About this time we began to hear rumors of Gen. Early’s invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and it was reported that he was marching on toward Baltimore. He came within four miles of the city and burned the residence of Governor Bradford. In Baltimore the excitement was intense. The bells of the city on that Sunday morning called the citizens to man the Forts, to dig ditches, and throw up earthworks, instead of the church service, and thousands responded to the all. Lieutenant Runkle of the regulars assumed command at Fort No. 1 and began a rigid drill in heavy artillery, our guns were manned, loaded with shell and sighted at prominent houses, groves, etc., that might give shelter to the enemy. This drill was kept up for two days and nights, the men sleeping at their posts, expecting the ball to open at any moment. But Early withdrew his forces and with haste, again entered the Shenandoah Valley.

On July 1st General Early received orders to invade Maryland and advance on Washington. He began preparations by forcing General Siegel to retreat to Maryland Heights where he was cooped up. Early moved by flank, entered Maryland and advanced to Frederick City. On the 9th of July the battle of Monocacy was fought. We at Fort No. 1 began to see some of our soldiers come in from the battle field, among them being Assistant Surgeon Miesse and Chaplain Morris, who stopped at the Fort and gave us an account of the battle. Gen. Wallace had gathered a force of twenty-eight hundred men, consisting of one Maryland Regiment and the rest were hundred days men, among them being the 144th Ohio, and seven companies of the 149th. On the 8th of July a brigade of Ricketts’ Division of the Sixth Corps came up on a train of cars bound for Harper’s Ferry. Wallace informed the Commander “that if he wanted to get to Harper’s Ferry he would have to get the consent of Jubal Early.” He stopped the Brigade and put it in position. During the night Ricketts came up with his other Brigade. He wanted to know what Wallace proposed to do, and was informed that he proposed to fight. Ricketts laughed and said, “with my division and your hundred day men you have only about 6,000. Do you expect to whip Early?” “No,” replied Wallace, “but I propose to make him do two things, develop his strength and whither he is bound.”

If bound for Washington he thought he could delay him at least twenty-four hours, and it would take him two more days to get to Washington, and in that time Grant could get troops from City Point in time to save the Capitol, but without that Early would be in Washington when there was not a man in the entrenchments. Gen. Ricketts agreed with him, and his division was placed. Colonel Brown was ordered to the Stone Bridge over the Monocacy where the Frederick and Baltimore turnpike crosses. His orders were to hold the bridge at all hazards, but if pressed too hard the men were to scatter and save themselves the best they could. The forces under Wallace numbered 5,500, while those of Early were 23,000 of the pick of the Confederate Armies.

Long before daylight on July 9th the 149th was in position at the bridge. They did not have to wait long until Early’s troops were seen passing through Frederick, bound for Washington. Then came the tug of war. Gen. Wallace deployed his men as skirmishers and attracted the attention of the enemy, the object being to deceive him as to the numbers opposing him. They held him in check from daylight until late in the afternoon. During the last hour the only force opposing this veteran army of Earlys was the 149th Ohio. At four o’clock in the afternoon Wallace seeing that his army would be either captured or annihilated, ordered a retreat of all but the 149th. This Regiment was to cover the retreat, and to be sacrificed to save the rest of the army. This was shown by the orders sent to Col. Brown, which were as follows:

4:30 P. M., July 9th, 1864.

Colonel:

Major General Wallace directs me to say that he directs that you hold your position to the very last extremity, and, when nothing more can be done, that you fall back, and if pressed, direct your men to disperse and take care of themselves. This is to be done when nothing more can be done to retard the enemy’s progress.

Respectfully,

E. B. Tyler,

Brig. Gen.