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[396] Pennsylvania, by General Scott, and posts were ordered to be established ‘all along the road from Wilmington, Delaware, to Washington City.’ Citizens of Baltimore sent telegrams to Mr. Cameron, April 19th, imploring him not to send troops through their city. The Baltimore and Ohio railroad refused to transfer the troops. But notwithstanding all these precautions the issue was made by pressing a body of Massachusetts soldiers into the city and the tragedy of April 19th followed. Citizens resented this invasion, the Federal soldiers fired and thus the first battle of the Confederate war in which blood was shed, was fought on the soil of a State which had not seceded. The political effect, however, was satisfactory to the administration for the time, and an agreement was then made with the mayor of Baltimore that troops should not be sent through the city. Annapolis was then substituted as the rendezvous en route to Washington, but finally the occupation of Maryland was made complete. Orders rapidly followed to place troops in position to advance on Baltimore and for a short time the war on the Confederacy was concentrated against Maryland. In less than five days after the unfortunate occurrences on the 19th of April in Baltimore, the Federal troops were passing through Annapolis to Washington. ‘A joint movement was contemplated from Philadelphia and Annapolis against Baltimore. The legislature was called to meet at Frederick City and the spirit of resistance pervaded many parts of the State. But the disadvantages were too great to be overcome and in a few weeks Baltimore was held by the Federal army.’ President Davis issued a proclamation on the 12th of April previously to the fight for Fort Sumter, convening the Congress on the 29th, ‘prompted by the declaration of hostilities contained in the message sent by President Lincoln to the governor of South Carolina delivered on the evening of April 8th.’ He stated as a ground of apprehension of trouble that the naval expedition fitted
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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