Battle of Monocacy—Report of General John B. Gordon.
[It was eclipsed at the time by other stirring-events, but there was scarcely a more gallant fight made during the war than that in which, after a march of fourteen miles that morning, General Early defeated General Lew Wallace at Monocacy. Our readers will be glad to see the report of the battle given by Major-General John B. Gordon, who bore the brunt of the battle with his accustomed skill and gallantry.]
Headquarters Gordon's Division,
July 22d, 1864.
Major J. Stoddard Johnston,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Breckinride's Corps:
Major—In accordance with orders from corps headquarters I have the honor to submit the following report.
About 2½ P. M., 9th of July, I was ordered by Major-General Breckinridge, commanding corps, to move my division to the right and cross the Monocacy about one mile below the bridge and ford (on the Georgetown pike), which were then held by the enemy. On reaching the river I directed my brigade commanders to cross as rapidly as possible and then to file to the left in the direction of the enemy's line, and I rode to the front in order to reconnoitre the enemy's position. I found that Brigadier-General McCausland's cavalry brigade (dismounted) had been driven back by superior numbers, and that the enemy was posted along the line of a fence, on the crest of the ridge running obliquely to the left from the river. In his front lay an open field, which was commanded by his artillery and small arms to the extent of their range, while in his rear ran a valley nearly parallel with the general direction of his line of battle. In this valley I discovered, from a wooded eminence in front of his left, another line of battle in support of the first. Both these lines were in advance of the Georgetown road. The enemy's line of skirmishers covered the front of his first line and stretched far beyond it to the left. Having been ordered to attack this force, I had the division skirmishers (under Captain Keller, of Evans' brigade) deployed, and directed one brigade (Evans'), under the protection of a dense woodland about seven hundred yards in front of the enemy's left, to move by the right flank and form so as to overlap the enemy's left. The two brigades (Hays' and Stafford's), united under the command of Brigadier-General York, were ordered to form on the left of Brigadier-General Evans, and Terry's brigade to move in support of the left of
