Читать книгу A Summer in Maryland and Virginia; Or, Campaigning with the 149th Ohio Volunteer Infantry онлайн

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If bound for Washington he thought he could delay him at least twenty-four hours, and it would take him two more days to get to Washington, and in that time Grant could get troops from City Point in time to save the Capitol, but without that Early would be in Washington when there was not a man in the entrenchments. Gen. Ricketts agreed with him, and his division was placed. Colonel Brown was ordered to the Stone Bridge over the Monocacy where the Frederick and Baltimore turnpike crosses. His orders were to hold the bridge at all hazards, but if pressed too hard the men were to scatter and save themselves the best they could. The forces under Wallace numbered 5,500, while those of Early were 23,000 of the pick of the Confederate Armies.

Long before daylight on July 9th the 149th was in position at the bridge. They did not have to wait long until Early’s troops were seen passing through Frederick, bound for Washington. Then came the tug of war. Gen. Wallace deployed his men as skirmishers and attracted the attention of the enemy, the object being to deceive him as to the numbers opposing him. They held him in check from daylight until late in the afternoon. During the last hour the only force opposing this veteran army of Earlys was the 149th Ohio. At four o’clock in the afternoon Wallace seeing that his army would be either captured or annihilated, ordered a retreat of all but the 149th. This Regiment was to cover the retreat, and to be sacrificed to save the rest of the army. This was shown by the orders sent to Col. Brown, which were as follows: