SECESSION RIOT IN BALTIMORE. 463 possible, but saving none of it to the This caused the mob to recoil; and Government. At the hight of the frenzied excitement created by these tidings, the Massachusetts Sixth, with ten companies of the Philadelphia Washington brigade, under Gen. Small, having left Philadelphia at 3 A. M., of the 19th, reached Baltimore, in a train of seventeen passenger cars, containing over two thousand persons, mainly soldiers. The train stopped at the Camden station, on the east side of the city, a little before noon. The five foremost cars, containing a portion of the Massachusetts men, were here detached, and drawn singly through the city by four horses each. There being no horses for the remainder, the residue of the regiment, of whom but a small portion were armed, left the cars and formed in the street, waiting the arrival of horses. None came; for the Secession mob who filled the streets had covered the track, immediately behind the five cars aforesaid, with heavy anchors, timber, stones, and other obstructions-piled, in one instance, to a hight of fifteen feet-and, by the help of these, were prepared to prevent the passage of any more cars. Meantime, the residue of the regiment, as they formed, were assailed by showers of stones and other missiles, hurled from the streets and the house-tops, whereby several of them were knocked down and otherwise badly injured. In the confusion thus created among the raw, unarmed soldiers, a rioter came behind the last platoon, seized the musket of one of the volunteers, and shot him dead. Hereupon, the soldiers were ordered to fire; and those who had guns and ammunition did so, with some effect. the soldiers, learning that the track had been obstructed, closed their ranks, and commenced their march of two miles and a half through the streets of the city to the Washington dépôt, surrounded and followed by the howling, pelting mob. Mayor Brown and a strong detachment of police marched at the head of the troops, opening a way before them through the vast and angry crowd. Missiles still poured upon them from every quarter; and, in some cases, heavy pieces of iron were cast out of second and third-story windows upon their heads. One man was crushed down by one of these iron billets. The front of the column received little injury; but the rioters closed in upon and attempted to cut off a portion of the rear, which, being hardly pressed, was at length ordered to fire; and the order was obeyed. Several volleys were fired by a small portion of the regiment, whereby eleven of the mob were killed, and four severely wounded. Of the soldiers, three were slain, and eight seriously injured. Most of the remaining volunteers reached the Washington dépôt and crowded into the cars, which were dispatched, so, soon as possible, for Washington. Fifteen of the soldiers who went on with their comrades were so injured by the missiles that, on reaching the capital, they were sent to the hospital. The train was repeatedly fired at from the hills and woods along the route, but at too great distance to do harm. At the Jackson bridge, it was stopped by the removal of several rails, which were promptly relaid, under the protection of the troops. The Pennsylvanians were left be hind; and, being entirely unarmed, | Maryland, and had received assur ances from the President of the Philadelphia and Baltimore railroad that he would send none without further consultation and concert with the authorities of Baltimore and Maryland. Gov. Hicks further concurred with him in the opinion that it is folly and madness for one portion of this great nation to attempt the subjugation of another portion. It. can never be done. [Cheers.] A deputation was sent for the Governor, who duly appeared, and, standing under the Maryland flag, addressed the assemblage. He said: Gen. Small decided that they should not proceed. He attempted to have the cars in which they remained drawn back out of the city, but without immediate success. Soon, a portion of the mob, desisting from the pursuit of the Massachusetts men, turned upon these, and commenced a violent stoning of the cars, whereby the windows were broken and several men severely injured. The Pennsylvanians sprang from the cars, and engaged in a hand-to-hand fight with their assailants, being aided to some extent by Baltimore Unionists. An irregular conflict was here kept up for "I coïncide in the sentiment of your wornearly two hours, during which ten thy Mayor. After three conferences, we or twelve soldiers were badly hurt, have agreed; and I bow in submission to the people. I am a Marylander; I love my and one or two killed. Finally, Po-State, and I love the Union; but I will suffer lice Marshal Kane appeared on the ground, and, being very influential with the Secessionists, soon stopped the fight; when the Pennsylvanians, returning to the cars, were started on the back track to Philadelphia, where they arrived late that night. At 4 P. M. of that day-the soldiers from the Free States having all departed—a great meeting of the triumphant rioters, under a Maryland flag, was held in Monument Square. After a rebel speech by Dr. A. C. Robinson, Mayor Brown harangued the multitude in favor of peace and order, which was received with evident disrelish; but, when he added that he disapproved of the President's call, and would not have responded to it, had he been Governor, the rioters recognized their friend. He told them that he had conferred with Gov. Hicks, who had united with him in telegraphing to Washington and to Philadelphia that no more Northern troops must be sent through my right arm to be torn from my body before I will raise it to strike a sister State." Hereupon, the meeting adjourned. That night, Baltimore, and, in fact, nearly all Maryland, were completely in the hands of the Secessionists. The Unionists were terrified, paralyzed, silenced, and they generally shrank from observation. The rebel mobpartially armed from the gunstoresparaded the streets of Baltimore unopposed, broke in the doors and windows of the President-street railroad dépôt, and demanded the muskets which they insisted were in the building, and were allowed to appoint a Committee to search it, and report. The Committee examined it, was satisfied, and reported that there were no arms; so they left. Ex-Gov. Louis E. Lowe harangued the mob, under the Maryland flag, from the portico. of Barnum's Hotel; pledging them ample assistance from his [Frederick] county. With the full assent, if not by express direction, of Mayor Brown BALTIMORE UNDER THE REBELS. bloodshed will not rest upon me." 465 The Committee telegraphed back the following message : "WASHINGTON, April 20, 1861. "TO MAYOR BROWN, Baltimore: We have seen the President and Gen. Scott. We bear from the former a letter to the Mayor and Governor, declaring that no troops shall be brought through Baltimore, position, they can be marched around Balif, in a military point of view, without optimore. and Police Marshal Kane, the tele- | should attempt it, the responsibility for the graph wires connecting Baltimore with the Free States were cut, and the railroad bridges northward and north-eastward from Baltimore, on the railroads to Philadelphia and Harrisburg, burned; thus shutting off Washington and the Government from all communication with the Northern, as Gov. Letcher and his backers had just excluded them from all intercourse with the Southern, States. The telegraphic communication westward was preserved, to enable the master-spirits to dispatch to their confederates in Western Maryland such messages as this to one at Frederick, who soon after joined the Confederate army: "Send expresses over the mountains and alleys of Maryland and Virginia for the tiemen to come without delay. Further Lordes of Union volunteers] will be down upon us to-morrow [the 20th]. We will fight them, and whip them, or die. "GEO. P. KANE." Mayor Brown sent three envoys to the President, bearing a dispatch indorsed by Gov. Hicks, wherein he says: The people are exasperated to the highest degree by the passage of troops, and the citizens are unusually decided in the opinion that no more troops should be ordered to come. "The authorities of the city did their best to-day to protect both strangers and citizens, and to prevent a collision, but in vain; and, but for their great efforts, a fearful slaughter would have occurred. "Under these circumstances, it is my solemn duty to inform you that it is not possible for more soldiers to pass through Baltimore, unless they fight their way at every step. I, therefore, hope and trust, and most earnestly request, that no more troops be permitted or ordered by the Government to pass through the city. If they H. L. BOND, J. C. BRUNE, GEO. W. DOBBIN." The President of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad had already responded to a similar message as follows: "GENTLEMEN: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of this date, in which you advise that the troops now here be sent back to the 'borders of Maryland.' Most cordially approving this advice, I have just telegraphed the same to the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore railroad company, and this company will act in accordance therewith. "J. W. GARRETT, President." “J. Gov. Andrew, of Massachusetts, having telegraphed to Mayor Brown as follows: "I pray you to cause the bodies of our Massachusetts soldiers, dead in Baltimore, to be laid out, preserved in ice, and tenderly sent forward by express to me. All expenses will be paid by the Commonwealth :" Mayor Brown responded as follows: "SIR: No one deplores the sad events of yesterday in this city more deeply than myself, but they were inevitable. Our people viewed the passage of armed troops of another State, through the streets, as an invasion of our soil, and could not be restrained. The authorities exerted themselves to the best of their ability, but with only partial success. Gov. Hicks was present, and concurs in all my views as to the proceedings now necessary for our protection. When are these scenes to cease? Are we to have a war of sections? God forbid! The bodies of the Massachusetts soldiers could not be sent on to Boston, as you requested, all communication between this city and Philadelphia by railroad, and with Boston by steamers, having ceased; but they have been placed in cemented coffins, and will be placed with proper funeral ceremonies in the mausoleum of Green Mount Cemetery, where they shall be retained until further directions | landers on either side of it. In his are received from you. The wounded are tenderly cared for. I appreciate your offer; but Baltimore will claim it as her right to pay all expenses incurred." Gov. Andrew promptly rejoined: "DEAR SIR: I appreciate your kind attention to our wounded and our dead, and trust that, at the earliest moment, the reI am mains of our fallen will return to us. overwhelmed with surprise that a peaceful march of American citizens over the highway to the defense of our common capital should be deemed aggressive to Baltimoreans. Through New York, the march was triumphal." official report of the interview, Mr. Brown says: "The Mayor and his companions availed themselves of the President's full discussion of the questions of the day to urge upon him respectfully, but in the most earnest manner, a course of policy which would give peace to the country, and especially the withdrawal of all orders contemplating the passage of troops through any part of Maryland." On returning to the cars, the Mayor received a dispatch from railroad President Garrett, announcing the approach of troops (Pennsylvanians) by railroad from Harrisburg to Cockeysville, a few miles north of Baltimore, and that the city was greatly excited thereby; whereupon, Messrs. Brown & Co. returned to the President, and demanded a further audience, which was granted. The dis patch was submitted; and the Presi dent and Gen. Scott agreed that the Pennsylvania soldiers, who had thus unwittingly profaned the soil of Maryland by daring to advance over it to the defense of the National Metropolis, should be turned back to Harrisburg. At 3 A. M., on Sunday, April 21st, Mayor Brown received a message from the President, requesting Gov. Hicks and himself to proceed immediately to Washington for consultation. Gov. Hicks being no longer in the city, Mayor Brown, on further conference, went without him, taking three friends-whereof, at least two were ardent Secessionists-to bear him company. They reached Washington at 10 A. M., and were admitted to an immediate interview with the President, attended by the Cabinet and Gen. Scott. Mr. Lincoln urged, with abundant reason, that he had no choice between bringing troops through Maryland and surrendering the capital to armed treason. He finally appealed to Gen. Scott, who gave his military opinion that troops might be brought through Maryland by way of Annapolis or the Relay House, without passing through Bal-mittee from the Young Men's Christimore. The Mayor dilated on the fearful excitement of the Baltimoreans, and the impossibility of his answering for the consequences, if more Northern troops should appear in that city. He adroitly added that his jurisdiction was confined to the city, and that he could make no promises as to the behavior of the Mary There is not much more of this nature to be recorded; but, among the Baltimoreans who, next day, visited Washington to second the demands of Messrs. Brown & Co., and confirm the impression which it was hoped they had made, was a Com tian Association, who modestly petitioned that the President should put an end to the unnatural conflict now imminent by yielding to the demands of the South. To this end, they advised that the Federal forces already in Washington should be disbanded; but, at all events, that no more should be marched across the territory of GOV. SEWARD TO GOV. HICKS-GEORGE LAW. Maryland. The President, in reply, called their attention to the fact that the capital was imminently threatened; that he was informed that Rebel batteries were being erected on the Virginia bank of the Potomac to command the passage of that river; that the Rebel Government had determined to establish forthwith its headquarters in the house where this interview was held; and that the only effect of yielding to their prayers would be the destruction of the Government as well as his own death or captivity. The Young Christians, of course, disclaimed any purpose to produce such a catastrophe; to which the President replied that their intent mattered little, since the effect of the course demanded by Baltimore could be no other than this. To a similar but more formal representation from Gov. Hicks, objecting to the passage of Northern troops across any portion of Maryland, Gov. Seward returned the following most moderate and conciliatory answer: "DEPARTMENT OF STATE, April 22, 1861. "His Excellency THOS. H. HICKS, "Governor of Maryland: "SIR: I have had the honor to receive your communication of this morning, in which you inform me that you have felt it to be your duty to advise the President of the United States to order elsewhere the troops then off Annapolis, and also that no more may be sent through Maryland; and that you have further suggested that Lord Lyons be requested to act as mediator between the contending parties in our country, to prevent the effusion of blood. The President directs me to acknowledge the receipt of that communication, and to assure you that he has weighed the counsels which it contains with the respect which he habitually cherishes for the Chief Magistrates of the several States, and especially for yourself. He regrets, as deeply as any magistrate or citizen of the country can, that demonstrations against the safety of the United States, with very extensive preparations for the effusion of blood, have made it his duty to call out the force to which you allude. 467 "The force now sought to be brought through Maryland is intended for nothing but the defense of this capital. The President has necessarily confided the choice of the national highway which that force shall take in coming to this city to the Lieutenant-General commanding the Army of the United States, who, like his only predecessor, is not less distinguished for his humantinguished public services. The President ity than for his loyalty, patriotism, and disinstructs me to add that the national highway thus selected by the Lieutenant-General has been chosen by him, upon consultation with prominent magistrates and citizens of Maryland, as the one which, while a route from the populous cities of the State, and is absolutely necessary, is furthest removed with the expectation that it would, therefore, be the least objectionable one. "The President cannot but remember that there has been a time in the history of our country, when a General of the American of its Capital, was not unwelcome anywhere Union, with forces designed for the defense in the State of Maryland, and certainly not at Annapolis, then, as now, the capital of that patriotic State, and then, also, one of the capitals of the Union. "If eighty years could have obliterated all the other noble sentiments of that age in Maryland, the President would be hopeful, nevertheless, that there is one that would forever remain there and everywhere. That sentiment is that no domestic contention whatever, that may arise among the parties of this Republic, ought in any case to be referred to any foreign arbitrament-least of all to the arbitrament of an European monarchy. "I have the honor to be, with distinguished consideration, your Excellency's most obedient servant, "WILLIAM H. SEWARD.” The spirit in which these negotiations were regarded throughout the loyal States is very fairly exhibited in the following letter: "NEW YORK, April 25, 1861. "To the President of the United States: "SIR: The people of the Free States have now been for some time cut off from communication with the capital of their country by a mob in the city of Baltimore. The troops of the General Government have been attacked and shot down by the mob in their passage through that city, in pursuance to the orders of the Government. The lines of communication have been destroyed, and the authority of the General Government has been set at defiance. This state of |