Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

commenced. He immediately placed himself by the side of the officer in command, and marched with him, doing what he could by his presence and personal efforts to allay the tumult.

12. Missiles were, notwithstanding, thrown at the troops, and some of them were injured. The soldiers fired upon the crowd, with fatal effect upon distant and innocent spectators. An intense and irrepressible feeling was at once aroused; one of the mob seized a musket from a soldier and fired. Fire-arms were then freely used on both sides.— Three of the Massachusetts regiment were killed.

13. At this moment, Marshal Kane, with about fifty policemen, from the direction of the Washington depot, rushed to the rear of the troops, and formed a line across the street, with their drawu revolvers, checking and keeping off the mob. Under the escort of this body of policemen, the troops finally reached the Washington depot.

14. In the meanwhile, another body of troops arrived at the Philadelphia depot. These troops were protected by the police until they were sent back to Havre-de-Grace, whence they were taken in transports to Annapolis. From Annapolis they marched to the Washington rail road, and were thence transported in cars to the Federal capital.

Questions.-11. Where did he place himself? 12. State what happened? 13. Who appeared at this time? 14. What is said of another body of troops?

DESTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGES.

249

15. By night, the excitement in the city was so great that it was regarded by the police authorities as impossible that soldiers from other States could pass through the city without a fierce and bloody conflict at every step, and that great loss of life, and possibly the destruction of the city itself might ensue.

16. As the readiest method of averting such a calamity was by stopping the immediate arrival of more troops from the North, it was suggested that, to this end, the bridges on the roads leading to the city should be disabled. This was done under the authority of the police commissioners.

17. On the 21st, General Benjamin F. Butler arrived with troops off Annapolis. Having landed them, he took military possession of the Annapolis and Elk Ridge rail road, and thus opened a highway to Washington.

18. Great excitement prevailed on the same day in Baltimore. A body of troops, on their way to the South, had been stopped at Ashland Station, on the Northern Central rail road, by the destruction of the bridge. Many of the citizens, both of the city and county, armed themselves to resist their passage. The troops returned to their State,

Questions.-15. Wha. was the condition of the city? 16. What was thought the best method of averting the calamity? 17. Who arrived on the 21st? 18. What was the condition of Baltimore? What did the troops do?

and were sent forward by another route, the President having agreed with the Governor of the State and the Mayor of Baltimore, that no more troops should be sent through that city.

19. All kinds of military stores, including clothing and tents, the property of the government, were detained. On the 24th April, the city presented the appearance of a military camp. Large numbers of volunteers were enlisted, government provisions were seized, and about four hundred men left the city to take possession of the important point on the Baltimorc and Ohio rail road, known as the Relay. Their object was to prevent communication between Pennsylvania and Washington, by that route.

20. The exasperation felt towards Baltimore in Northern States, was intense and universal. Attacks were threatened, not only by troops in the service of the General Government, but also by independent organizations, sworn to the perpetration of all kinds of excesses.

Questions.-19. What is said further? 20. What is said of the feelings toward Baltimore, by people of the North?

GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE.

251

CHAPTER XXVII.

MEETING OF LEGISLATURE-Governor's Message-Address to the People-Military Departments-Scott's Campaign against Baltimore-Butler's Occupation of Baltimore-Non-Resistance of Baltimore-Habeas Corpus-Case of John Merryman.

1. Washington being now safe from the supposed seizure by the Southern sympathizers in Maryland, there was no reason why Governor Ilicks should decline to call an extra session of the Legislature. But as Annapolis was now in possession of the Federal troops, by a proclamation, dated April 24, he appointed Frederick as the place of meeting.

2. Accordingly, that body met at Frederick on the 26th. The Governor, in his message, briefly detailed the startling events that had induced him to summon them together, and stated his views of the proper course to be pursued by Maryland in the present crisis. IIe made an carnest appeal to them to let moderation and wisdom characterize their deliberations and acts.

3. His convictions were, "that the only safety of Maryland lay in preserving a neutral position between the North and the South; that he could

Questions.-1. What is said of calling an extra session of the legislature? 2. When did it meet, and where? 3. What were his convictions?

not counse. Maryland to take sides against the General Government until it shall commit outrages upon us that would justify us in resisting its authority; that the geopraphical position of the State forces it to declare for Union and Peace, if it would not have every material interest of its people destroyed."

4. On the 27th, the day after their assembling, the Senate and House of Delegates issued an address to the people, stating that the fear that their deliberations might result in committing the State to secession, was groundless, and that they had no constitutional authority to take such a step.

5. In the meanwhile, the General Government had created the military department of Annapolis. This department embraced the country twenty miles on each side of the Washington rail road, as far as Bladensburg. General Benj. F. Butler was placed in command.

6. General Scott, at that time Lieut. General of the United States army, devised a grand campaign against Baltimore. His plan was to send a column of three thousand men from Washington; another, of the same number from York, Pennsylvania, and a third column of three thousand men from Perryville, or Elkton, by land, or by water, or both, and a fourth, of equal strength, from Annapolis.

Questions.-4. What did the legislature do on the 27th? 5. What is said of the military department? Who was in command? 6. What was Gen Scott's plan against Baltimore?

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »