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esteem and admiration for their skill and bravery exhibited in this action.
Receiving information that the enemy were being heavily reinforced, I went forward with the regiment composed of companies of the One Hundred and Forty-fourth and One Hundred and Forty-ninth Ohio National Guard, commanded by Colonel Brown, who took possession of the enemy's deserted lines soon after daylight Friday morning. The most of Friday was spent in cavalry skirmishing with the enemy under the personal direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Clendenin, and was very efficiently done.
I continued to receive reports during the day of the increasing strength of the enemy, which was communicated to the Commanding General, who directed me to fall back on Monocacy Junction, which was successfully done during the night, leaving the One Hundred and Forty-ninth Ohio National Guard to hold the stone bridge across the Monocacy on the National or Baltimore pike.
Saturday morning found us in line of battle, my command forming the right of the line, my left resting on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and connecting with General Ricketts, the One Hundred and Forty-ninth Ohio National Guard and three companies of the One Hundred and Forty-fourth Ohio National Guard holding the extreme right; Colonel Gilpin's Third regiment Potomac Home Brigade, Maryland Volunteers, and three companies of the First Maryland Potomac Home Brigade, under Captain Bamford, extending along the base of the hill, holding the ford between the stone bridge and junction; and the Eleventh Maryland, Colonel Landstreet, completing my line.
The enemy appeared directly in my front about nine o'clock A. M., and opened on us with artillery, and attacked in considerable force our skirmish line, formed on the west bank of the Monocacy, and composed of the troops of the First Maryland Potomac Home Brigade, under command of Captain Brown, three guns of Captain Alexander's battery (three having been sent to General Ricketts), and a twenty-Four-pound howitzer soon checked their advancing fines, and the action in my front, with the exception of sharpshooters' and skirmish firing, was an artillery fight.
This at times was quite spirited, continuing until near the lose of the action — we maintaining our position without serious loss.
The conduct of Captain Brown, of the First Maryland, Potomac Home Brigade, and his command, merit special notice; they successfully maintained their skirmish line against a superior force, to the close, and resisted several charges of the enemy.
Captain Alexander, with his officers and men, behaved in the most gallant manner, serving their guns with great coolness and effect.
I desire particularly to call the Commanding General's attention to their conduct during the three days we were in front of the enemy.
The Hundred and Forty-ninth Ohio, and three companies of the Hundred and Forty-fourth Ohio National Guard, under Colonel Brown, considering their inexperience, behaved well, successfully resisting several charges of the enemy.
Colonel Gilpin's regiment, with the three companies of the First Maryland, Potomac Home Brigade, that were assigned him, although serving in detachments along an extended line, fully sustained the enviable reputation they had won on Thursday.
The Eleventh Maryland was not brought into action, but were exposed for a time to the artillery fire of the enemy.
The cavalry was placed under the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Clendenin, who will furnish a separate report, and I would very respectfully call the attention of the Major-General to this gallant and valuable officer, and the officers and men serving under him. They certainly acquitted themselves with great credit.
A force of the enemy's cavalry came down upon me while on the right of the line near the stone bridge, and forced me, Captain Webb and Lieutenant Goldsborough of my staff, into the woods, surrounding us, and by their persistent watchfulness, prevented our following the column for nearly three days.
To the officers of my staff, Captain W. H Wiegel, Captain F. J. D. Webb, and Lieutenants Goldsborough, George W. Startzman and R. E. Smith, I am greatly indebted for their untiring efforts and energy during the whole movement.
Captain Weigle, in the heat of the engagement, took command of the twenty-four-pounder howitzer on the bank of the river, serving it with marked courage and ability, and with telling effect upon the enemy.
His conduct must have been observed by the Commanding General.
I send you herewith a list of the casualties as far as we are able to obtain them at this time.
Very respectfully submitted,
Report of Lieutenant-Colonel Clendenin.
sir — I have the honor to report that I left Washington, D. C., July fourth, at seven o'clock P. M. with two hundred and thirty officers and men of the Eighth regiment Illinois cavalry, and arrived at Point of Rocks at two o clock P. M., July fifth, where I found Moseby with two pieces of artillery and about two hundred men posted on the south bank of the Potomac.
Dismounting one half of my command, I skirmished with him for an hour and a half, killing one of his men, and wounding two others, when he retired down the river.
He fired but six shots from his artillery.
I lost no men.
Hearing that he was crossing at Nolan's Ferry, I moved down and drove him back about ten o'clock P. M., and went into camp for three hours;
