ATTACK ON MASSACHUSETTS TROOPS.

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store of Charles M. Jackson, on Pratt Street, near Gay, where lay the only railway from Philadelphia to Washington, through Baltimore, a large quantity of the round pavement stones had been taken up during the night and piled in a heap; and near them was a cart-load of gravel, giving the impression that repairs of the street were about to be made.

Intelligence came at an early hour of the evacuation and destruction of the public property at Harper's Ferry, on the previous evening. The secessionists were exasperated and the Unionists were jubilant. Baltimore was filled with the wildest excitement. This was intensified by information that a large number of Northern troops were approaching the city from Philadelphia. These arrived at the President Street Station at twenty minutes past eleven o'clock in the forenoon, in twelve passenger and several freight cars, the latter furnished with benches. The troops, about two thousand in all, were the Sixth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers, Colonel Jones, and ten companies of the Washington Brigade, of Philadelphia, under General Wilson C. Small.'

When the train reached the President Street Station, between which and the Camden Street or Washington Station the cars were drawn singly by horses, a mob of about five hundred men were waiting to receive them. These were soon joined by others, and the number was increased to at least two thousand before the cars were started. The mob followed with yells, groans, and horrid imprecations. Eight cars, containing a portion of the Massachusetts Regiment, passed on without

much harm. The mob threw some stones and bricks, and shouted lustily for "Jeff. Davis and the Southern Confederacy." The troops remained quietly in the cars, and reached the Camden Street Station in safety. There they were met by another crowd, who had been collecting all the morning. These hooted and yelled at the soldiers as they were transferred to the Baltimore and Ohio Railway cars, and threw some stones and bricks. One of these struck and bruised Colonel Jones, who was superintending the transfer.

SIXTH MASSACHUSETTS REGIMENT.

The mob on Pratt Street, near the head of the Basin, became more furious every moment; and when the ninth car reached Gay Street, and there was a brief halt on account of a deranged brake, they could no longer be restrained. The heap of loose stones, that appeared so mysteriously in front of Jackson's store, were soon hurled upon the car as it passed along Pratt Street. Every window was demolished, and several soldiers were hurt. Then the cry was raised, "Tear up the track!" There were no present means for doing it, so the mob seized some anchors lying on the

1 Six of the ten companies were of the First Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Berry, and the other four were of the Second Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Schoenleber and Major Gullman.

412

SCENE OF THE PRINCIPAL CONTEST.

wharf near Jackson's store, and, dragging them upon the railway track, effectually barricaded the street. The tenth car was compelled to go back to the President Street Station, followed by a yelling, infuriated mob, many of them maddened by alcohol.

In the mean time the remainder of the Massachusetts troops, who were in the cars back of the barricade, informed of the condition of affairs ahead,

alighted for the purpose of marching to the Camden Street Station. They consisted of four companies, namely, the Lawrence Light Infantry, Captain John Pickering; Companies C and D, of Lowell, commanded respectively by Captains A. S. Follansbee and J. W. Hart; and the Stoneham Company, under Captain Dike. They were speedily formed on the side-walk, and Captain Follansbee was chosen the commander of the whole for the occasion. He wheeled them into column, and directed them to march in close order. Before they were ready to move the mob was upon them, led by a man with a secession flag upon a pole, who told the troops that they should never march through the city-that "every nigger of them" would be killed before they could reach the other station.

66

Captain Follansbee paid no attention to these threats, though his little band was confronted by thousands of infuriated men. He gave the words, Forward, March!" in a clear voice. The order was a signal for the mob, who commenced hurling stones and bricks, and every missile at hand, as the troops moved steadily up President Street. At the corner of Fawn and President Streets, a furious rush was made upon them, and the missiles filled the air like hail. A policeman was called to lead the way, and the troops advanced at the "double-quick." They found the planks of the Pratt Street Bridge, over Jones's Falls, torn up, but they passed over without accident, when they were assailed more furiously than ever. Several of the soldiers

This is a view of the portion of Pratt Street, between Gay and South Streets, where the most severe contest occurred. The large building seen on the left is the storehouse of Charles M. Jackson, and the bow of the vessel is seen at the place where the rioters dragged the anchors upon the railway track.

THE STRUGGLE IN THE STREETS OF BALTIMORE.

413

were knocked down by stones, and their muskets were taken from them; and presently some shots were fired by the populace.

Up to this time the troops had made no resistance; now, finding the mob to be intent upon murder, Captain Follansbee ordered them to cap their pieces (which were already loaded), and defend themselves. They had reached Gay Street. The mob, full ten thousand strong, was pressing heavily upon them, hurling stones and bricks, and casting heavy pieces of iron upon them from windows. One of these crushed a man to the earth. Self-preservation called for action, and the troops turned and fired at random on the mob, who were dismayed for a moment and recoiled. The shouts of the ferocious multitude, the rattle of stones, the crack of musketry, the whistle of bullets, the shrieks of women, of whom some were among the rioters, and the carrying of wounded men into stores, made an appalling tragedy. The severest of the fight was in Pratt Street, between Gay Street and Bowley's Wharf, near Calvert Street.

The Mayor, alarmed at the fury of the whirlwind that his political friends had raised, attempted to control it, but in vain. With a large body of the police (most of whom did not share the treason of their chief, and worked earnestly in trying to quell the disturbance) he placed himself at the head of the troops, but his power was utterly inoperative, and when stones and bullets flew about like autumnal leaves in a gale, he prudently withdrew, and left the New Englanders to fight their way through to the Camden Street Station. This they did most gallantly, receiving a furious assault from a wing of the rioters at Howard Street, when about twenty shots were fired, and Captain Dike was seriously wounded in the leg. At a little past noon, the troops entered the cars for Washington. Three of their number had been killed outright, one mortally wounded, and eight were seriously and several were slightly hurt.' Nine citizens of Baltimore were killed, and many-how many is not known-were wounded. Among the killed was Robert T. Davis, an estimable citizen, of the firm of Paynter, Davis & Co., dry goods merchants, who was a spectator of the scene.

The cars into which the soldiers were hurried were sent off for Washington as soon as possible. The mob followed for more than a mile, and impeded the progress of the train with stones, logs, and telegraph poles, which the accompanying police removed. The train was fired into on the way from the hills, but at too long range to do much damage. That evening the Massachusetts troops, wearied and hungry, arrived at the Capitol, and found quarters in the Senate Chamber, where, on the following day, they wrote letters to their friends on the desks lately occupied by Davis and his fellow-conspirators. Their advent gave great joy to the loyal inhabitants. Already the Capitol had been fortified by General Scott. The doors and windows were barricaded with boards, and casks of cement and huge stones. The iron plates intended for the new dome of the building were used for breast works between the marble columns; and the pictures in the rotunda and the statuary were covered with heavy planking, to shield them from harm.

While the fight between the Massachusetts Sixth and the Baltimoreans

1 On their arrival at Washington, eighteen of their wounded were sent to the Washington Infirmary.

* The following is a list of the officers of the staff and the different companies:-Colonel, Edward F. Jones,

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PENNSYLVANIA TROOPS ATTACKED.

was going on, the Pennsylvanians, under General Small, who were entirely unarmed, remained in the cars at the President Street Station. The General tried to have them drawn back out of the city, and out of reach of the mob, but failed. The rioters were upon them before an engine could be procured for that purpose. The mob had left Pratt Street when their prey had escaped, and, yet thirsting for blood, had hurried toward the armory of the Maryland Guard, on Carroll Street, to seize the weapons belonging to that corps. A small guard at the head of the stairs kept them at bay. They then rushed toward the Custom House, to seize arms said to have been deposited there, when they were diverted by information that there were more troops at the President Street Station. Thitherward they pressed, yelling like demons, and began a furious assault upon the cars with stones and other missiles. Quite a large number of the Union men of Baltimore had gathered around the Pennsylvanians. Many of the latter sprang from the cars and engaged in a hand-to-hand fight with their assailants for almost two hours, nobly assisted

by the Baltimore Unionists. The mob overpowered them, and the unarmed soldiers-some of them badly hurt-fled in all directions, seeking refuge where they might. At this juncture, and at this place, Marshal Kane appears for the first time in the history of that eventful day. He was well known to the secessionists, and his presence soon restored order, when the fugitive soldiers returned to the cars, and the Pennsylvanians were all sent

Lowell; Lieutenant-Colonel, Walter Shattuck, Groton; Major, Benj. F. Watson, Lawrence; Adjutant, Alpha B. Farr, Lowell; Quartermaster, James Monroe, Cambridge; Paymaster, Rufus L. Plaisted, Lowell; Surgeon, Norman Smith, Groton; Chaplain, Charles Babbidge, Pepperell. Company A, Lowell, Captain, J. A. Sawtell; Company B, Groton, Captain, E. S. Clark; Company C, Lowell, Captain, A. S. Follansbee; Company D, Lowell, Captain, J. W. Hart; Company E, Acton, Captain, David Totter; Company F, Lawrence, Captain, B. F. Chadbourne; Company H, Lowell, Captain, Jona. Ladd; Company I, Lawrence, Captain, John Pickering.

This regiment had been the recipient of the most marked attention all the way from Boston. They were greeted by crowds of cheering citizens everywhere; and when they left New York to cross the Jersey City Ferry, full fifteen thousand citizens accompanied them, while the side-walks were densely crowded. A large number of miniature American flags were presented to the soldiers, who attached them to their bayonets. The shipping in the harbor was bright with the Stars and Stripes. They crossed New Jersey in a train of fifteen cars, and were cheered by enthusiastic crowds at the stations. They arrived at Philadelphia at half-past eight o'clock on the evening of the 15th, where they were received by the authorities and a vast concourse of citizens. Huzzas were given for "Bunker Hill," "Old Massachusetts," "General Scott," and "Major Anderson," as the regiment went up Walnut and through to Chestnut Street to the "Girard House" and the "Continental Hotel." They departed for Baltimore at a little past three o'clock the next morning, accompanied by over half of the Washington Brigade, of Philadelphia. Their reception in Baltimore is recorded in the text.

1 This is a view of the Pratt Street Bridge and its vicinity, taken in December, 1864, from the gallery of the "William Tell House." It is between President and Concord Streets. It is built of iron and heavy planks.

THE MOB IN BALTIMORE TRIUMPHANT.

415

back to Philadelphia. After their departure, the mob proceeded to barricade the Pratt Street Bridge, and to break open the store of Henry Meyer, from which they carried off a large number of guns and pistols. At that moment General Egerton appeared in full uniform, imploring them to cease rioting. He assured them that no "foreign troops were in the city, and that Governor Hicks had declared that no more should pass through it.'

The mob was quieted by four o'clock in the afternoon, when they had placed the city in the hands of the secessionists. At that hour a great meeting of the dominant party was held at Monument Square, where General George H. Stewart (who afterward joined the insurgents in Virginia) had paraded the First Light Division with ball cartridges. Over the platform for the speakers floated a white flag bearing the arms of Maryland; and under this Mayor Brown, S. T. Wallis, W. P. Preston, and others, addressed the vast multitude, assuring them that no more Northern troops should pass through the city, and advising them to disperse quietly to their homes. Already Governor Hicks and Mayor Brown had sent a dispatch to President Lincoln, saying:-"A collision between the citizens and the Northern troops has taken place in Baltimore, and the excitement is fearful. Send no troops here. We will endeavor to prevent bloodshed. A public meeting of citizens has been called, and the troops of the State and city have been called out to preserve the peace. They will be enough." They had also taken. measures to prevent any more troops coming over the railway from Philadelphia.

When the meeting at Monument Square was convened, a committee was appointed to invite Governor Hicks to the stand. His age was bordering on seventy years, and caution was predominant. He was appalled by the violence around him, and after listening to Mayor Brown, who declared that it was "folly and madness for one portion of the nation to attempt the subjugation of another portion-it can never be done," the Governor arose and said: "I coincide in the sentiment of your worthy Mayor. After three conferences we have agreed, and I bow in submission to the people. I am a Marylander; I love my State, and I love the Union; but I will suffer my right arm to be torn from my body before I will raise it to strike a sister State."

The meeting adjourned, but the populace were not quiet. They paraded the streets, uttering threats of violence to Union citizens, who were awed into silence, and driven into the obscurity of their homes. About five hundred men, headed by two drums, went to the President Street Station to seize arms supposed to be there. They found none. Disappointed, they marched to Barnum's Hotel, and called for Ex-Governor Louis E. Lowe, who made a speech to them under a Maryland flag, from a balcony, in which he

Files of the Baltimore journals from the 20th to the 23d of April. Letter of Captain Follansbee to the Lowell Courier. Colonel Jones's official report to General Butler. Verbal statements to the author by citizens of Baltimore.

* General Stewart's abandoned mansion and beautiful grounds around it, at the head of Baltimore Street. were taken possession of by the Government, and there the Jarris Hospital, one of the most perfect of its kind, was established for the use of disabled soldiers during the war. It was one of the most beautiful situations in or near Baltimore. It was on an eminence that overlooked a large portion of the city, the Patapsco, the harbor, and the land and water out to Chesapeake Bay. The mansion was built by the father of Brantz Mayer, a leading citizen of Baltimore.

3 Baltimore Clipper, April 20, 1961.