Washington survived, but Early 'scared Lincoln like hell'

摘要

Given the titles of two new volumes about the Confederate Army of the Valley's incursion through Maryland in July 1864, both would appear to be simple campaign studies. But each veers away in different directions from the operational level in examining the raid on Washington, D.C. Brett Spaulding's Last Chance for Victory: Jubal Early's 1864 Maryland Invasion focuses on Union General Lew Wallace's desperate struggle against overwhelming odds to delay the Rebel advance on Washington at Monocacy, Md. A former Army paratrooper now serving as an interpretive park ranger at Monocacy National Battlefield, Spaulding displays a deft command of the combat intricacies in that July 9 engagement and demonstrates an intimate knowledge of the terrain upon which the armies fought.