[
29]
Chapter 3: Maryland's overthrow.
While the city of
Baltimore was in a frenzy of excitement, on Sunday, the 21st of May, at the approach of the Pennsylvanians from Cockeyville,
Brig.-Gen. Benjamin F. Butler, with a Massachusetts regiment, landed at
Annapolis, whither he had proceeded by a steamer from
Perryville on the
Susquehanna.
The next day, the 2 2nd, he was reinforced by the New York Eighth and pushed up the
Annapolis & Elkridge railroad to its junction with the
Washington branch of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
On May 5th he took possession of the
Relay House, nine miles from
Baltimore, where the main branch of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad leading to
Harper's Ferry and the
West unites with the
Washington branch, which leads to
Washington, thirty miles distant. His troops were the Eighth New York, the Sixth Massachusetts and
Major Cook's battery of Boston light artillery.
He promptly fortified the position with earthworks and artillery.
All trains going west and south were searched, and scouts scoured the surrounding country.
On the 8th of May communication between
Washington and the
North was further strengthened by a new route by water from
Perryville to
Locust Point, and thence by rail to
Washington.
On the night of May 13th
General Butler, with the major part of his command, entered
Baltimore, seized
Federal Hill, which commands the city, fortified it with fifty heavy guns, and
Baltimore was in his control.
He acted with intelligence and promptness, and to him the
Union side was greatly indebted for restoring communications between the capital city and the
United States.
The
United States having control of the bay and the
