no room for doubt that he was virtu- ing Gen. Hunter to succeed him. ally beaten. The old, fatally vicious system of a concentric advance from opposite points on a common focus was still adhered to. Hunter, somewhat strengthened, at once resumed the offensive; the pressure on Lee by Grant's persistent hammering having constrained Breckinridge's withdrawal, with the better part of his force, to the defenses of Richmond; W. E. Jones, with most of the Rebel forces in the western part of old Virginia, including McCausland's, having been hurried forward to confront the new danger. The two armies met at PIEDMONT, near StauntonHunter's being somewhat more numerous'-and a spirited and wellfought action resulted in the defeat of Jones, who was shot through the head, and fell dead on the field. Among the fruits of this victory were 1,500 prisoners, 3 guns, and 3,000 small arms. It was, in fact, a rout; leaving the Rebel army incapable of further resistance. 8 Gen. Crook, with 11 regiments, numbering some 6,000 men, had made directly for the Virginia and Tennessee railroad at Dublin station; 4 miles from which he was met by a far inferior Rebel force under McCausland, which fought bravely, but was beaten off, with a loss on our part of 126 killed and 585 wounded. The railroad here, and for a short distance eastward, was destroyed. And now the appearance of a considerable Rebel rëenforcement, dispatched from Wytheville by Morgan before he fought Averill, impelled Crook to retreat to Meadow bridge; so that, when Averill reached Dublin, Crook was gone, which left him no choice but to follow. Thus the concentric movement upon Lee's flank and rear resulted, as usual with such combinations, in general failure, if not positive disaster. A force that, if concentrated, could have beaten all the Rebels in Virginia west of the Blue ridge, had been so dispersed and frittered away as to achieve less than nothing. Grant at once relieved Sigel, send-Jones to oppose them-joined1o him; June 5. Hunter advanced to Staunton, where Crook and Averill-no considerable force having been left by beating back repeated charges of our infantry and 9 Col. C. G. Halpine, chief of staff to Hunter, cavalry, under Gens. Sullivan and Stahl-for says of this conflict: "The forces actually engaged were about equal: Gen. Hunter having some 9,000 men actually in action, while the enemy had about the same-strongly posted, however, on a range of hills, horse-shoe shaped and heavily timbered, and further protected by rifle-pits and rail-fence barricades, hastily thrown up the night before. The Rebel morning report of the day previous, found on the dead body of Gen. Jones that afternoon, showed that he had then under him 6,800 regular Confederate soldiers; while we knew that he was joined on the morning of the engagement by Vaughan's brigade from East Tennessee, and also by about 1,500 militia-old men and young boys, not worth the powder required to kill them-hurried forward from Staunton and Lynchburg on news of our advance. "The fight, though not large in numbers, was singularly obstinate and fluctuating: the enemy neither the divisions of Crook nor Averill had 10 June 8. HUNTER MISCARRIES AT LYNCHBURG. and moved thence directly to Lexington; disappointing Grant, who had expected him at Gordonsville, and had sent his cavalry under Sheridan to meet him there. His failure to do so subjected Sheridan to like failure in his approach to Gordonsville, as we have seen. Hunter's force was now increased to about 20,000 men; and he hastened, via Lexington, to Lynchburg -the chief city of western (old) Virginia-intent on its speedy reduction. But Lynchburg, the focus of a rich, populous region, and of extensive manufactures, lies on the James river and canal, in unbroken railroad communication with Richmond and Petersburg on the one side, and with the farther south on the other. Leewho might as well have lost Richmond-dispatched a very considerable force to its relief; part of which arrived the day before Hunter attacked" the city from the south, and still more during the following night, wherein several trains arrived from the east filled with men. 601 have been misjudged; but Hunter, lacking many things, never lacked courage; and he believed that an attempt to regain the Shenandoah directly from Lynchburg would have seriously imperiled his army. But his withdrawal into West Virginia rendered him no longer formidable to the enemy, and involved a circuitous, harassing movement by the Kanawha, the Ohio, Parkersburg, and Grafton, before he could again be of any service. The Rebels, aware of this, promptly resolved to make the most of their opportunity. Early, who had headed the corps sent from Richmond to the relief of Lynchburg, collecting all the forces he could muster, moved rapidly northward, and very soon appeared" on the Potomac: Sigel, commanding at Martinsburg, retreating precipitately by Harper's Ferry, with a heavy loss of stores, and taking post on Maryland Heights, where the enemy did not see fit to assail him, but once more destroyed the Baltimore and Ohio railroad for a considerable distance, levied a contribution of $20,000 on Hagerstown, burned some buildings at Williamsport, and, raiding up into the border of Penn Hunter found his ammunition running low, a strong city before him, and the whole Confederacy virtually rallying to overwhelm him. He had no choice but to retreat, sharply pur-sylvania, scoured the country far and sued; following the railroad west-wide for horses, cattle, provisions, and ward to Salem-where the pursuit money. The movement was so well ended-and thence striking, via New- masked by cavalry that the strength castle," for Meadow bluff," in West of the invading force-probably never Virginia; his provisions long since so much as 20,000-was enormously exhausted, and very little to be exaggerated, spreading general panic, gleaned in midsummer from that and causing the Government to call poor, thinly-peopled, war-exhausted urgently on Pennsylvania, New York, region. No rations were obtained till and Massachusetts, for militia to meet the 27th; and the sufferings of men the emergency. and loss of horses were deplorable. The direction of his retreat may Gen. Couch was commanding in Pennsylvania; Gen. Lew. Wallace in Maryland: the demonstrations | Finding the enemy in his front rapidly against the former were only intend-growing formidable, and threatening ed to distract attention from a blow to turn his left, Wallace now withaimed at the latter. Wallace, soon drew by night" from Frederick across satisfied of this, drew out his scanty the Monocacy, and took up the posiforces-for the East had, ere this, been tion on its left bank, already held swept nearly bare of troops to fill the by Gen. Ricketts, which he resolved chasms made by constant fighting in to hold so long as he could--since, if the armies operating against Rich- the Rebels were in strong force, and mond-and resolved to confront the intent on a dash at Washington, it invaders on the MONOCACY, which af- was important at least to check them, forded a tolerable defensive position. by compelling them to concentrate Yet, when his forces were concen- and fight; thus gaining time for the trated at Frederick," they numbered arrival of help from Grant. barely 3,000; and these mainly Home Guards and 100-day volunteers, who had never been in action. Col. Clendenin, with his cavalry-ed the Baltimore pike; his left, unsome 400 in all-was sent out to der Gen. Ricketts, held the high Middletown to find the enemy; but road to Washington. Each had three was soon driven back" by Gen. guns. The bridges were held; skirBradley T. Johnson, with 1,000 Rebel mishers being thrown out beyond horsemen. Clendenin retreated on them. Col. Clendenin's cavalry Frederick, and was there supported watched the lower fords. Only part by Lt. Col. Griffin's infantry, raising of Ricketts's division was on hand; his force to 1,000; and a brief artil- but the residue was expected by raillery duel ensued, which resulted in road at 1 P. M. At 8 A. M., the enemy Johnson's falling back. advanced in force from Frederick, 18 Early in the morning, Wallace's dispositions for battle were completed. His right, under Gen. Tyler, cover than 16 Napoleons to our 6 smaller pieces, the superiority of his fire was very decided. The skirmishing grew gradually warmer and more general, and soon there was serious fighting at the stone bridge on the Baltimore pike. A considerable body of Rebel infantry, moving by their right just Wallace now reached Frederick—throwing out skirmishers and planthis forces having hitherto been im- ing behind them his guns, which soon mediately directed by Gen. Tyler-opened the battle. Having not less but could gain no reliable account of the enemy's strength or purposes -the wildest and most conflicting reports being in circulation. He soon learned by telegram from Sigel, on Maryland Heights, that the enemy lately beleaguering him had left, marching northward, as if making for Pennsylvania; while he had as-out of range of our guns, flanked our surances from Washington that a corps of veterans were hurrying to his assistance. General Ricketts, with a brigade of good soldiers, belonging to the 19th corps, actually came up. 15 July 6. July 7. 18 left, forcing a passage of the Monocacy at a ford nearly two miles below the wooden bridge on the Washington road. And now, at 101 a. M., the enemy advanced in battle array * July 9. 17 July 8. WALLACE DEFEATED AT THE MONOCACY. upon Ricketts, who had changed front to the left, to meet their advance on his flank, his right resting on the river; and, though he had been obliged to form in a single line without reserves, so great was the disparity of numbers that his front was considerably overlapped by theirs. Wallace, perceiving the inequality, sent two of Tyler's guns to Ricketts; and soon-burning the wooden bridge and the block-house across it, so as to preclude an easy advance of the enemy thereby-sent to Ricketts every man who could be spared. The enemy's first line charged, and was quickly repelled; his second line next advanced, and was likewise repulsed; but after a fiercer, more protracted struggle. And now Wallace might have retreated with honor, having achieved the main purpose of his stand; but 1 o'clock was at hand, when Ricketts's three absent regiments of veterans were promised; and, with their help, he felt able to hold his ground against the enemy's far superior numbers. But 1 P. M. arrived and no regiments; nor could anything be heard of them-both telegrapher and railroad agent having decamped. He waited an hour longer; but there were no rëenforcements; while the enemy, in two strong lines, again issued from the woods on our left and advanced deliberately to the charge; and he reluctantly ordered Ricketts to prepare for a retreat by the Baltimore pike, which commenced at 4 P. M. The stone bridge on that road was held by Col. Brown; and it was of vital importance that it should still be held firmly. Gen. Tyler had already sent his reserve to Brown; he now galloped thither himself, and 603 ar took command; Wallace soon riving to reiterate the order that it must be held at whatever cost until Ricketts should have crossed to the Baltimore pike and commenced his retreat thereon. Tyler held on, fighting, till 5 P. M.; by which time his remaining force was nearly enveloped by the overwhelming numbers of the enemy; so that he, with his staff, was compelled to dash into the woods on the right, and thus barely escaped capture. Brown had just retreated down the pike; losing some of his men, but holding the most of them steadily in their ranks. The enemy made no effective pursuit; Bradley T. Johnson's cavalry being absent, marching on Baltimore by the Liberty road. Ricketts's three missing regiments had been halted at Monrovia, 8 miles distant; whence they had ample time to reach the field in time to save the day. They joined Wallace at Newmarket, and thence covered the retreat: which terminated twelve miles from the Monocacy. Our loss in this action was 98 killed, 579 wounded, 1,282 missing: total, 1,959. Many of the missing probably only straggled in the retreat, as the enemy took but 700 prisoners. They admitted only a total loss of 600; but 400 of their severely wounded were found in hospital at Frederick, when we rëoccupied that city two or three days afterward. Johnson's cavalry next day approached Baltimore, when that city was filled with reports that Wallace's little army had been annihilated at the Monocacy. The Baltimore Secessionists, less numerous than in April or July, 1861, were no whit less bitter; and they reasonably hoped, for |