Battle of Monocacy • Tour the Battlefield • Monuments & Markers • Armies
The “McCausland’s Attack” wayside maker is beside Worthington House on the southwest side of the Monocacy battlefield. Two other markers are nearby, Worthington House and Worthington-McKinney Ford.
From the marker:
McCausland’s Attack
11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. July 9, 1864
Brig. Gen. John McCausland’s cavalry brigade forded the river, dismounted, and advanced up the slope toward the Worthington house. Thinking they would be facing inexperienced militiamen, the Confederates formed a line in front of the house and moved on foot through a cornfield toward the Thomas farm, about half a mile to the east.
There, Union Brig. Gen. James B. Ricketts’ seasoned troops, concealed in a field behind a fence, surprised and repulsed them. McCausland’s Confederates advanced again only to be driven back, with heavy losses, to the Worthington house. But more Confederates were on their way.
Onward they went through the growing corn…. Then…the whole Federal line of infantry rose to its feet and resting their guns on the upper rails of the fence took aim and fired a…murderous volley into the ranks of the approaching foe.
Glenn H. Worthington
Location
Worthington House is about three miles by road from the Nation Battlefield Park Visitor Center. From the Center take Urbana Road south 0.95 mile. Turn south (right) on Araby Curch Road 0.45 mile. Turn southwest (right) on Baker Valley Road. Proceed 0.65 mile to just pass the freeway underpass, then turn north (right) on the National Park service road. Worthington House, the markers and the trailhead are 0.8 mile down the service road. (39°21’41.9″N 77°24’06.9″W)