The administration was sure, now, that Mr. Early would
get whipped, and that the capital would be saved. There were,
however, a few unbelieving people who shook their heads, and were
heard to say that General Wallace was not the soldier to drive Mr.
Early and his men into the Potomac.
I must do the general the credit, however, to say, that he marched
out boldly enough, and engaged Early and his men in battle as soon
as he met him. And although he had pluck enough, he was no match for
the rebel, who brushed him away before him, and sent his scattered
columns flying back into Baltimore, in great distress. Perhaps the
only sensible man surprised at this state of things was General
Wallace himself.
When those who come after us, my son, shall read of this, it will
seem very strange that the fate of Washington, the capital of this
great and powerful nation, should have depended on a battle between
General Lew Wallace, and his undisciplined troops, on the one side,
and Jubal Early and his stonewall troops on the other. And all this
in the fourth year of the war.
Now this battle, if it can be dignified with the name, was fought on
Saturday, the 9th of July.
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