Although the film credits Gen. Phillip Sheridan for saving Washington from the threat of a Confederate offensive by Gen. Jubal Early, Maj. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren of VI Corps was actually most responsible for saving the capitol. Sheridan did not command VI Corps but he did command the Army of the Potomac's cavalry. Warren was commander of the military district that included Maryland and part of Pennsylvania. He stopped Early's Confederates at the Battle of Monocacy, near Frederick, MD, on July 9, 1864. While the overall battle was a Confederate victory, Warren's defeat of Early delayed Early's attack on Washington for a day, giving the Union time to bring up reinforcements. The Confederates launched an attack on Washington again on July 12 but were badly defeated at the Battle of Fort Stevens and retreated to Virginia, never launching an attack on Washington again.

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