Monocacy Battlefield
A National Park and battlefield

Known as the "Battle That Saved Washington", the battle of Monocacy on July 9, 1864 between 18,000 Confederate forces under General Jubal Early, and 5,800 Union forces under General Lew Wallace, marked the last campaign of the Confederacy to carry the war into the north. One of the objectives of this campaign was to capture Washington, D.C.

Despite construction of Interstates 70 and 270, much of the 1,500-acre battlefield is unchanged. Today, as in 1864, the terrain where most of the fighting occurred is either farmed or in woodland. Within the battlefield, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Vermont have erected monuments and hold title to this small part of Maryland.  The same holds true for the United Daughters of the Confederacy.   Important landmarks mentioned by the combatants were the Worthington, Thomas, and Best houses and outbuildings, all in the southwest tract. These still stand as a tangible link with the significant battle that was fought in the area. Most of the houses scattered through the farmland are in good condition, but are not open to the public. The road network, except for I-70 and I-270, is similar to what it was at the time. The Monocacy River still winds through a beautiful valley toward the Potomac.

Although this battle was a military victory for the Confederates, it was also a defeat. Time spent for battle cost the Confederates a day's delay in marching on the federal capital. General Lew Wallace's defense along the Monocacy bought critical time to allow Washington to be reinforced. Early's raid would be thwarted and the war would be taken to the south for the rest of the war.

The Battle of Monocacy, though ending in the retreat of General Lew Wallace's Union forces at heavy costs, bought the necessary time for a successful defense of Washington. Units were pulled from around Petersburg and transported by ship to Washington while other seasoned veterans were rushed from Hampton Roads, Virginia. The timely arrival of these veteran forces halted the Confederates, and on July 14 General Jubal Early's forces recrossed the Potomac into Virginia. The nation's capital had been saved from invasion and possible capture by Confederate forces in the summer of 1864.