Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/523

Rh & Ohio railroad across the Monocacy, and the blockhouses at the junction, and, having buried his dead and cared for his wounded, continued his march toward Washington City, by way of Urbana, with Gordon in front and Ramseur in the rear, who had some skirmishing with the enemy's cavalry, to near Gaithersburg, where he encamped. McCausland's, in advance, drove Wilson's cavalry contending with him to Rockville, where he encamped that night. On the 11th, with Rodes in front, Early advanced to Silver Spring, on the Seventh Street turnpike, on the borders of the District of Columbia and in sight of the dome of the capitol, where he engaged the enemy's skirmishers and drove them into the fortifications surrounding the city. The day was intensely hot, and the army much exhausted by its many long marches and by the severe and sanguinary battle it had fought at Monocacy. The forts and other works around Washington were found to be of a very formidable character, and fully manned; the whole surrounding country had been cleared off, so that every line of advance was exposed to the fire from the numerous forts and batteries that crowned the heights surrounding the Federal city. McCausland's cavalry brigade, in advancing from Rockville, took the Georgetown road, and had an engagement with the Federal cavalry near Tennallytown, while Colonel Mosby's command made a demonstration at the Chain bridge, northwest of Washington, on the Virginia side of the Potomac.

General Early learned, from a reliable source, soon after reaching the vicinity of Washington, that while his unexpected arrival had created great alarm, large reinforcements, consisting of two corps from Grant's army, were already beginning to arrive in Washington, by way of the Potomac, so that very soon the force of veteran soldiers in that city would be larger than his own. The delay caused by the well-contested battle of Monocacy had given the Federal authorities opportunity for bringing forward these reinforcements, and had made it not only inadvisable, but extremely hazardous for him to make an assault upon the works and attempt to capture the city. The 12th was spent in front of Washington, and Rodes' division had a heavy skirmish with the enemy in the afternoon on the Seventh Street turnpike, in front of Silver Spring, where Early had established his headquarters.