Featured The Battle of Monocacy: The Fight that Saved Washington D.C.

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Published on Nov 20, 2017 by GettysburgNPS

On July 9th, 1864, Union troops led by General Lew Wallace clashed with Confederate veterans commanded by General Jubal Early. The fighting that would rage outside of Frederick, Maryland that day would be remembered as the battle that saved Washington D.C.
 
With a Confederate force threatening Washington, D.C. were there any contingency plans to evacuate government officials and other important people in case the Confederates were able to overcome the defenses and capture the city? I know Washington had plenty of forts and fortifications surrounding it but it seemed to be at risk until the reinforcements from the Army of the Potomac arrived. Lew Wallace did well to delay Early's army until he could get more help to repel the Confederates. Had Early been a little more aggressive and sidestepped the Union forces at Monocacy, there is a chance that he could have entered Washington and caught the Union with its pants down, so to speak.
 
As a sidelight to the battle of Monocacy, Early sent a raiding party northeast to threaten Baltimore. They succeeded in throwing a scare into the city but the party wasn't large enough to be a real threat. In their closest approach to Baltimore, the raiders took the opportunity to burn down the house of Maryland's Unionist governor Augustus Bradford.

This historical maker is quite near my house and I've passed it many, many times over the years:

https://retrobaltimore.tumblr.com/post/91476296434/confederate-troops-burned-governors-mansion-150
 
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With a Confederate force threatening Washington, D.C. were there any contingency plans to evacuate government officials and other important people in case the Confederates were able to overcome the defenses and capture the city? I know Washington had plenty of forts and fortifications surrounding it but it seemed to be at risk until the reinforcements from the Army of the Potomac arrived. Lew Wallace did well to delay Early's army until he could get more help to repel the Confederates. Had Early been a little more aggressive and sidestepped the Union forces at Monocacy, there is a chance that he could have entered Washington and caught the Union with its pants down, so to speak.

I’ve always said, (tongue in cheek), that Lew Wallace saved the Union.

Grant didn’t like him and so he was relegated to Baltimore during the Overland Campaign.

Lee sent 14,000 troops through PA and down through Maryland, under Early.

They danged well nearly made it to an undefended Washington, DC.

(Grant took DC’s defenses with him to Virginia).

This was among the closest calls to the Union losing the War Between the States.

Grant was nothing like the Genious so badly desired by many posters here.
 
How'd we get from Early's scaring the bejammers out of D.C. citizens to Grant was a functioning idjit?

There's a terrific description of what it was like in the city during the threat in Leech's Reveille in Washington.

" Particulars ' from Wilson's farm and mentioning prisoners taken at Monocacy,
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My husband and I finally had the chance to stop at Monocacy, they did an excellent job with their visitor center and exhibits. Absolutely worth a visit and to see how things transpired.
 
How'd we get from Early's scaring the bejammers out of D.C. citizens to Grant was a functioning idjit?

There's a terrific description of what it was like in the city during the threat in Leech's Reveille in Washington.

" Particulars ' from Wilson's farm and mentioning prisoners taken at Monocacy,
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Not speaking yet of clairvoyance in this thread, I just had to (cough) make mention of Blair Witch Project, which I viewed without knowing what the history of Silver Springs was. Just thought I should mention it due to my own ignorance at the time, and would definitely go back and watch it again if I could. Thanks;
Lubliner.
 
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