The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-07-12


Potomac 80 years ago the 9th of July,
with 10, 900 Confederates, to lay waste to
the north and by the diversion raise the
siege of Petersburg, his prospects of de-
spelling the Union capital should he make
the attempt-and he did make it-were
many, many times greater than Wayne's
when he forded the marshes of the Hud-
son to assail the lofty heights of Stony
Point, General Washington's when he
crossed the Delaware to surprise Trenton,
Buffers when his fleet entered the Missis-
sippi to capture New Orleans or Grants
when he crossed it to turn Vicksburg. Yet
they succeeded, and EARLY, through no
fault of his own, failed. Early didn't
count on surprise like Washington at
Trenton and Wayne at Stony Point, but a
surprise was not essential with his 10, 900
veterans against mob of convalescents
hundred day men and government bureau
clerks, for these were all that entered with
any certainty into the plan of defense.
OF course there was mounting in hot
haste'' all along the border when Lincoln
photographed to the northern governors that
feet raiders were devastating western
Maryland and column of hostile bayonets
approaching the nations citadel; but the
marauders were here, there and every
where, throwing the scent in a dozen 10
calities and destroying roads, bridges and
telegraphs to battle and delay would be res
cuers. Early was but two days march
from the gates of Washington, SO of what
use were militia at their benches and
plows in Pennsylvania and New York?
Was not Gil1nor, the Morgan Of the east,
in saddle, and were not johnson, with his
mounted Maryland Confederates, and Nc
Causland, with his raiders-all at home on
the circuit of their exploits-the equal Of
ten times their number Of home guard, with
| pillow horses for battle steeds? A can of
| powder and torch will blockade an army
for day, and in day an empire may fall,
SO it wasn't panicky kilograms to north
ern governors which saved Washington
from the curse Of fire and sword this time
80 years ago. It was a hero whose modest
silence puts no bar upon the pen of the
historian. Lew Wallace was the man. 1T
is not necessary to explain how it hap
pened that General Wallace, with 1850
home guard and militia, was at Baltimore,
commanding department. which ternli
mated on the west at Monocacy RIVERA
small stream emptying into the Potomac
! below Harper's Ferry, near where Early
concentrated his army ready for lunge
| at Washington. When Wallace learned
| that the enemy was threatening his terri
tory, he made all haste to meet him on the
border. His troops, numb ering but $500
men and nearly all of them inexperienced
fighters, were in position along the Mo-
nocacy on the 9th of July, and the enemy
in possession Of the towns Of Hagerstown
and Middletown, a few miles west and
north of him. just outside his lines was
Frederick, a place Of some Importance,
and to save it from the ravages of war he
threw a large part Of his force in there,
fighting a sharp action on the 18th. EARLY S
mounted raiders were meanwhile securing
the country to pick up stores and cut the
roads from the north. The sound of Wal
lace's guns at Frederick recalled them
from their forays, and day was gained fo1
Washington by these bold tactics. But
that was not all. The first appearance OF
Confederates north Of the Potomac led to
warning dispatch to the army at Peters
burg, and the Sixth corps Of three divisions
was ordered to the defense of the capital
Fortunately the first division to embark,
General Ricketts,, sailed direct to Balti
more and followed Wallace by rail to the
Monocacy. They reached there the 9Th
and Wallace having developed the pres
ence of an invading army along his front
instead of few bands of marauders, pre-