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Monocacy National BattlefieldMonocacy National Battlefield - Gambrill Mill ca. 1888
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Monocacy National Battlefield
The Battle of Monocacy: Afternoon

PrecursorsMorningAfternoonRetreatAftermath

 
2nd Confederate Attack at 2:30 p.m.

2:30 p.m. At the Worthington Farm Confederate General McCausland’s brigade was reorganized for a second attack. This time after reconnoitering the area the Confederate cavalry men bypassed the Union battle line (1) as they made their way to the Thomas House (2). Union General Ricketts ordered his men to fall back to the Georgetown Pike (present-day Araby Church Road) and establish a new battle line (3). No sooner had the remainder of the division re-formed than Union troops mounted a counterattack (4), which drove the Confederates back to the Worthington Farm (5). The Confederates then mounted two unsuccessful counterattacks to retake the Thomas House.

 
3rd Confederate Attack, Union Left Flank

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.

 
Confederate 3rd Attack, Union Center

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).

 
Confederate 3rd Attack, Union Right Flank

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).

 
Did You Know?  

Did You Know?
Did you know that Union Major General Lew Wallace was the same person who also authored the classic novel "Ben Hur"?
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Last Updated: March 10, 2009 at 07:11 EST