and they did not initially press their numerical advantage. Believing that a frontal attack across the Monocacy would be too costly, Early sent Brig. Gen. John McCausland's cavalry of about 1,100 men down Buckeystown Road to find a ford and outflank the Union line. McCausland crossed the Monocacy below the McKinney-Worthington ford, about a mile downstream from the Georgetown Pike bridge, and attacked Wallace's left flank. Due to the rolling terrain, McCausland's men did not notice that four regiments of Ricketts's veteran troops had taken a position along a fence separating the Worthington and Thomas farms. Consequently, the Union line was able to fire a single volley that destroyed McCausland's front line and panicked the remaining Confederates. McCausland rallied his brigade and launched another attack, but was unable to break the Union line and retreated. When the cavalry could not break the Union flank on its own, Early sent Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon's infantry division across the ford to assist in the attack. Gordon launched a three-pronged attack with three brigades against Ricketts's center and both flanks. Ricketts's right flank was pushed back, allowing the Confederates to enfilade the Union line. Pressure from Ramseur's attack on the Union center and Confederate artillery fire from across the river kept Wallace from reinforcing Ricketts's men. Unable to hold the Union line, Wallace ordered a retreat toward Baltimore, leaving Tyler's brigade holding the stone bridge with a small force of men. Clendenin's cavalry remained south on the Georgetown Pike as a rearguard. Rodes's Confederate troops made one final push to capture the stone bridge about 6 p.m., but most of the Union troops were already headed toward Baltimore. At the end of the day, the outnumbered Union forces had withstood five attacks before they were forced to retreat. Aftermath By late afternoon on July 9, following this northernmost Confederate victory of the war, the Federals were retreating toward Baltimore, leaving behind more than 1,294 dead, wounded, or captured. Early's army had won the field at Monocacy, but at the cost of an estimated 700 to 1,000 men killed or wounded and the loss of a day's march. Wallace telegrammed Halleck that his forces fought until 5 p.m., but the Confederate forces, which he estimated at 20,000 men, had overwhelmed them and forced a retreat. One critical objective had been accomplished: the Union troops at Monocacy Junction had delayed Early’s advance on Washington