Monocacy, MD

Date(s): July 9, 1864

Location: Please click on link below for map.

Campaign(s): Early’s Raid and Operations against the B&O Railroad [June-August 1864]

Battles in Campaign:

• Monocacy, MD - July 9, 1864 B

• Fort Stevens, DC - July 11-12, 1864 B

• Cool Spring, VA - July 17-18, 1864 C¹

• Rutherford's Farm, VA - July 20, 1864 D¹

• Kernstown II, VA - July 24, 1864 B

• Folck's Mill, MD - August 1, 1864 D¹

• Moorefield, WV - August 7, 1864 C¹

Situation:

Commanders:

• Union: Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace

• Confederate: Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early

Principal Forces:

• Union: Corps

• Confederate: Corps

Description:

• 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 11th, and the remaining divisions of the VI Corps began disembarking that evening.

• Monocacy was called the “Battle that Saved Washington.”

Photo Gallery:²

The Battle of Monocacy - The Battle that Saved Washington	Marker with Monocacy National Battlefield Tour Map	Monocacy National Battlefield	Troop Movements to the Battlefield
Memorial to Southern Soldiers Who Fought at Monocacy	Confederates Under Jubal Early Invade Maryland	Best Family Farm
Federal Troops Under Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace Take a Stand			Monument to 14th Regiment New Jersey Volunteers
Monument to 14th Regiment New Jersey Volunteers	Monument to 14th Regiment New Jersey Volunteers		Gordon's Decisive Attack
		Worthington-McKinney Ford - 11:00 am - 3:00 pm	Worthington House
McCausland's Attack - 11:30 am - 2:30 pm		Thick of the Battle - 4:00 - 4:30 pm
	Federal Retreat - 4:30-5:00 pm	Thomas Farm	Thomas Farm
			Gambrill Mill
Gambrill Mill Visitor Center	Cannon Outside the Visitor Center
	Importance of Frederick Junction

Classification³: B

Casualties⁴: 2,359

• Union:

• Confederate:

Results: Confederate Victory

Battlefield Website:  

• Monocacy National Battlefield - National Park Service

• Battle of Monocacy - Wikipedia

Recommended Resources:

¹ National Park Service summary.

² Please click on the image to enlarge it. You may copy the images if you include the following note and link with each image: "Courtesy of civil-war-journeys.org."

³ Classification:

• A - having a decisive influence on a campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war

• B - having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign

• C - having observable influence on the outcome of a campaign

• D - having a limited influence on the outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important local objectives

⁴ Casualties are someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.

Revised 06/05/2008