Confederate Army Marches, Fighting in the Streets, July 1864
Jubal Early's 1864 Raid on Washington City

General Background

 

Early Moves In July, while the main armies in the east were locked in confrontation around Richmond, Jubal Early led a Confederate army in a raid on Washington DC, from the west. He met and defeated Union forces at Monocacy and continued his march as quickly as his army could move in blistering summer heat. A race was in progress between his force to attack and Union reinforcements to defend the Federal capital. In Rockville On July 10th, the leading portion of Early´s Confederate army pushed into Rockville, driving back withdrawing Union cavalry in a running skirmish along Frederick Road and through town. After taking the town, this vanguard Confederate force stopped and encamped for the night. General Early and the main body of his army arrived the next day, marching through most of the day. Early divided his force at Rockville, taking his main force down Veirs Mill Road and the subsequent attack on Fort Stevens in Silver Spring. Meanwhile, a smaller force of mostly mounted troops proceeded south on Rockville Pike in an indeterminate role of diversionary or flanking movement.

Back to Rockville After being rebuffed at reinforced Washington City defenses, Early´s army returned to Rockville, on July 13th in a retreat march. He rejoined his split forces and took a new route west on Darnestown Road, aiming to recross the Potomac. As the Confederate army marched from town, two pursuing Union cavalry regiments charged along Commerce Lane (now Montgomery Avenue). Seeing the Union troopers over extended and out numbered, rearguard Confederate cavalry counter charged and a substantial, see-sawing cavalry clash ensued on the western streets of Rockville. Eventually, the Confederate cavlary rearguard withdrew, leaving the town in Union control again. Early´s army got away, over the river and into Virginia.

© 2006, Peerless Rockville, Historic Preservation Ltd.