The Battle of Monocacy: Afternoon

Precursors • Morning • Afternoon • Retreat • Aftermath

 

 

3:30 p.m. The Third Attack – Union Left Flank At roughly 3:30 p.m., Ricketts’ left flank was attacked by a brigade from Confederate Major General John Gordon’s division (1). The Union defenders were initially successful at slowing the advance (2) when brigade commander Brigadier General Clement Evans was wounded; several field officers were also either wounded or killed. Eventually, Evans’ Georgians reassembled and continued the attack (3), but could not dislodge the defenders.

 

3:45 p.m. The Third Attack – Union Center  Evans’ attack was stalled on the left flank, when Brigadier General Zebulon York’s brigade of Louisianans attacked the Union middle (1). The Union left and middle could not hold their position against the combined force and were compelled to fall back to the Georgetown Pike (present-day Araby Church Road) (2), where they used the road embankment that created a natural defensive breastworks to hold the Confederates at bay (3).

 

4:00 p.m. The Third Attack – Union Right Flank During the previous attacks, the Union right flank was weakened by a continuous artillery bombardment from across the river. Evans and York’s advance had stalled when Confederate Brigadier General William Terry’s brigade of Virginians (1) (which had been held in support up to this point) was called into action. They engaged the Union right flank (2) and were able to push it back a short distance when they, too, were stalled (3).

 

Previous • Next