union left flank. Alerted to the movement, Wallace shifted troops onto the Thomas Farm to meet the assault.

Early’s cavalry crossed the river at the Worthington Ford, dismounted, formed ranks, and advanced across the Worthing- MONOCACY AND THE Medal of Honor ton Farm fields. Instead of springing a surprise attack, they marched into a line division forded the river in late afternoon of soldiers concealed along a fence on the and launched a three-pronged assault Thomas Farm. Union rifle fire raked the against the Union line. Confederates, forcing them to fall back. The day’s heaviest fighting raged across Meanwhile, Wallace ordered his men to the wheat and corn fields of the Thomas burn the wooden covered bridge on the Farm, as the Confederates again pushed Georgetown Pike to keep Confederates­ on the Union soldiers back. At the junction his right from storming across the river. By they also dislodged the Union skirmishers NPS NPS doing so, he also cut off the best route of and forced them to flee under fire across Lt. George E. Davis Corp. Alexander Scott retreat for his skirmishers, still stubbornly the railroad bridge. The Medal of Honor is the highest holding their ground near the junction. decoration for valor awarded by Wallace bolstered his left flank and shifted Wallace could hold his position no longer. the US government. It was award- more troops to the Thomas Farm, prepar- He ordered what was left of his small army ed twice at the Battle of Monocacy, ing for a second Confederate assault. to fall back past Gambrill Mill and retreat both times to members of the 10th toward Baltimore. He left behind some Regi­ment of Volunteers: A mid-afternoon Confederate cavalry 1,300 men—dead, wounded, missing, or Lt. George E. Davis, for defending attack pushed the Union soldiers­ back and captured. the two bridge approaches at captured the Thomas House. Then a Union Monocacy Junction against the counterattack recaptured the house. On repeated assaults by a larger force; the Worthington Farm, a full Confederate­ and Corp. Alexander Scott, for saving the regiment’s national flag from capture. NPS Significance of the Battle

The exhausted Confederates encamped on from Petersburg were moving into Fort of darkness, Early started to withdraw his the battlefield that night before resuming Stevens and other city defenses. army back into Virginia, ending the last their march toward Washington. The battle Con­federate invasion of the North. had cost them as many as 900 men killed, Early’s and Grant’s troops battled on July wounded, missing, or captured, as well as a 12, with President Lincoln watching the At Monocacy, Wallace’s small improvised precious day of time. On July 11, two days action, but any opportunity to capture the army had held its ground against repeated after the Battle of Monocacy, Early’s army city had been lost. The Confederate cavalry assaults by a much larger, battle-hardened reached Fort Stevens in northwest Wash- sent to liberate prisoners at Point Lookout Confederate force, delaying their advance ington. By the time his army arrived, the was recalled before they could reach their for one critical day. His troops had lost the two divisions Grant rushed to Washington destination, and on July 12, under the cover battle, but they had saved Washington.

Frederick

Monocacy River Best Farm Wooden bridge

Worthington Farm Railroad bridge

Gambrill Mill

Thomas Farm

NPS / RICHARD SCHLECHT Monocacy Battlefield Then and Now

Two Other Significant Civil War Events took place on the Monocacy battlefield before and after the battle: On September 13, 1862, Union soldiers systematically lay waste to this “breadbas- made a surprising find—they discovered ket of the Confederacy,” therefore deny­ an envelope containing two cigars and a ing Lee’s army a de­pend­able source of copy of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s food and forage. The next day he placed Special Orders No. 191. The orders, detail- Gen. in command of the ing movements of the Confederate army in the Valley. Sheridan’s September 10–12, were written a few assign­ment: destroy Early’s forces and days before as the army was camped at render the Valley so desolate that “even the Best Farm. This information enabled a crow flying over the place would have Union Gen. George B. McClellan to deter- to take his rations with him.” mine Lee’s movements and intentions, and to move his army quicker and with more confidence. His clash with Lee at Antietam on September 17, the bloodiest day of the war, ended in a draw—a CLELLAN PAPERS, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS LIBRARY CLELLAN PAPERS, c M missed opportunity to destroy the Con-

federate army. A histor­­ i­ cal­ marker on the NPS Lee’s Lost Orders Monocacy battlefield identifies Lee’s When General McClellan paper with which, if I headquarters site where Special Orders re­­ceived this copy of Lee’s cannot whip Bobby No. 191 was prepared. Soldier Encampments on the Battlefield Special Orders No. 191, he Lee, I will be willing to Both Union and Lt. Ambrose B. Hart Confederate armies of the 128th New York exclaimed, “Here is a go home.” On August 5, 1864, Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses camped in the area be- Infantry lost the spout S. Grant met with several of his generals fore and after the battle. while encamped on the in an upper room at the Thomas House Archeologists have Best Farm in 1864. See (known as “Araby”) to de­vise a plan to found many artifacts, more artifacts like this in­cluding this inscribed at the visitor center. drive Lt. Gen. Jubal Early’s army from canteen spout. the Shenandoah Valley and then

Touring the Battlefield Worthington House Built in 1851, this witnessed the fighting house exemplifies the through a boarded-up Federal-style residence window and later wrote found on many pros- a book called Fighting Every man tried to do his best against great odds. perous farms in the for Time, encouraging area. The Worthington Congress to establish —Lt. M. J. Stearns, 106th New York Infantry family took shelter in a “National Military the cellar during the Park at the Battlefield of fighting. Six-year-old Monocacy, Maryland.” Glenn Worthington

NPS / JANICE WHEELER

The self-guiding auto tour begins at the the Worthington House, attacked and drove visitor center and covers about six miles. the Federals from the field. Wallace’s force fell back past Gambrill­ Mill and retreated Best Farm toward Baltimore. The Confederates had won Turn left on 355 and take the first right. the battle, but they had lost a precious day in As Early’s troops advanced south toward their advance on Washington. Washington on the morning of July 9, 1864, along the Georgetown Pike (now MD 355), Gambrill Mill they met stiff resistance from Union skirmish- Turn left on Baker Valley Rd, then left on ers waiting along the railroad at Monocacy Araby Church Rd. At the stop sign proceed Junction a half mile away. The Confederates straight across 355. Built in 1830, Gambrill set up artillery at the Best Farm and opened Mill was run by an interior­ undershot water fire on the junction. Union artillery across the wheel. The mill could produce 60 barrels of river responded, eventually igniting a fire in flour a day and kept two coopers busy pro- NPS / JANICE WHEELER the Best barn. ducing barrels for its products. During the Here at the Worthing- Union left flank on the battle Union troops used the mill as a field ton Ford, Confederate Thomas Farm. You can cavalry crossed the see the ford from the Monocacy Junction hospital. Wallace later noted, “The place ap- Mon­ocacy to attack the Ford Loop Trail. Turn right on 355 and take the first right. peared well selected for the purpose, its one ✩GPO:20xx—xxx-xxx/xxxxx Reprint 20xx About 350 soldiers guarded Monocacy Junction, inconvenience being that it was under fire.” Printed on recycled paper. where two B&O Railroad tracks converged and an iron railroad bridge and wooden covered bridge crossed the Monocacy River. As the bat- tle unfolded, these skirmishers faced the main Confederate line. The main Union line lay across the river behind them.

Early decided to redirect his attack down- stream rather than risk a direct frontal assault against the well-positioned Federals. Later in the morning, Wallace shifted most of his force to the left to counter that move and ordered the wooden covered bridge burned in case the Confeder­ates broke through the skirmish line. Although the burning bridge cut off their best avenue of retreat, the Union skirmishers held their ground throughout the day. They repulsed a second attack before a third and final assault forced them to flee across the open trestles of the railroad bridge.

Worthington Farm Turn right on 355 and take the first right on Araby Church Rd. Turn right on Baker Valley Rd. and proceed under the I-270 overpass and make an immediate right on the Worthington Farm lane. Confederate cavalry crossed the Monocacy in mid-morning at the Worthington Ford, then dismounted and formed for attack on the fields behind the Worthington House. As they marched toward the Thomas Farm, they ran into a well-concealed Union line posi- tioned behind a fence on the Thomas Farm. The Federals opened fire, driving the Confeder­ ates back. The Confederates launched a second attack and took the Thomas House. The out- flanked Federals fell back, attacked, and drove the Confederates back to the Worthington Farm. The Worthington House and yard were used as a field hospital.

Thomas Farm Turn left on Baker Valley Rd. and take the first left. Caught between the two armies, the Thomas House became the focal point of the battle, as Confederates on the Worthington Farm and Federals on the Thomas Farm faced off in the most furious fighting of the day. Con­fed­erate artillery pummeled­ the house with shells to drive off the Union sharpshooters. Throughout the afternoon, the house was cap- tured and recaptured as the battle line moved back and forth across the Thomas Farm.

Late in the day, a division of Confederate infantry, supported by a battery of artillery at

Enjoy Monocacy Battlefield’s Trails and Auto Tour Hours and Admission self-guiding auto tour littering; hunting or More Information The battlefield is open here. harassing wildlife; Monocacy from 7 am to 20 min- possession of cultural National Battlefield utes after sunset. The Safety and Regulations (bottles, ceramics, etc.) 4632 Araby Church Rd. visitor center is open Railroad tracks, agri- or natural resources Frederick, MD 21704 8:30 am to 5 pm daily; cultural fields, private (flowers, rocks, etc.). 301-662-3515 closed on Thanksgiv- property, and desig- www.nps.gov/mono ing, December 25, and nated administrative For firearms regulations January 1. Check web- areas are not open to check the park website. Follow us on Facebook site for other closures. the public. Please be and Twitter. Admission is free. respectful. Emergencies call 911 or NPS at 1-866-677-6677. Monocacy National Visitor Center Stay on marked trails. Battle­field is one of The visitor center Beware of wildlife and Accessibility over 400 parks in the provides information, poisonous plants. We strive to make our National Park System. interpretive exhibits, facilities, services, and Learn more about trail brochures, and a The following are programs accessible to national parks at museum store. Water prohibited in the all. For information go www.nps.gov. and restrooms are park: bicycles on trails; to the visitor center, available only at the relic hunting; pets off ask a ranger, call, or visitor center. Start the leash; metal detectors; check our website. THIS BROCHURE IS BASED ON ORIGINAL TEXT BY DAVID ROMANOWSKI.