50 men, under Colonel Truax, and a part of the Second
Brigade (138th Pennsylvania, 9th New York Heavy Artillery, 110th
and 126th Ohio), 1600 strong, Colonel McClennan commanding, of
Ricketts' veteran troops reached the battle-field. Tyler went into
position on the right, covering the stone bridge, and Ricketts on
the left. The position chosen by Wallace was good, strategically,
and also strong to resist a front attack by a superior force. It
was behind the Monocacy River, covering the railroad bridge and
the public highway and another bridge, and also had for lines of
retreat the turnpikes to Baltimore and Washington. If the position
were held, communication could be kept up with these cities, also
with Sigel at the Heights. It was Early's purpose to destroy
Wallace or brush him aside and move on Washington. Early moved
from Frederick at 8 A.M., the 9th of July, and after demonstrating
on Wallace's front, marched Gordon's troops around by a ford to
fall on Ricketts' left. The latter changed front to the left to
meet Gordon. The battle opened in earnest at 10.30 A.M. The
enemy's superiority in artillery gave him a great advantage, and
most of the day Ricketts' troops held their position under an
enfilading fire from Early's batteries. The enemy's front was so
great that Ricketts, to meet it, had to put his entire command into
one line. Gordon's first and second lines were beaten back, and
his third and fourth lines were, later, brought into action on the
Union left. Early put in his reserves there, and still Ricketts'
troops were unbroken and undismayed. It was, however, evident the
unequal contest must result in defeat, hence Wallace ordered a
retreat on the Baltimore pike. Ricketts did not commence to retire
until 4 P.M., and then in good order. Tyler's troops fought well,
and held the stone bridge until Ricketts had passed off the field.
Early was so seriously hurt that he did not or could not make a
vigorous or immediate pursuit. Save some detachments of cavalry,
he halted his army at the stone bridge. The Union loss was 10
officers and 113 men killed and 36 officers and 567 men wounded,
total, 726, besides captured or missing.(12) Colonel Wm. H. Seward
(9th N. Y. H. A.) was slightly wounded and had an ankle broken by
the fall of his horse on its being shot.

The veteran Third Division lost 656 of the killed and wounded, and
the troops under Tyler 70. My former assistant adjutant-general,
Captain