Today in History:

193 Series I Volume XXXVII-II Serial 71 - Monocacy Part II

Page 193 Chapter XLIX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. -UNION.

sisted of some seventy Ohio National Guard, destroyed a considerable of the bridge, and captured and destroyed two trains of cars, one going north, the other south. General Franklin was captured and the other officers in the train. Baldy Smith's name is not mentioned, but we conclude that he was among them. A gun-boat reached the scene after it was all over. General Wallace reports a large force of the enemy near Baltimore this morning, but seems to have had no fighting since his defeat on the Monocacy, on Saturday. As to his losses there we have no specific figures, but I estimate them at from 200 to 400. We had positive information that Early, Breckinridge, and Imboden dined together at Rockville at 3 p. m. Sunday. In front of Washington, Lowell's cavalry had some pretty sharp skirmishing yesterday, on the Tennallytown road. His pickets were driven in, and Major Fry, who commanded them, reports that the enemy was there in great force, with infantry and artillery.

Nothing has occurred there to-day to demonstrate the presence of any such force, and the skirmishing has borne away to the right, in front of Fort Stevens. Colonel Hardie, who was at Fort Reno about noon, reports that the rebels had one rifle gun bearing upon that work. He saw also a train of ambulances, which he judged to be about a mile in length, and a column of infantry of another straggling character, moving in direction of Fort Stevens. The country has also been filled with clouds of dust, which are believed to have been raised by bodies of cavalry. This evening the pickets are very active in front of Fort Stevens, but they are composed mostly of 100 -days's men. The cannon of the fort have also been used, though not a gun has been fired at the fort. Very few of our men, have been wounded. The telegraph operator there reports a considerable number of camp-fires visible in front. The railroad between Washington and Baltimore has not yet been interfered with. Five boat-loads of General Wright's troops have arrived, and one of the Nineteenth Corps. General Wright and his troops have gone to Fort Stevens. All the convalescents from the hospitals have been collected and organized and sent to the trenches also, and General Meigs, moved at this p. m. in command of some 1,500 armed employes of the Quartermaster's Department. General Meigs has also furnished guards to relieve the Veteran Reserves about the depots in this city and Alexandria, and they have likewise goen to the front. General Augur has also drawn from the fortifications on the south side all the men that, in his judgment, could possibly be spared from there. General Gillmore has arrived in town and will take the chief command of the troops as soon as they are able to move out of the defenses. I find that General Halleck has very great confidence in this officer. I should also state that General McCook is in command at Fort Stevens. General Augur has been very actively engaged in getting these miscellaneous troops to the front. His precise position in relation to General Gillmore I do not understand, but will ascertain and inform you in the morning. General Ord went over to Baltimore this p. m., at 4. 30 to take command of the troops in the field, General Wallace being directed to make his headquarters in the city. Washington and Baltimore are in a state of great excitement. Both cities are field with country people fleeing from the enemy. The damage to private property done by the invaders is almost beyond calculation.

Mills workshops, and factories of every sort have been destroyed

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Page 193 Chapter XLIX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. -UNION.