This Underrated Battle Helped Save Washington

In any war, there are battles which, with the benefit of hindsight, prove to be much more significant than the actual results of the fighting. The Civil War Battle of Monocacy (muh-NOCK-uh-see) Junction on a stifling hot July 9, 1864 is such a battle. Here in the lush corn and wheat fields just southeast of Frederick, MD, a few thousand rag tag Union troops led by a disgraced General held off a battle-hardened Confederate army three times its size marching to attack a weakly defended Washington, D.C. By Civil War standards, it wasn't a big battle and it didn't last very long. In fact, it was a Confederate victory with Union troops retreating towards Baltimore before supper time. But the Northern forces held long enough and fought hard enough to slow down the Confederate advance, buying time to reinforce Washington and stave off a disaster. The last thing the Union needed at that time was an attack on their capital. They had enough problems already.