The National tribune., 1903-03-19


following words may well be quoted:
at would be difficult task
to say too much in praise of the veterans
who made this fight. For their reputation
and for the truths sake, wish it distinct
ly understood that though the appearance
of the enemy's fourth line of battle made
their ultimate defeat certain, they were
not whipped; on the contrary, they were
fighting steadily in unbroken front when l
ordered their retirement, all the shame
of which, if shame there was is mine, not
theirs. The nine regiments Crirst and
Second Brigades, Third Division, Sixth
Corps enumerated as those participating
in the action represented but $500 men,
of whom over LOGO were missing three
days after, killed, wounded, or prisoners
lost on the field. The fact speaks for it.
self. "Monocacy' on their flags cannot
be word of dishonor. = As: to
Gen. ricketts,, attention is respectfully
called to the mention made of him in the
lprevious report. Every word of it is as
deserved as it was bravely earned.a =
1T is also certain, as one of the results,
that notwithstanding the disparity of
forces the enemy was not able to move
from the battlefield in prosecution of his
march upon Washington until the next
day about noon"
Gen. Grant has said:
81 had previously ordered Gen. Meade
to send division to Baltimore for the
purpose Of adding to the defenses of
Washington. and he sent Ricketts's Diyi-
sion Of the Sixth Corps (Wright's), which
arrived in Baltimore on the 9Th of July.
Finding that Wallace had gone to the
front with his command, Ricketts, i'm
mediately took the cars and followed him to
the Monocacy with his entire division. They
met the enemy, and, as might have been
expected, were defeated; but they sue
ceeded in stopping him for the day on
which the battle took place. The next
morning Early started on his march to
the Capital Of the Nation, arriving before
it on the 18th.
Learning of the gravity Of the situa-
ton, l had directed Gen. Meade to also
order Wright, with the rest of his corps.
directly to Washington for the relief of
that place, and the latter reached there
the very day that Early arrived before
it."
CONSIDERATION REIGNED SUPREME.
The act Of Feb "a, 1864, established
"the will Of the President as the autho-
rity for raising troops" and March ii a
call was made for 100000, and April %
for 5000, numbers that indicate an en-
ergetic struggle for the Union, and in July
we had in service about 100000 in the ar
gregate. Notwithstanding that vast force,
Washington was not prepared for defense
by the LOCO aggregate present July 10,
composed mainly Of invalids, military hos.
pital guards, recruits under instruction,
and provisional forces. The Department
OF Washington had been stripped of vet
Grams. sent to aid important operations
elsewhere; and the 944 heavy guns in the
forts were without skilled men TO fire
them. Consequently, it is not astounding
that in late June and early July conster.
nation reigned supreme. Aside from the
impaired finances of the Government and
the fear of foreign intervention, the ten
tacula of Early's army had broken rail
roads and DESTROYED much property;
Washington and Baltimore were filled
with fugitiyes; two passenger trains on
the rail between Philadelphia and Balti-
more had been upset and destroyed by the
enemy-Maj.- William Il. Franklin
captured in one of them; the forces in
the Department of West Virginia were
paralyzed; troops from Pennsylvania and
New York were hard to obtain, and i'm.
portant movements Of the Army of tbe
rotomac had been delayed. Moreover, in
kentucky conditions were assuming n
troubled appearance; external raids and
internal troubles in other States promised
warm Summers work; a reasonable
and forged proclamation, in the name of
President Lincoln, calling for 400. ON
men. and appointing May 26 as n day of
fasting and prayer had, through decep-
ton and fraud, been imposed upon prom
inent journals, and by them published. TO
the injury of the Union cause; Cincin.
natl and Camp Chase were thought of as
probable detectives for a raid; the NAVY
was applied to for gunbOats to patrol
the river between Louisville and Wheel.
ing, thus to protect Ohio; Indian troubles
existed in the West, tending in one in.
stance to international complications: and
| organizations were reported throughOut
the Western States having for an object
the destruction Of Government property
and to burn the vast Government deDots
at st. Louis and Indianapolis. In June.
while the aggregate of the Union forces.
kpresent and absent, was very large, the
aggregate present was only 6S3,O5S!
VETERANS BADLY NEEDED.
Under such adverse conditions, the
President, in almost utter despair, teIe-
graphed July 10. 2:30 D. my to Gen.
Grant ms follows: 'Gen. Hal.
leck says we have absolutely no force here
| dit to take the field. 80 Wallace